Leyton & Leytonstone

Historical Society

First World War stories from St Mary’s Leyton churchyard

Albert Edward Austin (1895-1918) continued                  

59 TDS moved to Scopwick, coming under the  59th Wing in September 1918, previously being under 26th Wing  - covering Wyton and other units in Huntingdonshire and Norfolk.  59th Wing also looked after Cranwell.  From October 1918, Scopwick was controlled by 27th Wing in No 12 Group.  The establishment was 10 Handly Page 0/100s, 18 FE2Eb or ds and 30 AVRO 504.  The station provided support for training of night bombers and in 1918 covered 250 acres, had seven 170 by 100 foot  hangars and a landing area of 1,400 by 1,000 yards.

Scopwick does not seem to have been operational in the First World War but it did see  action. A Zeppelin dropped bombs one night which fell in a field just north of Scopwick Lodge, locally the field is still called ‘Bomb Field’.  

From April 1920 No. 59 TDS became the No. 3 Flying Training School, under the command of Squadron Leader A T Harris, later known as Air Marshal Arthur 'Bomber' Harris. In September of that year the station was renamed RAF Digby, to avoid the confusion that had occurred with  RAF Shotwick in North Wales. The station then trained fighter pilots rather than bomber pilots.

The Royal Air Force (RAF)  came into being on 01 April 1918, the bill to create it having been given royal assent the previous November. It was formed to develop the use of aviation from  several  existing sections:-

• A military section – The Royal Flying Corps (RFC)

• A naval section – The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS)

• A central flying school

• A reserve

• A Royal Aircraft factory (formerly making air balloons) at Farnborough