RAF Shandur

Royal Air Force Shandur or more simply RAF Shandur is a former Royal Air Force station located in Shandur, Suez Governorate, Egypt.

History

RAF Shandur was originally known as
Station "X", and was renamed to Shandur on 22 January 1940.
From 1941 to 1942, RAF Shandur provided training for RAF crews who operated Martin Marylands. In May 1943, the No. 70 Operating Training Unit was under the control of No. 203 Squadron RAF, and moved to the airfield for training operations until January 1945 when it was disbanded. There was also a Royal Canadian Air Force unit presence here. According to German maps, RAF Shandur may have been mistaken as RAF Shaluffa.

Post-war Usage

On 25 September, 1945, RAF Shandur was reopened. It was headquartered by AHQ Eatern Mediterranean from 25 September until 15 August, 1946. On 15 August, 1946, the station HQ was disbanded and closed.
In late 1947, the ex-RAF station began serving as the base for the 4th Royal Tank Regiment equipped with Cromwell, Comet, and Sherman tanks. It was also equipped with American Jeeps and Chevrolet 3-ton vehicles. In 1951, near the airfield was Camp Shandur, where the 16th Parachute Brigade of the 3rd Battalion was stationed. Shortly afterwards, operations were moved to Moascar Garrison. RAF Shandur experienced extreme weather conditions, such as snow falling in March 1950, and heavy rainfall that led to flooding in the Nissen huts. The 4th RTR remained at the base until 1950, and was the only complete tank regiments trained there, remaining in the area until 1954. Due to the increasing Suez Crisis in 1956, the remaining units were withdrawn from the base. The airfield eventually fell into neglect; facing little Egyptian usage.

Units

The following units based at RAF Shandur at one point.
; Royal Canadian Air Force

No. 417 Squadron RCAF, reformed at Shandur on 5 September 1942
No. 417 Squadron RCAF, 5 September 1942 - 10 October 1942

; Royal Air Force
;Units:

Groupe De Chasse No. 1 'Alsace' Free French Air Forces, 5 May 1941 and August 1942
Escadrille Bombardment No. 2 FFAF, 22 May 1941 and 12 June 1941
Groupe 'Lorraine' FFAF, 23 October 1941 and 12 November 1941
No. 21 Sector RAF, May 1942 - xxxx
Special Operations Flight RAF, 3 January 1943 - 22 February 1943
No. 70 Operational Training Unit RAF, 21 May 1943 - 16 July 1945, equipped with Marauders and later Bristol Blenheims
Baltimore Photographic Flight RAF, 25 June 1945 - 18 July 1945, equipped with Baltimores
Shandur Station Flight RAF with a Hawker Hurricane

; Non-flying units

No. 4607 Flight, January 1943 — March 1943
No. 21 Sector Operations Room, January 1943 — February 1944
No 10 Meteorological Forecast Unit