No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre RAF

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Brief History

The seaside town of Bournemouth was host to No 3 Personnel Reception Centre RAF, the arrival point for thousands of Commonwealth aircrew after training in Canada. They were accommodated in scores of requisitioned hotels and luxury flats, and their presence in the town prompted a heavy raid by the Luftwaffe.

At lunchtime on Sunday 23 May 1943, 50-plus Fw 190 fighter-bombers, flying at sea level across the English Channel to avoid radar, swooped up over the town and bombed the central area. There were heavy casualties among the aircrew stationed there and many hotels were destroyed.

With its main presence was in Bournemouth from July 1941, detachments were also located at Hastings and RCAF Innsworth (UK). The Unit disbanded at Bournemouth in February 1946.