The City of Eindhoven was heavily bombed during WW2, including during the run-up to Operation Market Garden, and large parts of the City were destroyed

Situated approximately 8km west of the City Centre RAF Eindhoven was taken over on the liberation of Eindhoven by the Allies in 1944. Given the number B78, it was renamed RAF Eindhoven shortly after. It was initially used as a Flying Station for numerous Squadrons, quite a number of them Canadian, and provided a base for numerous detachments and RAF Regiment Squadrons.. Although strictly not within the borders of Germany, RAF Eindhoven played a part in the history of BAOR in that it covered the supply of stores, vehicles, and acted as a bomb dump, for 2TAF. There was also a subsidiary bomb dump at Alphen Riel, about 25miles/40km to the north-west.

At some stage in its history, more than likely after the RAF left, it was renamed Welschap Airport. This site has now been redeveloped as housing, and the now-named Eindhoven Airport has moved slightly further west.

Closed 1962, handed back to Dutch Authorities

Home to: (In date order)

No 426 Refuelling and Re-arming Party – Apr-Oct 1945 *
HQ, No 124 Wing – 23 Sep 1944-9 Jan 1945
HQ, No 143 Wing – 25 Sep 1944-30 Mar 1945 (1)
No 401 Air Stores Park – 30 Sep 1944-15 Apr 1945 ^
No 404 Air Stores Park – 30 Sep 1944-15 Apr 1945
No 18 Terminal Staging Post – 1 Oct 1944-7 Nov 1944
HQ, No 83 Group – 1 Oct 1944-10 Apr 1945 (2)
No 83 Group Communications Sqn – 3 Oct 1944-12 Apr 1945
HQ No 39 Wing – 4 Oct 1944-6 Mar 1945 (3)
181 Sqn – 22 Sep 1944-12 Jan 1945 (Typhoon 1B)
182 Sqn – 22 Sep 1944-13 Jan 1945 (Typhoon 1B)
247 (China-British) Sqn – 22 Sep 1944-13 Jan 1945 (Typhoon 1B)
No 6247 Servicing Echelon – 22 Sep 1944-13 Jan 1945
658 Sqn – 22 Sep-29 Sep 1944 (Auster IV and V)
653 Sqn – 23 Sep-6 Oct 1944 (Auster IV and V)
137 Sqn – 23 Sep 1944-13 Jan 1945 (Typhoon)
No 6137 Servicing Echelon – 23 Sep 1944-13 Jan 1945
No 6181 Servicing Echelon – 23 Sep 1944-3 Mar 1945
439 (Westmount) Sqn – 25 Sep 1944-30 Mar 1945 (Typhoon 1B)
No 6439 (RCAF) Servicing Echelon – 25 Sep 1944-30 Mar 1945
438 (Widcat) Sqn – 26 Sep 1944-19 Mar 1945 (Typhoon 1B)
No 6438 (RCAF) Servicing Echelon – 26 Sep 1944-19 Mar 1945
440 (City of Ottawa and Beaver) Sqn – 26 Sep 1944-30 Mar 1945 (Typhoon 1B)
No 6440 (RCAF) Servicing Echelon – 26 Sep 1944-29 Mar 1945
No 6414 (RCAF) Servicing Echelon – 2 Oct 1944-7 Mar 1945
400 (City of Toronto) Sqn – 3 Oct 1944-7 Mar 1945 (Mosquito XVI and Spitfire XI)
No 6400 (RCAF) Servicing Echelon – 3 Oct 1944-3 Mar 1945
414 (Sarnia Imperials) Sqn – 3 Oct 1944-7 Mar 1945 (Spitfire IX)
168 Sqn – 4 Oct 1944-26 Feb 1945 (Typhoon 1B) (disbanded 26 Feb 1945, but continued to fly for another 2 days)
No 6168 Servicing Echelon – 4 Oct 1944-26 Feb 1945
430 (City of Sudbury) Sqn – 4 Oct 1944-7 Mar 1945 (Mustang 1, Spitfire XIV from Nov 1944)
No 6430 (RCAF) Servicing Echelon (4 Oct 1944 – 7 Mar 1945)
No 3206 Servicing Commando (15 – 29 Oct 1944)
No 2703 Sqn RAF Regiment – ??1944-??1945 (LAA Sqn) (4)
No 2726 Sqn RAF Regiment – Aug 1944-??1945 (Rifle Sqn)
No 2734 Sqn RAF Regiment – ??1944-??1944 (LAA Sqn)
No 2773 Sqn RAF Regiment – Aug 1944-??1945 (LAA Sqn) (4)
No 2806 Sqn RAF Regiment – July 1944-??1945 (Armoured Car Sqn)
No 2807 Sqn RAF Regiment- Feb 1945-??1945 (Rifle Sqn)
No 2814 Sqn RAF Regiment – ??1945-??1945 (Rifle Sqn)
No 2817 Sqn RAF Regiment – 1944-??1945 (LAA Sqn)
No 2819 Sqn RAF Regiment – ??1944-??1945 (LAA Sqn)
No 2827 Sqn RAF Regiment – ??1945-??1945 (Rifle Sqn)
No 2856 Sqn RAF Regiment – ??1945-??1945 (Rifle Sqn)
No 2871 Sqn RAF Regiment – ??1944-??1944 (Rifle Sqn) (5)
No 2879 Sqn RAF Regiment – ??1944-??1945 (Rifle Sqn)
No 91 (Forward) Staging Post – 1 Dec 1944-13 Apr 1945
130 Sqn – 27 Jan-3 Feb 1945 and 21 Feb-7 Apr 1945 (Spitfire XIV)
No 6130 Servicing Echelon – 27 Jan-7 Apr 1945
No 6132 Servicing Echelon – 27 Jan-7 Apr 1945
350 (Belgian) Sqn – 27 Jan-7 Apr 1945 and 2-7 Apr 1945 (Spitfire XIV)
No 6350 (Belgian) Servicing Echelon – 27 Jan-7 Apr 1945
610 (County of Chester) Sqn – 27 Jan-21 Feb 1945 (Spitfire XIV)
No 6610 Servicing Echelon – 27 Jan-21 Feb 1945
41 Sqn – 18 Mar-8 Apr 1945 (Spitfire XIV)
No 6041 Servicing Echelon – 18 Mar-8 Apr 1945
No 6443 (RCAF) Servicing Echelon – 30 Mar-11 Apr 1945
HQ, No 127 Wing – 31 Mar-11 Apr 1945 (6)
421 (Red Indian) Sqn – 31 Mar-11 Apr 1945 (Spitfire XVI E)
No 6421 (RCAF) Servicing Echelon – 31 Mar-11 Apr 1945
403 (Wolf) Sqn – 31 Mar-11 Apr 1945 (Spitfire XVI) (7)
No 6403 (RCAF) Servicing Echelon – 31 Mar-11 Apr 1945
416 (City of Oshawa) Sqn – 31 Mar-12 Apr 1945 (Spitfire XVI)
No 6416 (RCAF) Servicing Echelon – 31 Mar-11 Apr 1945
443 (Hornet) Sqn – 31 Mar-12 Apr 1945 (Spitfire IXB and XVI)
16 Sqn – 10 Apr-17 Sep 1945 (Spitfire XIX) (8)
HQ, No 34 Wing – 15 Apr-30 Sep 1945 (9)
69 Sqn – 15 Apr-7 Aug 1945 (Wellington XIII)
No 6069 Servicing Echelon – 15 Apr-7 Aug 1945
140 Sqn – 15 Apr-9 Jul 1945 (Mosquito XVI)
No 1401 (Meteorological) Flt – 15 Apr-16 Sep 1945
314 Supply and Transport Column 1953-1954 (10)
317 Motor Transport Squadron – 1954-1962 (10)
401 Air Stores Park – ??-?? ^
Special Equipment Section (SES) – ??-??

* Re-fuelling and Re-arming Party units were spread in detachments over many different Stations.
^ Did this unit return to Eindhoven at some stage? A reference found has it in Eindhoven after 1945.

(1) RCAF Fighter Wing. Disbanded August 1945.
(2) Absorbed by 84 Group April 1945.
(3) RCAF Reconnaissance Wing. Disbanded August 1945.
(4) 2703 and 2773 Squadrons of the RAF Regiment were in Eindhoven during “Operation Bodenplatte”, when a large number of airfields were attacked by the Luftwaffe, launched 1st January 1945.
(5) 2871 Sqn RAF Regiment was involved in the liberation of the Phillips factory in Eindhoven, and in the capture of the airfield.
(6) RCAF Fighter Wing. Disbanded July 1945
(7) It is not known if this squadron was still using the XIV E when they were in Eindhoven.
(8) This squadron moved more than 20 times during its service on the Continent during and immediately after WW2.
(9) Strategic Reconnaissance Wing.
(10) A detachment from RAF Brüggen, renamed 317 MT Sqn in 1954.

We were BAOR 35 when I was there in the early 1950s.

The airfield at Eindhoven was reclaimed from the Luftwaffe on the liberation of the town of Eindhoven in September 1944 and its temporary code number was B.78.

It became R.A.F. Eindhoven soon after and became the parent Station of many detachments (317 MT Squadron attachment being one) and outstations covering supply stores, (401 ASP), with many bomb dumps in outlying districts and vehicle storage for the 2nd Tactical Air Force. We made many excursions to various camps and bases throughout the Allied Zones delivering much needed supplies.

It closed in 1962 as indeed the closure of other Stations occurred in following years.

Les Nash (Secretary RAF Eindhoven Association)