The station opened in 1915 as Royal Flying Corps Station Grantham, becoming RAF Grantham on 1 April 1918 - a name it bore until 1942 when it was renamed as RAF Spitalgate. Throughout the First World War the station focused on flying training, hosting a succession of reserve and then training squadrons plus several United States Army Air Service squadrons. Flying training continued at RAF Grantham during the inter-war years; Nos 100 and 39 Squadrons were present for much of the 1920s. No. 3 Group RAF was disbanded on 12 April 1926 at Spitalgate by renumbering it No. 23 Group. The station was back under the administration of No. 3 Group from July - September 1937 after which it was transferred to No. 5 Group RAF after which the station was placed under care & maintenance. It was reopened in July 1938 and No. 12 Flying Training School RAF moved in on 1 December 1938, possibly with additional 12 FTS elements at the satellite station at RAF Harlaxton. RAF Spitalgate should not be confused with HQ of No. 5 Group that was located in a large private house, St Vincents Hall, Grantham from October 1937 to November 1943 and also known as RAF Grantham during its final years there. Also in November 1943, elements of the HQ IX Troop Carrier Command of the United States Army Air Force were relocated to RAF Spitalgate, with their headquarters at St. Vincents in the town centre. The station was also the training and point-of-departure for the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade during Operation Market Garden. The station was an Officer CadetTraining Unit in the 1950s. Much later it became the Women's Royal Air Force Depot, responsible for the recruitment and training of all non-commissioned females in the RAF, until this moved to RAF Hereford and later again to RAF Swinderby. It was also the home of the Central Gliding School which moved to RAF Syerston in March 1975. The site is not part of Grantham, but the parish of Londonthorpe & Harrowby Without. Spitalgate acted as a parent station for a relief landing ground four miles further south at RAF Harlaxton from November 1916 until 1945. In 1975 the RAF vacated the site and the following year it became a British Army installation, renamed Prince William of Gloucester Barracks.
