JEVER AIRFIELD - HISTORY

The history of jever as an airfield falls into three
distinct periods; from the mid-twenties until 1935 as the
property of a civilian flying club; from 1935 until 1945
as an operational Luftwaffe base and from 1951 until the
present day as an R.A.F. Fighter Station as part of the
N.A.T.O. defence.
During the 1920's the employees of the Focke Wulf
Aircraft Co., of Bremen decided to form a sports flying
club, starting with a nucleus of World War I pilots.   By
1926 they had built up a thriving club with seven light
aeroplanes located on a small aerodrome at the edge of
Upjever forest.   However, within ten years this field was
commandeered for more aggressive purposes and the Luftwaffe
transformed it into a fighter base.
Work began early in 1935 clearing the forest and
proceeded rapidly.   The Station Headquarters was the first
building to be completed and then the Hangars, Fire Station,
M.T. Buildings, Sick Quarters and underground Petrol
Installations followed in quick succession.   Within the
space of one year the Station was ready for its official
opening which took place on 1st May 1936, when General Milch
handed over to the first commandant, Hauptmann Malrich.
The first operational unit, a fighter Gruppe of three
Staffeln, occupied Jever in June, 1937.   Even at the time
of the Munich Crisis in 1938 there was still only one
fighter Gruppe here equipped with Me.109B's.
In August 1937 the unit had only fifteen fighters
instead of its establishment of thirty-nine and of those
only five were serviceable.
At the beginning of September 1939, Jever was once
more in the operational picture with the formation of the
first Gruppe top be equipped with Me.109's and Me.110's,
which in September 1939, were responsible for causing
heavy casualties to a force of 22 Wellington aircraft
carrying out a raid on naval vessels in the Schillig Roads
and Wilhelmshaven.

[This account is not entirely accurate.   Chris Stone, who was
'A' Flight Commander on No. 93 Squadron at RAF Jever, was later the
Station Commander of RAF Wattisham.   He relates the full story
from the History of RAF Wattisham as follows:

"There is, however, a mistake I think in the last paragraph
of page 5 where it references the station's Me 109s and 110s
attacking Wellingtons.   The bombers were, in fact, fifteen Blenheims.
There were five each from Nos 107 and 110 Squadrons based at
RAF Wattisham, and five from No. 139 Squadron based at Wyton.
The raid had the distinction of being the very first to be mounted
against Germany in WWII, and was carried out at low level
against German battleships anchored in the Schilling Roads
on 4th September, 1939.   The 5 aircraft from 139 Sqn failed to
find the target and so returned with their bombs to Wyton.   The 10
aircraft from Wattisham did find the ships, but the bombs that
found their mark merely bounced off the heavy armour plating.
The only German ship to be damaged was the cruiser Emden
when one of the Blenheims, shot up during the attack, crashed
into it.   Just five aircraft returned safely to Wattisham."]


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