Little Walden, Essex

Little Walden or Hadstock was built between Linton and Saffron Walden in 1943 and opened in March 1944 assigned to the US 9th Air Force.

The 409th Light Bomb Group arrived flying A20 Havocs. Together with Wethersfield and Gosfield they made up the 97th Combat Wing, attacking tactical targets as part of the D Day build up.

In May 1944 a local woman was killed near Ashdon trying to help the crew in a crashed Havoc which exploded.

After June 6 D Day, the 409th and other units of 9th AF moved to the continent. The Mighty Eighth now took over Little Walden and the 361st Fighter Group moved in from Bottisham flying Mustangs. In early 1945 the 493rd moved its B17's here from Debach while that base was under repairs, and many bombing raids were flown from Little Walden.

In the first three months of 1945 the 361st FG was in France but returned in April and Little Walden reverted to being a fighter base. The 56th FG (The Wolfpack) also arrived in the summer and both units returned to the USA in November 1945.

The base closed in January 1946.