Built – 1934?
Type – Luftwaffe Training (to 1939), Short term occupation by various
Original name – Immelmann Kaserne?

Updated 22 June 2024

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HQ 84 Group RAF – arrived from Ambt Delden-NL north-west of Enschede-NL 4 Jun 45 – moved to Von Seeckt Kaserne later Trenchard Barracks – disbanded 15 Dec 47

More to follow
Source: 21st Army Group later British Army of the Rhine to 1 Mar 49

Part II

No 426 Refuelling and Re-arming Party – Apr-Jul 1945 (1)
No 19 Terminal Staging Post – 16 Apr-31 May 1945
41 Sqn – 16 Apr – 7 May 1945 (Spitfire XII or XIV/Tempest V) (5)
No 6041 Servicing Echelon – 16 Apr-9 May 1945
HQ, No 125 Wing – 16 Apr-7 May 1945
130 Sqn – 1945-1945(?) (Spitfire XIV) (3) (6)
No 6130 Servicing Echelon – 17 Apr-7 May 1945
No 6132 Servicing Echelon – 17 Apr-7 May 1945
No 6245 Servicing Echelon – 19 Apr-28 May 1945
No 91 (Forward) Staging Post – 22 Apr-21 May 1945
No 404 Air Stores Park – 25 Apr-6 May 1945
No 409 Repair & Salvage Unit – 27 Apr-3 May 1945
137 Sqn – 1945-1945(?) (Typhoon 1B) (3)
No 6137 Servicing Echelon – 7-9 May 1945
414 (Sarnia Imperials) Sqn – 1945-1945(?) (Spitfire IX or XIV) (3) (7)
No 6414 (RCAF) Servicing Echelon – 7-8 May 1945
No 427 Refuelling and Re-arming Party – 26-28 May 1945 (2)
No 84 Group Communication Flt – 27 May 1945 – ?? 1945
No 412 Repair & Salvage Unit – 30 May 1945-?? 1945
2 Sqn – 1945-1947 (?) (Based here twice, first with Spitfire XIV and then Spitfire PR19) (3)
No 6002 Servicing Echelon – 30 May 1945-18 Jun 1945 and 17 Sep 1945-15 Apr 1947
268 Sqn – May 1945-Sep 1945 (Spitfire FR XIVS) (Disbanded/reformed as 16 Sqn) (4)
No 6268 Servicing Echelon – 30 May – 19 Jun 1945
486 Sqn RNZAF – Jul-Sep 1945(?) (Tempest V) (3)
4 Sqn – 1945-1945(?) (Hawker Typhoon FR1B) (3)
350 (Belgian) Sqn – 1945-1945(?) (Spitfire XIV) (3)
No 94 (Forward) Staging Post – 31 May – Nov 1945
No 3 Air Delivery Letter Service – 10 Jul – 1 Aug 1945
No 402 Air Stores Park – 17 Aug 1945 – 15 Jun 1946
16 Sqn – 1945 – 1946(?) (Spitfire XIV, XVI and XIX, disbanded April 1946) (3) (4)
No 6016 Servicing Echelon – 19 Sep 1945 – 1 May 1946
652 Sqn – 1946-1946(?) (Auster IV and V) (3)
659 Sqn – ??-?? ( Auster IV and V) (3) (8)
No 1902 AOP Flt – 1 Jan – 1 Dec 1947
No 1903 AOP Flt – 1 Jan – 1 Dec 1947
No 1904 AOP Flt – 1 Jan – 1 Dec 1947
11 Sqn – 1949 – 1950 (?) (Mosquito FB6) (3)
No 6014 Servicing Echelon – 16 Aug 1949 – 1 Nov 1950
14 Sqn – 1949 – 1950 (?) (Mosquito B35) (3)
No 1 Mobile Repair and Salvage Unit – 25 Mar 1950 – 1 Jan 1957
HQ, No 139 Wing – 1 Apr 1953 – 1 Dec 1957
98 Sqn – Sep 1949-Nov 1950 (Mosquito B35)
93 Sqn – 1950-1952(?) (Vampire FB5) (3)
94 Sqn – Dec 1950-Sep 1957 (Vampire FB5 to 1954, Venom FB1 to 1957)
145 Sqn – Mar 1952-Oct 1957 (Vampire FB5 to 1954, Venom FB1 to 1957)

The base was handed back to the German Army Aviators Corp in 1957

(1) A detachment of this Unit was known to be stationed here during this period, exact dates are not known.
(2) No 427 Refuelling and Re-arming Party also had a Detachment at RAF Ahlhorn.
(3) Precise dates of when each of these Squadrons were in RAF Celle are unclear, therefore each set of dates will be followed by (?) until further details are available. It is suspected that the squadrons were present around the time of the various corresponding Servicing Echelons i.e. 2 Squadron were supposedly present twice, and 6002 Servicing Echelon were also there twice (30 May 1945 – 18 Jun 1945 and 17 Sep 1945 – 15 Apr 1947).
(4) This Squadron was possibly responsible for the mail from No 3 Air Delivery Letter Service.
(5) Aircraft noted were used between 1943 and 1946.
(6) May have moved from/to Eindhoven before returning to the UK.
(7) Aircraft type not certain at this time.
(8) No firm details of this Sqn found at this time.

Originally built in 1934, under the guise of a Training Establishment for Deutscher Luftsportverband (D.L.V.). Because of the rapid expansion of the “Training Programme” and increase in the size of the aircraft, external landing strips were built at Hustedt and Scheuen, with “Blind Flying” training transferred to Wesendorf. More details here.

The RAF when they were in Celle were based at Wietzenbruch air base, which is on the outskirts of Celle. An extremely busy airfield during the Berlin Airlift. RAF Vampires flew here in the 1950s.

A reference gives the name as possibly being Immelmann Kaserne before it was taken over by the British in 1945. It originally only played a secondary role as an airbase until the onset of the Berlin Airlift, when it was taken over by the American Forces, being handed back in 1949. During this time the base was extended, the runway given a tarmac surface, and a rail siding added. Mention of the name is shown here.

Amongst the RAF Squadrons based there was 652/659 AOP Sqns whose role was to provide close Artillery Observation and Reconnaissance to Army units they were equipped with Auster light aircraft and Skeeter helicopters. Some of the pilots were Army personnel on secondment to the RAF. With the formation of the Army Air Corps in 1958, these units were transferred to Army command and rebadged forming part of 1 Wing AAC. Aircraft maintenance was to remain an RAF responsibility for a further decade but on transfer 73 Aircraft Workshop REME assumed responsibility. These Army units remained in Celle when the RAF Operational Squadrons transferred to the newly opened Clutch Airfields, close to the Dutch border, however a further reorganisation of AAC assets and associated REME support in the 1970s marked the end of the British military presence on Celle airfield.

Mr Peter Watson