RAF Shepherds Grove, UK
RAF Shepherds Grove is a former Royal Air Force station located 9.9 miles (15.9 km) north-east of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England. The Station was originally built for the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Eighth Air Force during the Second World War. However the facility was not used by the USAAF and was opened by No. 3 Group RAF on 3 April 1944. The name came from a small copse nearby and the airfield is close to Walsham le Willows in Suffolk. It was occupied by No. 196 Squadron RAF in January 1945 as a base for Operation Varsity, supporting the Rhine crossing. Various American units occupied the station after WW2 but ended their use of the unit in December 1958. On 22 July 1956, No. 82 Squadron RAF was activated at Shepherds Grove as a Thor missile unit. Thor launching sites were built on the main airfield and became operational in 1959. The base was closed in 1966.
