Insight #3: Publication of updated Squadron and Units Timeline
During the lifetime of this project, we have been attempting to put together a more complete timeline of Squadrons and Units based at Manston. This has taken a vast amount of time and we are fully aware that this may never be fully completed and there may always be question marks, gaps and even mistakes.
However, we thought it might be an opportune time to publish the details we have so far as we don’t believe anything as comprehensive as this has been made public before. Already there are areas we need to work on, specifically 1950 to 1958 when the USAF were on-site.
We are happy to receive any updates or corrections, but because of inaccuracies in many historical sources, we try to ensure that our details are confirmed by what we consider to be highly regarded sources as in so many occasions, published material does differ.
We have currently many entries that may be added to this list that need additional checking as the only source we have has not always proven accurate. We have over 160 entries we haven’t yet published, which include many suggestions of detachments to Manston which are hard to confirm without references to ORB records.
We have also sought to include servicing and support units, not just the Squadrons themselves, as they too played a vital role in Manston’s history.
If you have records for any unit on our list and are willing to supply them to us, we would be very grateful. Likewise, if you want to help us to carry out the research ourselves from confirming dates, please consider sending us a donation.
We know that at times, official records may be the only option to confirm dates and we also want to publish as many events from them as we can that have connections to Manston. However, work on the records and unit dates can take a vast amount of time.
In the meantime, we hope you find it interesting.
You can find the page on the main menu, under Squadrons & Units, or you can click here.
