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RAF Davidstow Moor lay on high, exposed ground in north Cornwall, north-east of Camelford. Opened in late 1942 and used through to 1945, it was a Coastal Command airfield whose operational value was shaped as much by geography and weather as by strategy. The moorland setting offered space for runways and dispersals, and its western location placed it within reach of the Atlantic approaches – a key theatre in the Battle of the Atlantic.
The station was allocated to Coastal Command (associated with No. 19 Group) at a time when the struggle against U-boats was still finely balanced. Davidstow Moor’s job was to contribute to air cover and maritime security: patrols, convoy escort support, and readiness for anti-submarine and rescue work as required. Despite periods of intense activity, it remained one of Coastal Command’s less frequently used stations overall, a reflection of both operational priorities and the challenges of operating from a windswept, elevated site where fog, rain and strong winds could ground flying or complicate landings.
Infrastructure at Davidstow Moor included multiple runways and extensive dispersal points, designed so aircraft could be spread out for protection and rapid launch. Coastal Command stations often carried a heavy logistical burden: maritime aircraft required specialised equipment, long-range navigation support, and dependable maintenance because patrol sorties could be long and punishing for airframes and engines. Ground crews at Davidstow would have faced harsh conditions, working in cold, wet weather to keep aircraft serviceable and ready.
Operationally, Davidstow Moor sat within a network of airfields covering the Western Approaches. Patrol aircraft from such stations searched for U-boat activity, shadowed suspicious contacts, responded to sightings from ships and other aircraft, and supported the wider Allied effort that ultimately turned the Atlantic campaign in Britain’s favour. Even when the station was not launching constant sorties, its existence added depth and resilience: a place that could be surged during crises, used as a diversion in bad weather, or hold detachments temporarily as Coastal Command reorganised its coverage.
The human story of a station like Davidstow Moor includes the isolation that many Coastal Command bases experienced. Compared with major bomber stations in the east, north Cornwall could feel remote, and the combination of demanding weather and long maritime flights made morale and routine important. The station also illustrates how the RAF adapted to wartime urgency: building major airfields in challenging terrain because strategic geography mattered more than convenience.
After 1945 the airfield closed and the moorland landscape gradually reclaimed the site. Today, remains of runways and station footprints can still be traced, offering a tangible link to a period when Atlantic security depended on dispersed, rugged airfields like Davidstow Moor – quiet outposts that helped keep shipping lanes open and Britain supplied.
Even as a relatively lightly used base, Davidstow’s dispersal network and runway plan show how Coastal Command prepared for surge operations, ready to expand flying activity when U-boat threats spiked or weather shifted.