Templeton Airfield
Constructed on a ridge a mile to the west of the village, RAF Templeton was built in 1942/43 as a satellite to Haverfordwest. The station's historical record is not outstanding, and it was destined to spend the war as home to a number of training units.
No. 306 Ferry Training Unit formed here in January 1943 training Beaufort crews in long distance flying. This unit remained until June 1943 when it was transferred to Northern Ireland.
Aerial view showing the extent of RAF Templeton
It was replaced by Ansons from 3 OTU from Haverfordwest. This was a Coastal Command unit trining crews on the heavier types of aircraft being used at the time such a Whitleys and Wellingtons. After the unit moved on December 8th, the airfield remained idle for a period of time. It was not until August 1944 that aircraft would return with 595 squadron at Aberporth being given permission to tow the new winged glider targets from the runways. Martinet aircraft undertook this duty but it was found after a crash on landing that the more powerful Spitfires were more suited to the task.
8OTU was the last unit to use the airfield during January 1945, and after 'A' flight with its Spitfires and Mosquitoes moved to the larger airfield at Brawdy, the end of flying from Templeton was in sight. A small engineering section would remain until the airfield closed in June 1945.
Today the airfield is used occasionally for military exercises with Hercules transport aircraft flying low over the area being a familiar sight. The runways and some of the perimeter tracks remain, together with a small number of buildings scattered round the neighbouring fields and now put to agricultural use. It is surprising how well some of these buildings have stood the test of time - a time capsule in themselves.
Some of the surviving war-time buildings on Templeton Airfield
To the Eastern side of the airfield the aerodrome's battle Headquarters bunker can be found, while alongside the lane from Carne to Molleston are two air-raid shelters and a pile of rubble - the remains of part of a WRAF site. Also on the western side of the airfield can be seen the original bomb stores, together with a domestic building and a dining hall.
The remains of domestic buildings and a dining hall can still be found to the west of the airfield
The coal yard to the south of the airfield was a WWII bomb store, while the black Nissen hut nearby was a heavy bomb fusing building.
The former heavy bomb fusing building to the south of the road from Carne to Templeton
Towards Carne, two long low brick walls once supported the platform for a WWII Instrument landing System - a sophisticated radio navigation system which allowed aircraft to land in thick fog.
These low brick walls once supported the platform for a WWII Instrument Landing System
When the airfield was operational it would have been surrounded by Motley Stalk emplacements - mountings for light anti-aircraft machine guns. Two Motley Stalks can still be found on the northern perimeter of the airfield.
All that is left of a Motley Stalk emplacement on the northern perimeter of the airfield
