The end of the beginning - the 2000 Reunion
Some History of the RAF Station Watton and some Reflexions of the Service of Remembrance on Sunday August 13th 2000
Reportage by Frank Harbord DFM (ex-82 Squadron RAF)
The Royal Air Force station Watton was opened about a year before the outbreak of war on Sept. 3rd 1939. The aircraft took off and landed on the large grass field that had been cleared to the south-east of the for large hangars.
In 1942 the landing/take off area was enlarged, a concrete taxi track was laid around the perimeter of this area. Across the landing area an all-weather runway was constructed running approximately east-west and 
about 2,000 yards long. Large areas of concrete were put down in front of the hangars to provide hard standing for, say 15/20 large four engined aircraft. An American style control tower was built something like 350 yd to the south-east of the original RAF watch office Pictured left is the view east from the original RAF Watch Office - a view Frank would have been very familiar with.
In the summer of 1940, numbers 82 and 21 Squadrons of Number 2 Group Bomber Command Royal Air Force, equipped with Mark IV Blenheim aircraft were based at the then small grass aerodrome at Watton. 82 squadron was commanded from about mid June 1940 to the thirteenth August 1940 by Wing Commander Edward Colis de Virac Lart.
All 82 squadron aircraft carried the squadron code letters UX in grey paint on both sides of the fuselage. Each aircraft was also given a discreet and unique aircraft letter. Thus, aircraft number whose serial number was R3821 became UX-N. From these letters details of the aircraft and its crew at any given time could be discovered.
On August 13 1940 Wing Commander Lart led a formation of 12 Blenheims of 82 squadron in an attack on the enemy occupied aerodrome at Aalborg in Denmark. 11 aircraft of this formation were shot down over the target area. Wing Commander Lart was shot down and killed with 19 other airmen, 13 others all wounded were taken prisoner. UX-N was shot down at approximately 12.23 on 13th August 1940 on the Aalborg raid
In January 2000 the only flying example of a Mark IV Blenheim, operated by the Aircraft Restoration Company at Duxford airfield, was painted in the colours of the aircraft in use in 2 group in 1940. It was given the aircraft number of R3821 and the ident letters of UX-N.
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