RAF Коттесмор: Тарихы мен қазіргі жағдайы

Former Royal Air Force station in Rutland, Englandthe current use of this facility

Royal Air Force Cottesmore or more simply RAF Cottesmore is a former Royal Air Force station in Rutland, England, situated between Cottesmore and Market Overton. On 15 December 2009, Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth announced that the station would close in 2013 as part of defence spending cuts, along with the retirement of the Harrier GR9 and the disbandment of Joint Force Harrier. The formal closing ceremony took place on 31 March 2011, and the airfield became a satellite of RAF Wittering until March 2012. In July 2011 Defence Secretary Liam Fox announced plans for it to be the airfield for one of five of the Army's Multi Role Brigades. In April 2012 it was renamed Kendrew Barracks after Major General Sir Douglas Kendrew.

The badge of RAF Cottesmore consisted of a hunting horn, a five pointed star and a horseshoe. The description is "in front of a horseshoe a mullet overall a hunting horn in bend". The hunting horn symbolises the location in foxhunting country and the link with the Cottesmore Hunt; the American Star recalls the time the Station was a United States Army Air Force base; the inverted horseshoe is a traditional emblem of Oakham and the County of Rutland. The motto "We rise to our obstacles" is both a reference to the Cottesmore Hunt and was intended to convey the spirit with which the Royal Air Force confronts difficulties. The badge was granted in 1948. The badge appears on the nameplate of the LNER Peppercorn Class A1 60163 Tornado steam locomotive that was named by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall on 19 February 2009.

RAF Cottesmore opened on 11 March 1938. The station was used mainly for training, and the first squadrons were equipped with Vickers Wellesley aircraft, but soon converted to Fairey Battles. Later RAF Bomber Command took over the airfield, again as a training station, flying Handley Page Hampdens. These units remained in residence until a few days before the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 when they were sent to RAF Cranfield to serve as a pool providing replacements for combat losses. Their place at Cottesmore was taken by Nos. 106 and 185 Squadrons, moving in from RAF Thornaby with Hampdens. However, with the outbreak of war, the aircraft and crews were sent to locations in the north and west, as enemy air attacks were expected over the southern half of England. As these never materialised, the Hampdens returned in the spring of 1940 and No. 185 Squadron became the Hampden operational training unit, No. 14 Operational Training Unit RAF. Cottesmore's Hampdens' first entry into hostile airspace was a leaflet dropping operation over northern France. In October 1940, 106 Squadron moved to RAF Finningley while No. 14 OTU remained training crews for Bomber Command, its Hampdens and HP.53 Herefords being replaced by Vickers Wellingtons in 1942. Training continued for three years and three months until August 1943 when No. 14 OTU moved to RAF Market Harborough. In May 1943, No. 34 Heavy Glider Maintenance Section arrived, and was present until March 1944.

The Army officially took over the site in April 2012. It is now home to the 2nd Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment, who moved from Dhekelia Garrison in Cyprus. A second regiment, 7 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps, moved to the base in 2013. Kendrew Barracks was officially opened in October 2012 by the Duke of Gloucester.