RAF Riyan
Former British airfield in Yemen
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Royal Air Force Riyan or more commonly RAF Riyan is a former Royal Air Force station located in Riyan, Hadhramaut Governorate in Yemen. The station primarily supported logistics operations of the Royal Air Force during World War II.
RAF Riyan | |
|---|---|
| Riyan, Hadhramaut Governorate in Yemen | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Defunct |
| Owner | Air Ministry |
| Operator | Royal Air Force |
| Controlled by | AHQ Aden |
| Condition | Demolished |
| Location | |
  RAF Riyan Shown within Yemen  RAF Riyan RAF Riyan (Middle East) | |
| Coordinates | 14°39′07.27″N 49°19′27.90″E |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1942 |
| In use | 1942 - 1967 |
History
In 1941, the route through Fertile Crescent was considered vulnerable, and an alternative route via Sudan and Aden to Karachi was ruled in. Stops at Aden, Riyan, Salalah, Masirah, Ra's al-Hadid in the Aden Protectorate and Jiwani in India were planned.[1] Subsequently, construction of airfields at these locations commenced, and Riyan Airfield was constructed in 1942 for reconnaissance and ferrying operations of the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was established along with other airfields in Socotra Island and Bandar Qasim on the British Somaliland coast. [2] In May 1944, the Famine Relief Flight consisting of eight Vickers Wellingtons, was established at Riyan Airfield. The flight airlifted a daily total of 24 tons of grain to Al-Qatn to be taken by transport and camel train to towns where soup kitchens were set up by RAF personnel. Prior to the flight, the Hadhramaut experienced a drought and loss of foreign remittances between 1943 and 1944, leading to the starvation and deaths of 10,000 people.[3]
Riyan Airfield was established a Royal Air Force station in 1945, with most station buildings including an ATC being constructed of that year. Most buildings were painted white and flat-topped, while the runway itself composed of sand. There were three messes and an airmen's club run by the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes, and barracks rooms housed up to 12 personnel while senior non-commissioned officers occupied individual rooms. RAF Riyan primarily operated as a route station, refuelling aircraft that operated along the South Arabian route. It also handled daily civilian traffic, including Aden Airways Douglas DC-3 aircraft providing a service between Aden and the Eastern Aden Protectorate.[4] After World War II, RAF Riyan was reduced to care-and-maintenance status in April 1946. The airfield was infrequently used by civilian aircraft, and primarily operated as an emergency landing ground.[5][6]
Post-war
On 5 February, 1949, RAF Douglas C-47 Skytrains began an airlift of aid to the Hadhramaut Valley, held at RAF Riyan. Prior to the airlift, a lack of rain caused crops to fail, leading to food-shortages in the region.[7] By 10 February, ground crews based at Riyan Airfield continuously worked to keep Dakotas serviceable for flight, where sorties were made from the airfield to a dropping zone. Every Dakota usually dropped 72 sacks of millet during the three runs over the drop zone, which was later switched to Mukharim due to a change in need.[8]
During 1954, RAF Riyan was commanded by Flying Officer Cedric Cook. At the time, the base stationed 13 airmen and a group of native labourers who maintained the airfield. It still operated as an important refuelling stop on routes to the Far East. Bedouins, who were still living a tribal life, had become accustomed to jet-engined aircraft constantly flying by.[9] In the late 1950s, the uprising insurgence in the Eastern Aden Protectorate led to the development of RAF Riyan into an air base in 1960. Afterwards, Hawker Hunters of the No. 208 Squadron RAF were stationed there. The fighters launched attacks against rebels in the Eastern parts of the Aden protectorate, seeing extensive combat service.[10] In the mid-1960s, the RAF withdrew from the airfield, leading to the end of its operations.[1]