Yvrench France

Mission Summaries > January 1944 > Airfields in Jan 44

Yvrench (FR)

(a.k.a. Conteville)

(50 10 05 N – 02 03 30 E)

General: landing ground in NE France 14 km NE of Abbeville, 4.5 km ESE of Yvrench and 1.6 km SW of Conteville.

History: used by the RAF during the 1939-40 campaign. The Luftwaffe developed it into a forward station for twin-engine fighters for the air offensive against England (Battle of Britain). Had very little use after the end of 1940.

Surface and Dimensions: grass surface measuring approx. 1000 x 1370 meters (1100 x 1500 yards). Had a single concrete runway approx. 600 meters (660 yards) in length with taxiways connecting it to the dispersal areas.

Fuel and Ammunition: believed to have used tank trucks (bowsers) for fueling. Ammunition was probably stored in a large woods at the SW corner.

Infrastructure: had 1 medium hangar with adjacent workshops at the NE corner and 1 small wooden hangar at the SW corner, the latter protected by an earthen blast wall. A large farm off the N boundary served as station HQ and offices. Personnel were accommodated in local villages. The nearest rail connection was at the N end of the landing ground.

Dispersal: the 3 areas – Northeast, Southwest and West – had a total of 33 aircraft shelters in 1943. The shelters were of wood construction and surrounded by blast walls approx. 3 meters high and 1 meter thick.

Defenses: there were 3 light Flak positions and the approaches to the landing ground were patrolled by sentries.

Remarks:

Jan 42: operational using airfield code number 582.
26 Jul 42: assigned new airfield code number 277 or number 284.
1942: landing area temporarily obstructed with tripod devises.
Jul 43: now permanently obstructed with trenches across the runway and landing area.
21 Jan 44: Bombed as a target of last resort by 6 B-24's. (445th Bomb Group Mission #13 - 6 B-24 dropped 72 x 500 lb. AN-M43 General Purpose bombs).

Operational Units: I./ZG 26 (Jun-Nov 40).

Station Commands: Fl.H.Kdtr. E 13/VI (summer 1940 – Apr 41); Platzkdo. of Fl.H.Kdtr. E 42/XI Poix/Nord (1942).

Station Units (on various dates – not complete): none identified.

Yvrench Airdrome