Definition
RNAS Pulham was a Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) air station situated near Pulham St Mary in Norfolk, England. It operated primarily as a base for non‑rigid airships and related naval aviation activities during the First World War.
Overview
The station was established in 1915 as part of the RNAS’s effort to develop air‑ship capabilities for maritime reconnaissance, anti‑submarine patrols, and training. Located on the open farmland of East Anglia, the site provided ample space for the launch, recovery, and maintenance of lighter‑than‑air craft. After the formation of the Royal Air Force (RAF) on 1 April 1918, the facility was transferred to RAF control and renamed RAF Pulham. The airfield continued in limited use for barrage‑balloon operations and experimental flights into the early 1930s before being decommissioned and returned to agricultural use.
Etymology/Origin
- RNAS: Acronym for Royal Naval Air Service, the aviation branch of the British Royal Navy that existed from 1914 until its merger with the Royal Flying Corps in 1918.
- Pulham: Derived from the village name Pulham St Mary, a settlement in the county of Norfolk. The place‑name is of Old English origin, meaning “farm/settlement of the people of Pula” (a personal name).
Characteristics
- Location: Approximately 2 km north‑west of Pulham St Mary, Norfolk, England (grid reference TL 970 965).
- Operational period: 1915 – circa 1933.
- Primary function: Deployment and support of non‑rigid (blimp) airships, known in the RNAS as Sub‑Marine Scout (SS) airships, for coastal patrols and training.
- Facilities: Large open mooring areas, a hangar for air‑ship storage, a flight‑control building, and ancillary support structures such as workshops and accommodation quarters.
- Units and aircraft: Hosted air‑ship units of the RNAS, including SS‑10 and subsequent SS‑class airships. Post‑1918, RAF units operating barrage balloons were based at the site.
- Post‑military use: Following closure, most structures were demolished; the site reverted to farmland with only minor archaeological remnants visible.
Related Topics
- Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) – the naval aviation branch of the United Kingdom during WWI.
- RAF Pulham – the successive designation of the same site under RAF administration after 1918.
- British military air‑ship development – the broader program of lighter‑than‑air craft employed by Britain for reconnaissance and patrol during the early 20th century.
- Pulham St Mary – the Norfolk village that gave its name to the air station.
Note: While the existence and general role of RNAS Pulham are documented in historical records, precise details such as exact dates of construction, a comprehensive list of units, and the full inventory of air‑ships operated at the station are not exhaustively recorded in publicly available sources. Accordingly, statements reflecting such specifics are limited to those corroborated by established historical references.