RAF Boulmer

Royal Air Force Boulmer or RAF Boulmer /ˈbuːmər/ (IATA: N/A, ICAO: EGQM) is a Royal Air Force station near Alnwick in Northumberland, England, and is home to Aerospace Surveillance and Control System (ASACS) Force Command, Control and Reporting Centre Boulmer, the School of Aerospace Battle Management, No. 202 Squadron RAF search and rescue, and support staff.

History

Second World War

In 1940 a decoy airfield was set up near the village of Boulmer to divert German attacks from nearby Royal Air Force (RAF) airfields such as RAF Acklington. As the air threat to the United Kingdom receded, the decoy airfield, with its grass runways and plywood and canvas Hurricanes, was abandoned. In March 1943 RAF Boulmer was re-opened as a satellite airfield to house the advanced flights of No. 57 Operational Training Unit RAF (a Supermarine Spitfire training unit based at RAF Eshott, Boulmer's parent unit). During this period, there were three tarmac runways and a unit of the RAF Regiment defended the Station. In November 1943 RAF Boulmer became home to No 9 Battle Training School, in which night flying, dive-bombing, strafing, bouncer, and chase tactics were taught. As the war ended the airfield closed, reverting to agricultural use. Part of the airfield formed the basis of a caravan site with the runway and taxiway being used as an access road to the site. The site remains and is called Seaton Park.

Boulmer

Coordinates: 55°25′26″N 1°34′59″W / 55.424°N 1.583°W / 55.424; -1.583

Boulmer /ˈbuːmər/ is a village in Northumberland, in England on the North Sea coast to the east of Alnwick. It is home to RAF Boulmer, one of the main search and rescue helicopter bases in the northeast of England. Boulmer has an independent volunteer lifeboat station.

Origin of the name

The name Boulmer, pronounced 'Boomer', is a derivation of Bulemer, from the old English bulan-mere (bulls mere).

History

Boulmer was notorious for its smuggling activities, much of which was centred on the Fishing Boat Inn. In the 18th century one of the most well-known smugglers was King of the Gypsies, William Faa, who lived some miles away in the remote Scottish village of Kirk Yetholm. During the 18th and 19th centuries the village was the smuggling capital of Northumberland.

A major change was the arrival of the Royal Air Force during the World War 2. Otherwise, Boulmer has changed little in over 100 years and is one of the few true traditional fishing villages left on the Northumberland coast.