RAF Watchfield
| RAF Watchfield Arnhem Camp | |
|---|---|
| Watchfield, Oxfordshire in England | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Royal Air Force station |
| Owner | Ministry of Defence |
| Operator | Royal Air Force British Army |
| Controlled by | RAF Flying Training Command |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 51°37′14″N 001°38′52″W / 51.62056°N 1.64778°W |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1940 |
| In use | 1940 - 1972 |
| Battles/wars | European theatre of World War II |
Royal Air Force Watchfield or more simply RAF Watchfield is a former Royal Air Force station, opened in England in 1940 just north of Watchfield village (at that time in Berkshire, now in Oxfordshire). Its nearest towns were Highworth, Wiltshire, 3 miles (5 km) to the west, and Faringdon, Oxfordshire, 3.5 miles (6 km) to the north-east.
The airfield had grass runways and was operated by the RAF until 1950, after which it was used by the Army for parachute training and development of vehicle air drop, with planes flying from RAF Abingdon and using the former airfield as a drop zone. In 1961, 16 Parachute Heavy Drop company (RAOC) was formed there. This company moved to RAF Hullavington in February 1971 and the site was closed in 1972.