Gliding at St Eval

Number 95 gliding squadron was located at RAF Perranporth and disbanded in 1950 at RAF St Eval north of Padstow in Cornwall. Gliding as a sport began in the inter-war years spurred on by German war reparations, which effectively banned the Weimar Republic from building motorised aircraft. Pilots everywhere gained greater understanding of the winds and weather and aerodynamics of the sailplanes improved. Gliding was even a trial sport at the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics.

In 1938 the village of St Eval was subject to a governmental compulsory purchase order and many buildings were demolished to make way for the RAF station, which became Fighter Command sector headquarters for the Battle of Britain. RAF Coastal Command was at nearby RAF Davidstow Moor. St Eval was also home to United States Army Air Forces USAAF Station 129. The Norman Church dedicated to St Uvelus or Eval, Trevisker Farm and the Vicarage survive as original buildings. The Church houses a stained glass window added in 1989 commemorating the RAF station and there are war graves of fallen Commonwealth air force personnel.