RAF Membury

Royal Air Force Membury or more simply RAF Membury is a former Royal Air Force station built in the civil parish of Lambourn in Berkshire, England. The airfield is located approximately 4.6mi mi north-northwest of Hungerford, at the Membury services stop of the M4 motorway; about 60mi west-southwest of London. The airfield also lies immediately next to the Iron Age hill fort of Membury Camp.Opened in 1942, it was used by both the Royal Air Force (RAF) and United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). During the war it was used by several combat units with varying missions. It was also a major supply and maintenance depot. After the war, it was a private airport until the construction of the M4 motorway in the 1960s when it was closed.Today the remains of the airfield are located on private property with the former technical site now being an industrial estate (Membury Business Park).HistoryUSAAF useMembury was known as USAAF Station AAF-466 for security reasons by the USAAF during the war, and by which it was referred to instead of location. Its USAAF Station Code was "ME".3rd Photographic and 67th Observation/Reconnaissance GroupsMeanwhile, the Eighth Air Force VIII Ground Air Support Command, the forebear of the reborn Ninth Air Force had designated Membury for use by its reconnaissance units. These were the men of the 3rd Photographic and the 67th Observation Groups, who arrived at Membury on 7 and 8 September 1942.