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RAF Sutton Bridge Part 6 – The End of an Era.

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Part 5 of this trail, we saw how Sutton Bridge grew into a bustling hub of Allied air training, hosting a mix of British, European, Commonwealth, and American pilots. How the airfield remained under constant threat from Luftwaffe raids, while crowded skies and inexperienced trainees made accidents a grim reality. In 1942, the focus shifted from front-line pilot training to advanced gunnery instruction with the arrival of the Central Gunnery School. Fighter and bomber crews honed their skills in Spitfires, Wellingtons, and Hampdens, while innovative experiments, including rocket-firing Hurricanes, highlighted Sutton Bridge’s role at the cutting edge of aerial warfare. Despite progress, the dangers were ever-present, with both trainees and experienced instructors paying the ultimate price.

In the final part, we witness the slow decline and eventual but inevitable closure of the airfield. How a once vibrant but small airfield became simply a part of history.

Arrival of WAAFs and Local Folklore

During May 1942, Sutton Bridge found itself with in excess of 180 WAAFs arriving, mainly to operate training turrets and to work in the photographic room developing cine reels. The WAAFs were billeted not on the airfield but in small Nissen huts located in various parts of the village. It was one of these WAAFs that added fuel to the story of a pilot flying under the bridge, by claiming she saw it happen, again whilst she was there. No other evidence is available and so, like the first account, it will unfortunately remain just an uncorroborated story passed from generation to generation.

Enemy Attacks and a Safe Haven.

The war was never far away, and once again was brought all that little bit closer on 24th July 1942, when a Dornier 217 dropped its payload on the airfield in the early hours of the morning whilst most were asleep. Several buildings were damaged including hangars, the cinema and the armoury which exploded when all the ammunition inside was hit. Several personnel were also injured mainly from flying debris, and several aircraft were also damaged. The attack certainly brought an early morning wake up call and the war very much closer to home.

Being so close to the Wash, Sutton Bridge was often a safe haven for damaged aircraft either returning from Germany or suffering mechanical difficulties whilst forming up over the Wash. One such incident involved B-17F #41-24460 “RD-A” of the 423BS, 306BG at Thurleigh. The aircraft had been part of ninety B-17s and B-24s sent to Lorient on October 21st 1942. Due to poor visibility, the operation was scrubbed and bombers were ordered to dispose of their bombs in the Wash – a common practice for damaged aircraft or scrubbed missions. During the process, the life-raft latch broke loose allowing the raft to escape and wrap itself around the elevator.

B-17 #41-24460 ‘RD-A’ of the 306th BG that made an emergency landing at RAF Sutton Bridge. (IWM FRE 4418)

After landing on the short space of Sutton Bridge, the problem was soon sorted allowing the B-17 to take off and return for further repairs at its base at Thurleigh. Crowds gathered to see the spectacle as the aircraft thundered along the grassed runway before rising into the air.

Earlier Emergency Landings

It was not the first bomber though, to use Sutton Bridge as safe haven. Prior to this, a Halifax (W1102) from 35 Sqn, also made an emergency landing after it suffered damage on the night of October 14th 1942. The bomber, taking part in operations over Kiel, was hit by flak rendering its starboard outer engine unserviceable and the fuel tank leaking. Despite its difficulties, the crew managed to reach Sutton Bridge with little fuel left to get them home to Gravely. The crew would experience something similar a matter of days later when they had to land another damaged Halifax, this time at RAF Martlesham Heath.

USAAF Arrivals and High-Profile Visits

Sutton Bridge had supported many US airmen in the lead up to their war, training pilots of the Eagle Squadrons. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour and America’s entry into the war, USAAF pilots began to arrive here for gunnery training bringing their own unique aircraft with them. Some of these included P-38 ‘Lightnings’, an aircraft unknown to the British airmen at Sutton Bridge. Other US visitors included Brigadier-General James Doolittle and an entourage of high ranking officials. Arriving on a Douglas C-47 ‘Skytrain’, they were here to inspect the training methods of the Gunnery School and try out the Spitfires for themselves.

Even with experienced pilots and gunners, mishaps continued to happen. As the summer of 1942 led into the autumn and eventually winter, so the cold, fog and frosts began to return too.

Accidents and Operational Hazards

But the cold weather was not the only problem pilots had to contend with. Even though, those who attended the gunnery school had already received operational experience, it didn’t stop them having accidents. Between August 1st 1942 and New Year 1943, there were no less than fourteen crashes on the airfield all relating to undercarriage issues; either a heavy landing, blown tyres or a pilot’s mishandling of the aircraft.

Winter Challenges, Early 1943

With heavy snows in January 1943, present aircraft had to be stored undercover, being pushed by hand, into the hangars. Waterlogged ground froze, and ice became the norm. What flying could be done could only be done in Magisters, the Spitfires flimsy flaps and undercarriages being too prone to damage in such appalling conditions. By the end of January and beginning of February, servicing also become an issue with around two-thirds of the sixty available aircraft requiring remedial attention.

Spring Accidents, more Losses and more Changes

As the winter changed to spring the weather turned, the ground thawed and flying took place once more. On 10th April, a Wellington of the CGS, Wellington IA N2865 piloted by Flt. Lt. Terence C. Stanbury, collided in mid air whilst undertaking a training exercise with Spitfire IIa (P7677) piloted by Flt. Lt. Ernest H. Griffith of the RAAF. The two aircraft were performing gunnery manoeuvres over Abbots Ripon not far from Alconbury in Huntingdon, when they accidentally collided sending both aircraft to the ground.

Flt. Lt. Griffith managed to bale out suffering minor injuries and was returned to Sutton Bridge where he was treated before returning to flying duties. The Wellington crew were not so fortunate however, and all six were killed. The crew was a truly multinational one consisting of a Scot, a Canadian, and two Australians.  The Pilot, Flt. Lt. Stanbury lies in Sutton Bridge churchyard.*18

Leadership within the CGS changed hands on numerous occasions during its wartime history; one of the more famous associated with it being New Zealander Wg. Cdr. Alan C. Deere, whose achievements overshadowed most who followed him. On appointment to lead the Pilot Gunnery Instructor Training Wing, (a part of the CGS) on October 21st 1943, he would have twenty-two kills to his name, an ideal candidate to lead such a school.

1944 – Departure of the Central Gunnery School

By February 1944, a further reorganisation occurred and it was decided that the Central Gunnery School (CGS) would move on from Sutton Bridge. After two productive years, the school had more than demonstrated its value, but its departure left a sense of uncertainty. With Wing Commander Alan Deere posted to a desk job and the demand for new aircrew beginning to decline, the future of the airfield seemed in doubt. A review, downgrading, or even closure suddenly appeared possible.

For a time, Sutton Bridge became ‘spare’ and was placed in a state of ‘care and maintenance’, administered by RAF Peterborough while its long-term role was considered. Yet its story was far from over. With Peterborough heavily committed, Sutton Bridge was soon called upon to take on new duties. When the runways at RAF Newton (Peterborough’s satellite) required reseeding, its resident 16 (Polish) Service Flying Training School was temporarily relocated to Sutton Bridge. From early 1944 until August, the Polish unit brought a new but temporary life to the airfield before eventually returning to Newton once more.

Although winding down, the summer months continued to bring further activity. Between May and November an American unit, the 1st Gunnery & Towed Target Flight (1 G&TTF), arrived to operate alongside No. 1 Combined Combat Gunnery School, then based at RAF Snettisham. Their task was to provide target-towing services, a role previously carried out at Sutton Bridge by RAF flights equipped with Vultee Vengeance aircraft. Surplus Vengeances were duly handed over to the Americans, who continued the work with their own crews.

Meanwhile, No. 7 (Pilot) Advanced Flying Unit (7 (P)AFU, officially based at Peterborough, made increasing use of Sutton Bridge as an overflow for both day and night flying. Among its pupils were French trainees, who formed a distinct French wing within the unit, flying Miles Masters and Airspeed Oxfords. For a time this group carried the informal title of “French SFTS,” although this was later dropped.

As 1944 progressed, training pressures shifted. After D-Day, the demand for new pilots eased, and courses at Sutton Bridge became more general in nature. In December, 7 (P)AFU was reorganised and re-designated No. 7 Flying Training School (FTS). Training was split between the two sites: single-engine work at Peterborough, twin-engine training at Sutton Bridge. At the helm was Wing Commander David Kinnear, AFC, AFM, whose leadership steered the school through this transitional period.

For Sutton Bridge, this change marked the final stage of its wartime flying role. With nearby Sibson closed for runway maintenance, 7 FTS continued to operate from Sutton Bridge into the post-war years. The school remained there until 1946, making it the last operational flying unit to be based at RAF Sutton Bridge. After its departure, the airfield’s role shifted once again, becoming a relief landing ground and maintenance site, closing this chapter on its remarkable contribution to the war effort.

1946 – The End of an era

After its inevitable closure to flying, the site became a storage facility utilised by 58 Maintenance Unit (MU), whose work included servicing Derwent 8 and 9 jet engines, powering the RAF’s latest front-line aircraft, the Vampire and Meteor. For four more years Sutton Bridge was at the heart of this vital engineering effort, before activity gradually wound down once again as the station moved towards demobilisation.

Now surplus to requirements, it closed for good. This marked the end of the line for Sutton Bridge; as a small grass airfield with basic facilities, it was no longer capable of providing a use to a modern Air Force who had moved from piston engined aircraft to fast jets and the nuclear age. With a reorganisation of the entire air force likely, this small but highly significant site was abandoned, and all remaining military personnel departed locking the gates behind them; thus ending three decades of aviation activity.

Post War Legacy

From the 1920s through its wartime years, Sutton Bridge was a hive of activity and purpose. From the 1920s to the Central Gunnery School, training instructors in fighter and bomber gunnery, to the Fleet Air Arm squadrons working up in Ospreys, Skuas, and Nimrods over the Wash, the airfield was a crucible where skill, courage, and determination were forged. Advanced pilot training by 7 (P)AFU and 7 FTS saw cadets mastering single – and twin-engined aircraft, including Wellingtons, Hampdens, Spitfires, and Mustangs. Visits by senior figures, such as Air Chief Marshal Ludlow-Hewitt, underscored the station’s strategic importance. Hundreds of pilots and aircrew honed their skills at this small but significant airfield, readying themselves to defend Britain’s skies during the darkest days of 1940–41.

Sutton Bridge Today

Today, Sutton Bridge airfield has largely returned to the rhythms of the countryside, its runways removed and its technical and accommodation areas absorbed into the Wingland Enterprise Park – home to a large power station and a vegetable processing facility where only one of the original Bellman hangars still stands – a quiet sentinel to the airfield’s former life.

Sutton Bridge was far more than an RAF outpost. Its runways and the associated gunnery ranges served both the RAF, the Fleet Air Arm and the USAAF, becoming a crucial hub in Britain’s pre-war and wartime training network. Here, generations of instructors and trainees honed their skills, learning the art of aerial combat, navigation, and gunnery in an environment that was both demanding and dangerous.

The graves in St. Matthew’s churchyard are a poignant reminder of the risks inherent in training pilots. For every life lost, many others went on to defend Britain during the Battle of Britain and beyond, their courage and commitment standing as a beacon when the nation’s fate seemed uncertain. Between the opening of Sutton Bridge and the official end of the Battle of Britain, 525 trainees passed through its gates, with 390 qualifying for the Battle of Britain Clasp, a testament to the station’s vital contribution to the war effort.*19

Today, only a handful of tracks and a solitary building, believed to be a former squadron office, mark the site. Amidst polytunnels and vast potato stores, the airfield’s presence is almost invisible.

A memorial, incorporating the bent propellor of Hurricane L2529 of 56 OTU that crashed in March 1941, was  erected in 1993, near to the swing bridge, and stands in quiet tribute, commemorating all nationalities who served at Sutton Bridge, ensuring that the sacrifices and achievements of those who trained and served here are not forgotten.

As for the range at Holbeach, the very reason for RAF Sutton Bridge’s origin, it remains a vital asset to both the Royal Air Force and the USAF, having regular visits from Typhoons, F-15s, Ospreys, Apache Helicopters and more recently F-35s. On retirement of the RAF’s Tornado in 2019, it was overflown by a formation of three from RAF Marham. It remains publicly accessible and provides an exciting reminder of the history of aviation in and around the area of Sutton Bridge.

The full story can be read in Trail 3 – Gone but not Forgotten.

Sources and Further Reading (Sutton Bridge)

*1 Francis, P. “British Airfield Architecture” Patrick Stephens Ltd. 1996

*2 Goodrum,, A., “School of Aces” Amberley Publishing 2019.

*3 Royal Air Force Quarterly Vol 16. No.1. December 1944 (via Google books)

*4 There is no official evidence to support this claim but ‘eye-witnesses’ claim to have seen it carried out (as mentioned in Goodrum, 2019)

*5. Air of Authority / RAFweb – No. 801 Squadron movements, listing Sutton Bridge visits in July 1933, May 1935 and January 1938.

*6. Air of Authority / RAFweb – No. 802 Squadron movements, listing Sutton Bridge visits in August 1934 and May 1935.

*7. Royal Navy Research Archive – RAF Worthy Down station history, noting 803 Squadron’s move to Sutton Bridge on 5 February 1939 and 800 Squadron’s linked ship-to-shore activity in spring 1939.

*8 BAE Systems Website accessed 30.3.25.

*9 National Archives AIR 27/1553/1; AIR 27/1558/1

*10 Verkaik, R., “Defiant“. Robinson. 2020

*11 The National Archives, AIR 33/10, “Report No. 11. Visit to Sutton Bridge on 3 May 1940. Notes by the Inspector General,” dated 14 May 1940, signed Air Chief Marshal Sir Edgar Ludlow-Hewitt.

*12 Hamilton-Paterson, J., “Empire of the Clouds” Faber & Faber 2011

*13 Waterton, William Arthur., “The Quick and the Dead“. Grubb Street. 2012

*14 Goodrum,, A., “School of Aces” Amberley Publishing 2019.

*15 Chorley,  W.R. “Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War – 1942.” 1994, Midland Counties.

*16 Goodrum,, A., “School of Aces” Amberley Publishing 2019.

*17 Commonwealth War Graves Commission website

*18  – Aircrew Remembered website. accessed 30/8/25

*19 Goodrum,, A., “School of Aces” Amberley Publishing 2019.

National Archives: AIR 27/1558/1; AIR 27/1553/1; AIR 27/1514/2; AIR 27/1514/1; AIR 27/589/1; AIR 27/379/41

Goodrum. Alastair, “Through adversity” 2020. Amberley Publishing Limited

Flight Safety Network website 

RAF Sutton Bridge Part 5 – The arrival of The CGS

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In Part 4, the birth of 6 OTU turned Sutton Bridge into a fast-paced training hub turning skilled pilots into front-line fighters. Operating Hurricanes, Battles, and Gladiators despite shortages and harsh Fen weather, the unit trained British and foreign recruits under tight schedules and high pressure. Success came at a cost, with accidents and fatalities a constant reminder of the dangers faced even before reaching combat, underscoring Sutton Bridge’s vital role in preparing airmen for the Second World War.

In Part 5, the war expands, the need for pilots increases and the dangers become evermore present.

1941: The Expanding War

Whilst the threat of invasion had subsided by the end of 1941, attacks from German bombers were never far from the minds of those in command. With Sutton Bridge being one of the largest training airfields certainly in Lincolnshire and perhaps across England, it was rarely devoid of attention from the Luftwaffe.

As we have seen, few of these attacks caused little damage, the Q site taking more substantial hits than the airfield. However, attacks did occur, and the loss of a Hampden on 13th May 1941, was among one of the more serious ones.

On each of these bombing occasions fighters were scrambled from Sutton Bridge with little or no success in shooting down the enemy aircraft, but one, a JU 88 of 4./NJG 2, was brought down with the crew being killed. One of those onboard was recovered and it is he, Unteroffizier Heinz Schulz, who is laid to to rest among the sixty graves in St. Matthew’s. Some sources credit a Sutton Bridge Hurricane with the demise of the JU 88, whilst others say it was a night fighter from 25 Sqn at Wittering.

The Air Ministry then decided that with the threat of attack still  present, those airfields nearest the continent would have to be moved, and with enemy bomber formations attacking across East Anglia, Sutton Bridge was seen as one needing such a move.  As a result, contingency plans were put in place to accommodate this and 56 OTU was earmarked to move to Hawarden. However, the move never materialised, and the OTU remained firmly where they were – at least for now.

An International Gathering

The influx of American volunteers was only part of a much wider story as Sutton Bridge became a melting pot of Allied airmen. Norwegians, French, Polish, Canadians, Indians, New Zealanders and Australians all came here to learn the trade of aerial warfare. Many of the continental pilots had left their own homes when they fell to the Germans, escaping to England where they joined the RAF to fight another day. Others simply answered the call to join up and fight against the Nazis.

One such pilot was Indian born P.O. Mahinder Pujji who would go on to serve with great distinction after answering an advert in India, for recruits to join the Royal Air Force.

Mahinder arrived in the UK in August 1940, and by the October  he had received the King’s Commission. His journey to war was similar to many others, with his initial training being undertaken at RAF Uxbridge before he transferred to No. 9 Advanced Unit at RAF Hullavington. It was here that he joined the first group of Indian pilots selected for the Volunteer Reserve Commission. Out of twenty-four trainees, eighteen qualified, with six – including Pujji – going on to become fighter pilots.

After receiving his Wings on 16th April 1941 he was posted here to 56 OTU and Sutton Bridge. Training alongside other pilots he completed his course and was sent to RAF Martlesham Heath and his first frontline squadron 43 Sqn. After only a short period he transferred again, this time to RAF Kenley and 258 Sqn.

Despite suffering several crashes Mahinder would survive the war, achieving two ‘kills’ and three ‘damaged’, and rose to Squadron Leader. His career spanned three theatres of war – a remarkable journey that began on the flat fenland runways of Sutton Bridge.

P.O. Mahinder Pujji who trained at Sutton Bridge (Wikipedia)

Crowded Skies, Growing Dangers

This continual flow of airmen through the airfield meant that the numbers on roll were increasing steadily, and to match that, by May 1941, the number of aircraft available at Sutton Bridge had also steadily but substantially increased. 56 OTU now able to operate some seventy serviceable Hurricanes.

For some, the cold and damp British weather of 1941 was a far cry from home, and fog often caught the unwary out. The idiosyncrasies of the Hurricane also took a little getting use to. On October 20th 1941, P.O. Norman Choppen lost power and crashed into the ground after he had entered a shallow dive, possibly with the idea of bringing the Hurricane down to land.  Ten days later, three more aircraft were severely damaged when P.O. McKillop, Sgt. Zadworthy and Sgt. Johnson all landed breaking the undercarriages off of their Hurricanes. Along with four deaths and other accidents, the period from early October to mid November was the most costly in human terms.

1942: Transition and Advanced Training

The transition between 1941 and 1942 saw little change and little in the way of drama at Sutton Bridge. But the beginning of the new year was marred by yet another serious collision in which the crews of two aircraft were killed. However, these were not two fighters, but a Hurricane from Sutton Bridge and a Stirling based at Oakington and 7 Squadron.

On January 17th, 1942 Stirling W7467, piloted by Flt. Sgt. R.W. Taylor was out on a training mission when it was the recipient of an unauthorised ‘attack’ from Hurricane V6865 from the OTU at Sutton Bridge. In the attack, Pilot Officer Derek Browne, aged just 19, made several high speed passes at the Stirling as it headed home. On the last pass, Browne misjudged the distance between himself and the Stirling and rammed the bomber’s fuselage.

The eight crew of the bomber, had attempted to warn Browne off by firing their guns toward the Hurricane, but this failed to deter Browne from his dangerous activities and the ultimate and tragic sacrifice was paid.

The Stirling, being over the soft soil at Haddenham Drain (about 1.5 miles north of Earith Bridge in Cambridgeshire), plunged some 15 feet into the ground leaving a crater that burned for several days before finally filling with water. The condition of the ground meant that the task of recovering two of the crew’s remains, Sgt. McCarley and Sgt. Mankelow was impossible and they remain there to this day. *15

Stirling Memorial (RAF Oakington)

The Memorial to those lost on 17th January 1942. (Paul Cannon)

Changes were afoot – The Central Gunnery School arrives at Sutton Bridge

By March, further changes were afoot and 56 OTU was ordered north to RAF Tealing. Some estimates have the number of pilots passing through here at this point as high as 1,000, many of whom went on to fight in Britain’s darkest hour – the Battle of Britain.

The change of ownership at Sutton Bridge brought with it the Central Gunnery School (CGS), an organisation first established at RAF Warmwell on 6th November 1939. Its role was to provide advanced training for gunnery instructors, covering both fighter gunnery – through the Pilot Gunnery Instructor Wing – and bomber gunnery, via the Gunnery Leader Wing. In essence, the CGS was designed to “train the trainers”, developing specialists who would then return to operational units and pass on their expertise to their own gunners.

Just before the CGS arrived, Sutton Bridge had already experienced a brief period of instructor training with the arrival of No. 2 Flying Instructors’ School (Advanced). Re-formed at RAF Montrose in January 1942, No. 2 FIS (Advanced) provided advanced courses for experienced pilots preparing to become instructors. By March that year the unit had moved to Sutton Bridge, but its independent life was short-lived. On 28th March 1942 it was absorbed into the newly established CGS, which officially transferred from Chelveston to Sutton Bridge on 1st April 1942, the anniversary of the RAF’s formation.

From that point on, the CGS became synonymous with Sutton Bridge, remaining the station’s longest-serving wartime unit. Its dual structure meant that both fighter and bomber gunnery specialists were trained side by side, bringing a wide variety of aircraft to the airfield. Wellingtons, Hampdens, Spitfires and Mustangs all became familiar sights in the skies over the Wash as instructor after instructor refined their skills.

Gunnery Leaders’ Course, RAF Sutton Bridge, October 1942 (IBCC Digital Archive, CC BY-NC 4.0).

The CGS’s arrival also meant the departure of the longstanding 1489 Target Towing Flight (TT) who had used both the Henly and Lysander as target tugs. With the CGS utilising the range at Holbeach much more along with their own target tugs, the TT Flight were seen as surplus to requirements and transferred out to RAF Matlaske on the North Norfolk coast.

More changes at the Top

Taking up a new post at the CGS, Chief Instructor Sqn. Ldr. Allan Wright, arrived in a Hampden flown by Flt. Lt. Claude Mandeville. He would join Wing Commander Adolf ‘Sailor‘ Malan DSO. DFC. who between them would take charge of the unit  knocking it into shape as quickly as possible. Above them, was the newly appointed and formidable Station Commander Grp. Capt. Claud Hilton Keith who had been told by the AOC that this command was “dirty, unhappy and inefficient.”*16

Keith would run the CGS in a much more professional manner than had been done before, providing expert training to those who had already achieved operational experience and had proven themselves in air gunnery. To him, it was a privilege to attend the CGS, and standards were set very high.

With courses running for both bomber gunners and fighter pilots, one would be used to ‘attack’ the other whilst cine film recordings in both aircraft were made for later analysis. This proved a useful tool that kept pilots, gunners and much needed aircraft out of relative harm’s way.

The CGS’s ever increasing thirst for quality instructors led to the arrival of Flt. Lt. Richard A.D. Trevor-Roper DFC, DFM in August 1943. Roper was just short of two tours in bombers, when he was drafted into 617 Sqn and the tail end of Guy Gibson’s Lancaster on the famous Dams raid. He brought a wealth of experience and knowledge to the courses at Sutton Bridge which he shared with those he instructed before being eventually posted back to an operational unit.

When Arthur Harris ordered the first of the 1,000 bomber raids, it was an all out effort to get every bomber available in to the air and over Germany. Sutton Bridge and the CGS played their part getting three war-weary time-expired Wellingtons into the air. Each of these bombers flew to RAF Feltwell, where they joined the resident 75 Sqn for operations to Koln. Mainly crewed and maintained by CGS personnel, the Wellingtons included a MK.1A, an aircraft that had long since seen its day, and should have been scrapped, or at least reduced to lesser duties. But determined to do their part, the crew took off from Feltwell and set off toward Germany.

After departure at 23:57 on May 30th, the bomber was not heard from again, and was subsequently found to have been shot down by a night fighter over Klarenbeek in Holland. All but one of the crew on board were killed in the attack, the survivor, Flt. Sgt. G. J. Waddington-Allwright, being taken prisoner and incarcerated as a POW.

The two sections of the CGS (fighter and bomber wings) were initially operating separately, the fighter wing being brought down from Wittering to join the bomber wing at Sutton Bridge in April 1942. With them, came Spitfires, so many in fact, that they quickly lost their ‘head turning’ appeal to both pilots and locals alike. One of these aircraft, P7350, had served with 603 Sqn during the Battle of Britain. After being shot down, repaired and returned to service on more than one occasion, it ended up starring in the 1968 film “Battle of Britain” before heading off to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at RAF Coningsby where it continues to fly today. It remains the only air worthy example of its type that actually flew and fought in the Battle in 1940.

Spitfire

Spitfire P7350 formally of the CGS Sutton Bridge at Duxford September 2014

Rocket-Firing Hurricane Trials

Another important milestone in the history of Sutton Bridge was the testing of rocket firing Hurricanes as developed by the Aircraft and Armament Experimental Establishment at Boscombe Down. Hurricanes fitted with rocket projectiles used the range at Holbeach whilst being temporarily based at Sutton Bridge. One of these Hurricanes (of which there were initially two) was flown by Wg. Cdr. Albert F. Bennet. Bennet flew Z2415 to Sutton Bridge where he began trials firing the 3-inch projectiles at targets in the Wash. On his second day of flying, July 1st, 1942, the Hurricane, for unknown reasons, suddenly exploded over the village  killing 29 year-old Bennet in the process. Debris from the explosion was scatted over a wide area and two civilians on the ground were also injured. Bennet was later taken to Brookwood Cemetery where he is buried in plot 24. B. 13. *17

By 1941 Sutton Bridge had grown into a bustling hub of Allied air training, hosting a mix of British, European, Commonwealth, and American pilots. The airfield remained under constant threat from Luftwaffe raids, while crowded skies and inexperienced trainees made accidents a grim reality. In 1942, the focus shifted from front-line pilot training to advanced gunnery instruction with the arrival of the Central Gunnery School. Fighter and bomber crews honed their skills in Spitfires, Wellingtons, and Hampdens, while innovative experiments, including rocket-firing Hurricanes, highlighted Sutton Bridge’s role at the cutting edge of aerial warfare. Despite progress, the dangers were ever-present, with both trainees and experienced instructors paying the ultimate price.

Part 6 takes us to the end of the war and Sutton Bridge’s final days.

The full story can be read in Trail 3 – Gone but not Forgotten.

RAF Sutton Bridge Part 3 – Defiants and Battles

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In Part 2, we saw how Sutton Bridge grew from a temporary summer camp into a fully operational RAF station, shaped by innovation, spectacle, and the relentless demands of training aircrew. The lessons learned here – from aerobatic displays and night-firing trials to early experiments with new aircraft – prepared both pilots and the airfield itself for the pressures of wartime service. As Europe edged closer to conflict, Sutton Bridge stood ready, its evolving infrastructure and experienced personnel poised to meet the coming challenges of the Second World War.

In the tense early months of the Second World War, Sutton Bridge briefly served a crucial administrative and training role. On 14th September 1939, the airfield was designated a Recruit Sub-Receiving Centre, and within a week – on 22nd September – it was formally redesignated No. 3 Recruit Training Pool (RTP). The purpose was straightforward: to process and provide initial instruction for newly enlisted airmen as they entered RAF service. However, this function was short-lived – in what was typical of the rapidly evolving war-time organisational changes, No. 3 RTP at Sutton Bridge was disbanded on 29th October 1939, and the training process was relocated elsewhere.

Immediately, orders came through from 12 Group Fighter Command ordering the formation of two new squadrons: 264 Sqn and 266 Sqn, both to be stationed at Sutton Bridge. For a brief moment it appeared that this basic grass airfield would become a front line fighter station, propelling it into the limelight of Fighter Command, operating both single and twin engined aircraft. In charge of the two new squadrons and the airfield as a whole, was the new station commander, one Sqn. Ldr. Philip R. Barwell.

Barwell had previously been stationed at RAF Digby, in Lincolnshire, with 46 Sqn. and had himself trained here at Sutton Bridge no less than a decade earlier. He was famed for heading off the first enemy air attack on a convoy in British waters near to Spurn Head. In the attack he shot down one enemy aircraft and shared in the destruction of another, action which led him to receive the DFC followed by a rapid promotion to Wing Commander.

Barwell would oversee the organising and training of both these new squadrons. 264 Squadron, who adopted  the name “Madras Presidency Squadron” after a financial donation to the squadron from the then President of Madras, and was led by Sqn. Ldr. S. H. Hardy; 266 Squadron, on the other hand, was led by Sqn. Ldr. John W. A. Hunnard. To fulfil the squadron’s obligations, Sutton Bridge would see a huge influx of men, all being posted in from various Training Schools, who over the next few weeks, would train to fly in the two new units.

The influx of men was not matched by the influx of machines for them to fly however. With continued delays in the arrival of the aircraft, crews were temporarily posted to other airfields to train and gain the vital experience they needed. On the ground, lectures filled many days, whilst some airmen were given temporary leave and others used the Link trainer to gain what basic experience they could.

Desperate to get started, pressure was put on those above, and on November 8th, the order was given for pilots of 264 Sqn to collect three Magisters (N3867, N3857 and N3868) from RAF Hullavington. These were  followed three days later, by a further  three for 266 Sqn. *9

Defiants, Battles, and the Harsh Winter of 1939

With little in the way of equipment, or even direction from the Ministry, 264 Sqn would very soon learn that they were to receive the new Defiant, a fighter built by Boulton Paul, and one which caused a major split in the ranks of the High Command. Being the first Defiant unit, it would be dogged by many issues including both political wrangling and production problems.

The Defiant, a much despised aircraft by both Dowding and Parks – due to their dislike of the idea of a free turning turret on a two seat fighter – came up against incredible opposition within the government bodies, but after much pressure from those higher up, Dowding succumbed and reluctantly accepted the squadron for the defence of the UK.

The political infighting and excessive demands put on Boulton Paul, led to delay after delay of its arrival at front line stations. Indeed, only at the end of the year, after 264 Squadron had moved to Martlesham Heath, did they receive any aircraft at all. The Defiants would go on though, to perform far better initially than Dowding could have hoped for, but its success was marred by poor management leading to huge losses and a reputation that soon saw it labelled unfairly as an utter failure.

The Defiant and its crews performed admirably during the early months of the war, particularly over Dunkirk, where 264 became the first ‘Ace in a day’*10 squadron. The crew, Flt. Lt. Nicholas Cooke and Cpl. Albert Lippett of 264 Sqn, shot down five enemy aircraft whilst patrolling over Dunkirk achieving the much sought after status that many young pilots would crave.

Sadly, the successes didn’t continue though, the Germans soon realising the aircraft’s poor performance, and the limitations of the turreted four Browning machine guns,  it quickly became prey to the hungry Luftwaffe airmen especially during the Battle of Britain where it often flew without a much needed escort.

The Defiant was designed as a bomber destroyer, not a fighter, the idea being to attack and destroy bombers by flying along side or underneath, then rotating its turret and guns accordingly. However, on many occasions they flew alone and ended up taking on the Me 109s which were far superior in what became almost suicidal missions.

The crews that flew the Defiants, spoke very highly of the aircraft, and although many would lose their lives, they would defend the aircraft saying it was not used as it was intended and subsequently, as a fish out of water, it didn’t perform as well as they knew it could. Dogged by political infighting, the Defiant never achieved full status, instead being forced into a role it was never designed to perform, and so, naturally, it met with devastating results.

264’s departure from Sutton Bridge on December 7th, coincided with the arrival of the main party of 254 Sqn from Stradishall, who were in the process of receiving Blenheim IFs. Like the Defiants though, the Blenheim Squadron was having considerable problems, not with the supply of aircraft but with serviceability, many requiring oxygen systems, radios, guns or even complete overhauls due to their expired flying hours.

Mishaps and poor weather then began to play their part causing further issues with flying. A serious accident in which one aircraft (K7132), piloted by Sgt. T.K. Rees, suffered extreme air frame stresses in a vertical dive, led to considerable damage. Rees however, using all his skill and know how,  managed to land the aircraft at the airfield where it was found many of the flying controls were badly damaged.

Meanwhile 266 Squadron, the second front line unit formed at Sutton Bridge, fared slightly better, receiving their first three Fairey Battles (L5348, L5350 and L5374) in early December 1939. They were soon followed by three more which led to the whole of the month being used for formation flying and training in the new aircraft for all crews. As a training unit, the inevitable accident would soon happen. On December 9th, one of these aircraft was forced into a wheels up landing, in which luckily, the two crewmen, Flt. Lt. Coward and Plt. Off. James L. Wilkie, were unhurt but the Battle had been badly damaged during the belly landing on the airfield.

With further aircraft arriving during that December, Sutton Bridge became increasingly busier, and with fifteen aircraft by the end of  the month, 266 became a well established squadron. The weather of course, played its part, cancelling flying activities on a regular basis, and so this, combined with continuous minor accidents, led to an increasing shortage of spares.

As a result, 266 would also soon be dogged by serviceability issues, having to take their Battles to RAF Upwood for servicing, causing severe issues for those crews trying to increase their hours in the air. Combine that with the poor weather, snow by now having fallen, and temperatures dropping to below freezing, the winter months did not look promising for anyone stationed here at Sutton Bridge.

From Battles to Spitfires: The Transformation of 266 Squadron

The initial idea of 266 Sqn being an all two-seater squadron soon changed though. On the 10th January1940, news of their immediate change to Spitfire MK.Is came through, and keen to get into the air in one, pilots took every chance they could to get airborne – even flying in poor weather. But the weather can be a formidable enemy, and before long, all aircraft were grounded, as heavy and thick snow lay on the frozen ground for almost a month. Sutton Bridge was essentially closed in.

entrance to bombs store 2

Entrance to bomb store 2.

The gradual change in status from a ‘two-seat’ squadron to a ‘single seat’ one, would also mean a change in personnel, as a single seat fighter unit, the Battle’s gunners were now surplus to requirements and so were posted out to other units where gunners were in much needed demand.

Eventually, as it usually does, the weather broke and the early spring temperatures began to slowly rise. The melting snow and frozen ground led to waterlogged runways as a thaw set in. Being low lying, water took a long time to drain away, and the runways quickly became bogs. The hopes of getting airborne were dashed as quickly as they were raised. With little flying happening, and new aircraft arriving (by early February the squadron had received nineteen Spitfires) pilots were soon queuing up to get a flight.

One notable incident during this time, led to the demise of Spitfire N3120 piloted by Flt. Lt. Ian Gleed. When testing the aircraft at 18,000 ft, for some reason, it disintegrated throwing Gleed from the cockpit. After the aircraft wreckage crashed into the Fen soil, the various parts were collected and taken to the Woolwich Arsenal, presumably for analysis, eventually ending up at the Kent Battle of Britain Museum on the former RAF Hawkinge airfield. Gleed was relatively unhurt after his accident, and was eventually passed fit for flying going on to continue his career in the RAF before being killed in 1943 in North Africa.

An Airfield Without a Squadron: Sutton Bridge in Transition

Another change for the squadron would come in February 1940, when they received the order to prepare to move and join 264 Sqn, at RAF Martlesham Heath taking their Spitfires with them. 254 Sqn, for whom serviceability had also continued to be an issue, also received their departure orders leaving for Bircham Newton in mid January joining Coastal Command, meaning that all three initial units under Fighter Command had now left Sutton Bridge for pastures new.

However, what the RAF really needed, were new aircrew and the training stations to create those pilots, gunners and Navigators. To cope with the massed intake of new recruits that would hopefully come, a series of Recruiting Centres were set up all over the country. Sutton Bridge suddenly, and once again, changed its status becoming a training centre for new recruits in RAF discipline, preparing them for the rigours of day-to-day life in the Royal Air Force. But this initiative was also short lived as Sutton Bridge was soon to become a Flying Training airfield once more, training these new pilots in the art of flight techniques and gunnery.

The station flight, which had been continuously based at the airfield, had been the primary reason for Sutton Bridge. It remained active throughout all these recent changes, towing drogues for air-to-air gunnery practise, but with the poor weather they had had little to do. With no flying, the ill-prepared aircraft that had landed at their feet were soon worked on and missing components quickly fitted. With the departure of the three main resident squadrons, it meant that new visitors could be no more than ‘entertained’ until flying could once again start to take place.

With the airfield now devoid of any major unit other than small training units like the Henley Target Towing flight, it was an ideal opportunity to open a new training unit specifically for fighter pilots, and so 6 Operational Training Unit (OTU) was born.

In the opening months of the Second World War, Sutton Bridge swung between roles with remarkable speed. From a brief stint as a recruit training centre to hosting newly formed 264 and 266 Squadrons, the airfield grappled with scarce aircraft, harsh winter weather, and early operational mishaps. Defiants, Blenheims, and then Spitfires tested both pilots and crews, while accidents and maintenance challenges were constant. By early 1940, with the squadrons gone, Sutton Bridge pivoted once more, becoming a hub for new recruits and small training flights, laying the groundwork for its next vital role as 6 Operational Training Unit.

The full story can be read in Trail 3 – Gone but not Forgotten.

RAF Sutton Bridge Part 1 – Its Origins and Early Days.

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On the windswept Fens bordering Lincolnshire and Norfolk lies a site that shaped the skies of World War II. Far more than a quiet airfield, it was a crucible for pilots from Britain, the Commonwealth, and beyond, where Hurricanes, Spitfires, and Wellingtons soared – and often fell – as young airmen learned the deadly art of aerial warfare.

From rocket-firing trials to emergency landings, from multinational trainees to seasoned instructors, this airfield was a hub of innovation, skill, and courage. Lives were lost, lessons were learned, and generations of aircrew left ready to defend Britain’s skies. Though the airfield has largely returned to nature, its legacy remains – a testament to bravery, determination, and the high stakes of war in the air.

In Trail 3, we revisit the airfield that was RAF Sutton Bridge.

RAF Sutton Bridge

The origins of Sutton Bridge airfield are rooted some 20 years before the start of the Second World War, and largely owes its creation to the Holbeach firing range located in the shallows of the Wash just a stones throw north of the airfield. The range, which is still in operation today, was first supported by the airfield at Sutton Bridge as early as 1926 – a basic airfield from which to base those units using the range.

From Fens to Flying Fields

The airfield itself sits on the edge of the Fens, a flat, open area often referred to as ‘desolate’ and ‘drab’. In winter, certainly the wide open expanses allow winds to blow freely across its dark silt substrate, much of which lay under water for millions of years previously. But this dark open landscape offers prime agricultural and historical prospects, the Romans, Vikings and the Icini people all having made their mark on its dramatic landscape.

The airfield’s roots go back as far as the end of the First World War, the then newly formed RAF was cut back hard, reduced to a mere twenty-five squadrons for both home defence and to protect the commonwealth’s interests abroad. With little need seen for a home based air force, little thought was put into preparing pilots and gunners for any likely future conflict. To keep pilots busy, aerobatics and formation flying took preference over mock dog fights, aerial warfare tactics and ground attack practise.

But by the 1920s, this was not seen as productive and thoughts began to turn to training crews more responsibly, after all, if a pilot cannot engage and defeat his enemy then what use is he? So, a new firing range was sought to train pilots and gunners in the art of ground attack and air-to-air firing. The area required for such a task would need to be away from the public, but easily accessible and coastal, preferably with shallows waters. In 1925, several areas were seen as possible candidates; Catfoss, Donna Nook and an area known as Holbeach Marsh on the Lincolnshire / Norfolk border. After inspection by the Air Ministry, all three were deemed ideal, and so they took control creating three new ranges for the RAF’s use.

To be able to access the range at Holbeach, a nearby airfield was then needed, and being the closest, the former World War 1 site at Tydd St. Mary was given first consideration. However, strong objections from both local landowners and the council jointly, persuaded the military otherwise, and so an alternative had to be found.

The Birth of Sutton Bridge

The Ministry looked further east, nearer to the Wash, and found a small area close to the village of Sutton Bridge on the Lincoln / Norfolk border, about a mile or so from the sea. It would be perfect, and so an area of some 130 acres was obtained through either purchase or lease, allowing, on 1st September 1926, the birth of the soon to be, RAF Sutton Bridge.

The airfield’s main entrance gate and guard house, leading down towards the Mechanical Transport (MT) Shed, Bessonneau hangars and the airfield ground beyond. Visible in the far left background is the new Hinaidi type aircraft hangar built during the 1930s replacing two of the airfield’s original four Bessonneau type aircraft hangars. (source wiki)

Sitting on prime agricultural land, the airfield was hemmed in by both the River Nene along the western boundary and a former LNER railway line (now the A17 road) along the northern boundary. The borders of the two counties, Lincolnshire and Norfolk, cross the airfield resulting in it being divided between the two. The nature of this design though, would later on, lead  to many problems. The airfield being irregular in shape, meant that landing across it – cross-wind east / west – was very difficult if not impossible as there was insufficient room to do so. This would, in itself, restrict the number of days on which flying by trainees could take place, thus forcing them to make difficult cross-wind landings when they did.

In these early days Sutton Bridge would be rudimentary at best, bell tents being the main form of accommodation; only developing as new and longer training courses were needed. More permanent buildings were gradually erected including an Officers’ Mess, permanent accommodation blocks and maintenance workshops.

The 1920s was not a time for major airfield construction though, very few companies had developed or mastered the necessary skills needed for good airfield development. A local business,  Messers Thomson and Sons of Peterborough, were initially brought in, commencing the construction with small roads and tracks, along with four canvas Bessonneau hangars for storage and maintenance. Rudimentary maybe, but it was beginning to take some shape.

Original Entrance

The original entrance today.

Expansion and Identity: Sutton Bridge in the 1930s

The emergence of the ‘expansion period‘ in the 1930s, saw a period of rapid change and development in the military, where the need for airfields and a strong air force was seen as priority. Airfield development now began to improve and new companies, skilled in their design and construction, emerged onto the scene. One of these, “En-Tout-Cas”, in conjunction with other smaller companies, was enlisted to oversee the continued construction of the site at Sutton Bridge. These new and more experienced companies were employed under contract directly with the Air Ministry, using both civilian workers and their equipment, to build not only Sutton Bridge but Catfoss, Lee-on-Solent and Sealand as well *1

On January 1st 1932, the various training sites including Sutton Bridge were given formal titles – Armament Training Camps (ATC) – with each being given a number to distinguish them. Sutton Bridge became known as No. 3 ATC, handling fighter squadrons. Over the next few years it would go through a series of name changes, the first being on 1st April 1938, when it became 3 Armament Training Station (ATS), and then again, a year later, it would close only to reopen under the name of 4 Air Observers School (AOS).

Being better skilled in airfield design and construction, specific buildings for particular tasks were now being added to the work already done, small blocks for administration, maintenance sheds and such like all began to spring up. Being a pre-war construction, all buildings, including accommodation blocks, were placed directly on the airfield site rather than being dispersed as was the norm later on. Dispersals for aircrew were located at different points around the airfield’s perimeter, alongside the aircraft dispersals, and were brick built to protect crews from the heat and cold of the Fen weather.

The early Bell tents and Marquees were gradually replaced with more permanent brick structures arranged neatly in rows alongside the access road. Even with more permanent structures to bed down in, the comforts of a proper bed failed to materialise, instead metal stretchers with sawdust filled wadding for a mattress became the norm. *2

Wartime Growth and Shifting Commands

The runways of which there were three, were initially grass, but as the war progressed these were upgraded to ‘hard’ surfaces using a mix of steel matting, 080 American Planking and 130 Sommerfeld Track; all variants of metal planks that locked together to form a temporary but hard base. A concrete perimeter track was installed and fourteen hardstands were added using a hardcore base with tarmac coverings. In addition, two Bellman hangars, one Aeroplane Repair Section (ARS) Hangar and twelve 69 ft blister hangars were also erected on site. By the time it was established it had become a formidable site.

Sutton Bridge was passed directly to RAF control fourteen days after initial construction began, followed two weeks later by the arrival of the first RAF personnel from RAF Bircham Newton.

In these pre and early war years, the airfield would go through a series of ‘owners’ with 25 (Armament Training Group) under The Flying Training Command taking over in 1937 followed by 12 Group Fighter Command in September 1939 and finally back to The Flying Training Command once again in April 1942. The rapid change of ownership reflecting the many changes that the airfield would go through and the many units that would use its meagre but highly regarded facilities.

All these changes would mean that personnel numbers would fluctuate throughout the war depending upon who was there and what courses were being run, but in general the airfield accommodation could initially cater for 109 Officers, 110 Senior Non-Commissioned Officers and 110 ordinary rank male personnel; WAAFs were also catered for with 6, 12 and 361 respectfully. The fluctuation in staff would also reflect the numbers and types of aircraft on site. It is known that at one point there were no less than ninety Hurricanes plus other trainers along with Spitfires and Wellingtons on the airfield at one time.

For those travelling here on a posting, a train station was conveniently placed across the road from the airfield, getting to and from it was therefore relatively easy as long as the trains were running.

Photograph of the airfield’s main entrance (left) the Mechanical Transport (MT) Shed and on-site airfield road leading down towards four Bessonneau hangars and the airfield ground beyond. (Source via Wiki)

So far we have seen how Sutton Bridge began, how its origins owe its thanks to the range at Holbeach and how over the immediate post war years it developed as an airfield. In Part 2, we progress  through the 1920s and 1930s towards war, during which time, Sutton Bridge shone in the public eye, with pageants and air displays that enthralled the locals.

The full story can be read in Trail 3 – Gone but not Forgotten.

November 7th 1945 – World Air Speed Record Herne Bay.

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Trail 44 takes a look at the aviation highlights of the North Kent Coast in the small town of Herne Bay and its neighbour Reculver. It was here, on November 7th 1945, that the World Air Speed record was set in a ‘duel’ between two Gloster Meteors, as they raced across the Kent Sky.

On that day, two Meteor aircraft were prepared in which two pilots, both flying for different groups, would attempt to set a new World Air Speed record over a set course along Herne Bay’s seafront. The first aircraft was piloted by Group Captain Hugh Joseph Wilson, CBE, AFC (the Commandant of the Empire Test Pilots’ School, Cranfield); and the second by Mr. Eric Stanley Greenwood O.B.E., Gloster’s own chief test pilot. In a few hours time both men would have the chance to have their names entered in the history books of aviation by breaking through the 600mph air speed barrier.

The event was run in line with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale‘s rules, covering in total, an 8 mile course flown at, or below, 250 feet. For the attempt, there would be four runs in total by each pilot, two east-to-west and two west-to-east.

With good but not ideal weather, Wilson’s aircraft took off from the former RAF Manston, circling over Thanet before lining his aircraft up for the run in. Following red balloon markers along the shoreline, Wilson flew along the 8 mile course at 250 feet between Reculver Point and  Herne Bay Pier toward the Isle of Sheppey. Above Sheppey, (and below 1,300 ft) Wilson would turn his aircraft and line up for the next run, again at 250ft.

Initial results showed Greenwood achieving the higher speeds, and these were eagerly flashed around the world. However, after confirmation from more sophisticated timing equipment, it was later confirmed that the higher speed was in fact achieved by Wilson, whose recorded speeds were: 604mph, 608mph, 602mph and 611mph, giving an average speed of just over 606mph. Eric Greenwood’s flights were also confirmed, but slightly slower at:  599mph, 608mph, 598mph and 607mph, giving an overall average speed of 603mph. The actual confirmed and awarded speed over the four runs was 606.38mph by Wilson*1.

The event was big news around the world, a reporter for ‘The Argus*2‘ – a Melbourne newspaper – described how both pilots used only two-thirds of their permitted power, and how they both wanted permission to push the air speed even higher, but both were denied at the time.

In the following day’s report*3, Greenwood described what it was like flying at over 600 mph for the very first time.

As I shot across the course of three kilometres (one mile seven furlongs), my principal  worry was to keep my eye on the light on the pier, for it was the best guiding beacon there was. On my first run I hit a bump, got a wing down, and my nose slewed off a bit, but I got back on the course. Below the sea appeared to be rushing past like an out-of-focus picture.

I could not see the Isle of Sheppey, toward which I was heading, because visibility was not all that I wanted.

At 600mph it is a matter of seconds before you are there. It came up just where I  expected it. In the cockpit I was wearing a tropical helmet, grey flannel bags, a white silk shirt, and ordinary shoes. The ride was quite comfortable, and not as bumpy as some practice runs. I did not have time to pay much attention to the gauges and meters, but I could see that my air speed indicator was bobbing round the 600mph mark.

On the first run I only glanced at the altimeter on the turns, so that I should not go too high. My right hand was kept pretty busy on the stick (control column), and my left hand was. throbbing on the two throttle levers.

Greenwood went on to describe how it took four attempts to start the upgraded engines, delaying his attempt by an hour…

I had to get in and out of the cockpit four times before the engines finally started. A technical hitch delayed me for about an hour, and all the time I was getting colder and colder. At last I got away round about 11.30am. 

He described in some detail the first and second runs…

On the first run I had a fleeting glance at the blurred coast, and saw quite a crowd of onlookers on the cliffs. I remembered that my wife was watching me, and I found that there was time to wonder what she was thinking. I knew that she would be more worried than I was, and it struck me that the sooner I could get the thing over the sooner her fears would be put at rest.

On my first turn toward the Isle of Sheppey I was well lined up for passing over the Eastchurch airfield, where visibility was poor for this high-speed type of flying. The horizon had completely disappeared, and I turned by looking down at the ground and hoping that, on coming out of the bank, I would be pointing at two balloons on the pier 12 miles ahead. They were not visible at first.

All this time my air speed indicator had not dropped below 560 mph, in spite of my back-throttling slightly. Then the guiding light flashed from the pier, and in a moment I saw the balloons, so I knew that I was all right for that.

On the return run of my first circuit the cockpit began to get hot. It was for all the world like a tropical-summer day. Perspiration began to collect on my forehead. I did not want it to cloud my eyes, so for the fraction of a second I took my hands off the controls and wiped the sweat off with the back of my gloved hand. I had decided not to wear goggles, as the cockpit was completely sealed. I had taken the precaution, however, of leaving my oxygen turned on, because I thought that it was just that little extra care that might prevent my getting the feeling of “Don’t fence me in.”

Normally I don’t suffer from a feeling of being cooked up in an aircraft, but the Meteor’s cockpit was so completely sealed up that I was not certain how I should feel. As all had gone well, and I had got half-way through the course I checked up my fuel content gauges to be sure that I had plenty of paraffin to complete the job.

I passed over Manston airfield on the second run rather farther east than I had hoped, so my turn took me farther out to sea than I had budgeted for. But I managed to line up again quite satisfactorily, and I opened up just as I was approaching Margate pier at a height of 800 feet. My speed was then 560 mph.

Whilst the first run was smooth, the second he said, “Shook the base of his spine”.

This second run was not so smooth, for I hit a few bumps, which shook the base of my spine. Hitting air bumps at 600 mph is like falling down stone steps—a series of nasty jars. But the biffs were not bad enough to make me back-throttle, and I passed over the line without incident, except that I felt extremely hot and clammy.

After he had completed his four attempts, Greenwood described how he had difficulty in lowering his airspeed to enable him to land safely…

At the end of my effort I came to one of the most difficult jobs of the lot. It was to lose speed after having travelled at 600 mph. I started back-throttling immediately after I had finished my final run, but I had to circuit Manston airfield three times before I got my speed down to 200mph.

The two Meteor aircraft were especially modified for the event. Both originally built as MK.III aircraft – ‘EE454’ (Britannia ) and ‘EE455’ (Yellow Peril) – they had the original engines replaced with Derwent Mk.V turbojets (a scaled-down version of the RB.41 Nene) increasing the thrust to a maximum of 4,000 lbs at sea level – for the runs though, this would be limited to 3,600 lbs each. Other modifications included: reducing and strengthening the canopy; lightening the air frames by removal of all weaponry; smoothing of all flying surfaces; sealing of trim tabs, along with shortening and reshaping of the wings – all of which would go toward making the aircraft as streamlined as possible.

Related image

EE455 ‘Yellow Peril’ was painted in an all yellow scheme (with silver outer wings) to make itself more visible for recording cameras.*4

An official application for the record was submitted to the International Aeronautical Federation for world recognition. As it was announced, Air-Marshal Sir William Coryton (former commander of 5 Group) said that: “Britain had hoped to go farther, but minor defects had developed in ‘Britannia’. There was no sign of damage to the other machine“, he went on to say.

Wilson, born at Westminster, London, England, 28th May 1908, initially received a short service commission, after which he rose through the ranks of the Royal Air Force eventually being placed on the Reserves Officers list. With the outbreak of war, Flt. Lt. Wilson was recalled and assigned as Commanding Officer to the Aerodynamic Flight, R.A.E. Farnborough. A year after promotion to the rank of Squadron Leader in 1940, he was appointed chief test pilot at the Royal Aircraft Establishment (R.A.E.) who were then testing captured enemy aircraft. He was promoted to Wing Commander, 20th August 1945, retiring on 20th June 1948 as a Group Captain.

Eric Greenwood, Gloster’s Chief Test Pilot, was credited with the first pilot to exceed 600 miles per hour in level flight, and was awarded the O.B.E. on 13th June 1946.

His career started straight from school, learning to fly at No. 5 F.T.S. at Sealand in 1928. He was then posted to 3 Sqn. at Upavon flying Hawker Woodcocks and Bristol Bulldogs before taking an instructors course, a role he continued in until the end of his commission. After leaving the R.A.F., Greenwood joined up with Lord Malcolm Douglas Hamilton (later Group Captain), performing barnstorming flying and private charter flights in Scotland.

Greenwood then flew to the far East to help set up the Malayan Air Force under the guise of the Penang Flying Club. His time here was adventurous, flying some 2,000 hours in adapted Tiger Moths. His eventual return to England saw him flying for the Armstrong Whitworth, Hawker and Gloster companies, before being sent as chief test pilot to the Air Service Training (A.S.T.) at Hamble in 1941. Here he would test modified U.S. built aircraft such as the Airocobra, until the summer of 1944 when he moved back to Gloster’s – again as test pilot.

It was whilst here at Gloster’s that Greenwood would break two world air speed records, both within two weeks of each other. Pushing a Meteor passed both the 500mph and 600mph barriers meant that the R.A.F. had a fighter that could not only match many of its counterparts but one that had taken aviation to new record speeds.

During the trials for the Meteor, Greenwood and Wilson were joined by Captain Eric ‘Winkle’ Brown, who between them tested the slimmed-down and ‘lacquered until it shone’ machine, comparing  drag coefficients with standard machines. Every inch of power had to be squeezed from the engine as reheats were still in their infancy and much too dangerous to use in such trials.

To mark this historic event, two plaques were made, but never, it would seem, displayed. Reputed to have been saved from a council skip, they were initially thought to have been placed in a local cafe, after the cliffs – where they were meant to be displayed – collapsed. The plaques were however left in the council’s possession, until saved by an eagle-eyed employee. Today, they are located in the RAF Manston History Museum where they remain on public display.

RAF Manston History Museum

One of the two plaques now on display at the RAF Manston History Museum.

To mark the place in Herne Bay where this historic event took place, an information board has been added, going some small way to paying tribute to the men and machines who set the world alight with a new World Air Speed record only a few hundred feet from where it stands.

Part of the Herne Bay Tribute to the World Air Speed Record set by Group Captain H.J. Wilson (note the incorrect speed given).

Sources and Further Reading.

*1 Guinness World Records website accessed 22/8/17.

*2 The Argus News report, Thursday November 8th 1945 (website) (Recorded readings quoted in this issue were incorrect, the correct records were given in the following day’s issue).

*3 The Argus News report, Thursday November 9th 1945 (website)

*4 Photo from Special Hobby website.

The RAF Manston History Museum website has details of opening times and location.

The Manston Spitfire and Hurricane Memorial museum website has details of opening times and location.

Captain Edwin Swales VC, DFC RAF Little Staughton.

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The Royal Air Force was made up of many nationals including both those from the Commonwealth and those from across the globe.

In Bomber Command, and the Pathfinders in particular, one man stood out not just for his nationality, but for his bravery and dedication in the face of death.

That man was one Acting Major*1 Edwin Essery Swales VC, DFC based at RAF Little Staughton on the Bedfordshire / Cambridgeshire border.

Swales (fourth from right) and his crew with their Lancaster ‘M’ Mother *9

Swales was born on 3rd July 1915, the son of Harry Evelyn Swales and Olive Essery, in Inanda, Natal South Africa. He was one of four children whose father was a farmer. Whilst Edwin was young, his father, Harry, died from  the influenza epidemic that claimed some 50 million lives after the First World War. Without a father, the family were unable to maintain the farm, and so they moved away to Berea in Durban.

Once of high school age, the young Edwin Swales attended Durban High School, he also joined the Scouts learning valuable skills with like minded youngsters, that would help in him in later life. After leaving school Swales landed himself his first job, working at the international branch of Barclays Bank in Durban. But with with war looming, Swales like many young men at the time, was drawn to military service, and so he joined up, posted to the Natal Mounted Rifles where he achieved the rank of Sergeant Major.

Whilst with the Mounted Rifles, Swales served in several locations including: Kenya, Abyssinia and North Africa where he fought bravely alongside his compatriots and the Eighth Army under Montgomery. He would remain with the rifles until January 1942 at which point he transferred to the South African Air Force, obtaining his wings on 26th June a year later. Two months after this milestone, he, like many others from across the commonwealth, was seconded to the Royal Air Force ensuring his position overseas.

Swales (s/n: 6101V) like many new recruits to the Royal Air Force, would undergo a tense period of retraining, eventually being posted to fly heavy bombers within Donald Bennett’s 8 Group – ‘The Pathfinders’. His first and only posting, would be at Little Staughton with 582 Sqn.

During his short time at Little Staughton, Swales would fly a number of missions piloting Avro’s delight, the four engined heavy bomber the Lancaster.

Swales took part in many operations over occupied Europe, including the ill-fated attack on Cologne on December 23rd 1944, which saw the loss of five  aircraft from 582 Sqn. In total, eight aircraft from seventeen flying from both Little Staughton and Graveley were lost that day including the lead bomber flown by Sqn. Ldr. Robert Palmer who himself was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions.

On that day, an Oboe mission that went terribly wrong, Swales heard the instruction to bomb visually releasing his bombs at 12:51hrs. Flak and fighter attacks were so ferocious, that Swales, like many others in the formation, had to take “violent evasive action” to shake off persistent and accurate attacks from fighter and ground based gunners. He was able to return his aircraft and crew safely to Little Staughton landing at 14:35*2

The action taken by Swales that day was indicative of his determination to succeed and protect both his aircraft and crew, and one that would be repeated time after time by the airman. As a result, it was seen fit to award Captain Swales the DFC for his action that night, his citation stating:

This Officer was pilot and Captain of an aircraft detailed to attack Cologne in December, 1944. When approaching the target, intense anti-aircraft fire was encountered. Despite this, a good bombing attack was executed. Soon afterwards the aircraft was attacked by five enemy aircraft. In the ensuing fights, Capt. Swales manoeuvred with great skill. As a result his gunners were able to bring effective fire to bear upon the attackers, one of which is believed to have been shot down. Throughout this spirited action Captain Swales displayed exceptional coolness and captaincy, setting a very fine example. This Officer has completed very many sorties during which he has attacked a variety of enemy targets*3

Within two months of the operation and at the time his award was being awarded, Swales would be in a similar position again.  This time as Master Bomber leading the formation and directing the bombers to the target.

On that night, only ten days after the historical attack on Dresden, 367 Lancasters and 13 Mosquitoes from 1, 6 and 8 Groups were detailed to attack the city of Pforzheim to the north-west of Stuttgart. This would be the only attack on the city during the war and it would prove almost as devastating as both Dresden and Hamburg.

Flying along side Swales that night in his Lancaster III PB538 ‘N’, were seven other crewmen, including two navigators as was commonplace for Oboe fitted aircraft.

On the run in to the target, the Lancaster was badly mauled by night fighters who successfully put one engine and the rear turret guns out of action. But undeterred, Swales remained on station guiding the following bombers onto the target with the greatest of precision.

When he was finally satisfied that the attack had been carried out successfully, he left his station and turned the aircraft for home. It had been difficult to keep the Lancaster flying, but Swales had persevered in order to complete the job. But he was now easy prey for enemy fighters and inevitably more attacks came.

Soon a second engine was put out of action and flying controls were damaged further with some now completely inoperable. With a reduced speed and difficult flying conditions he headed for the allied lines, where he hoped to get his crew out safely.

All those on board made the jump to safety, leaving just Swales at the controls of the failing Lancaster. As if someone had been watching over them, just as the last man left, the Lancaster finally gave up the struggle and dived into the earth –  Edwin Swales was still sat at the controls when it was found later on.

The attack on Pforzheim  was considered to be very accurate, with over 1,800 bombs having been dropped in as little as twenty minutes or so. Over 17,000 people were known to have died that night in the raging fire that followed the bombing, and a post-war photo, revealed that 83% of the built up area had been destroyed by the raid *4

Following the death of Captain Swales, Air Chief Marshall Sir Arthur Harris KCB, OBE, AFC, Chief of Bomber Command, personally write to Swales’ mother saying: “On every occasion your son proved to be a fighter and a resolute captain of his crew. His devotion to duty and complete disregard for his own safety will remain an example and inspiration for all of us.”*10

For his action, bravery and dedication to duty, 29 year old Edwin Swales, a prominent rugby player and South African “who only had to smile at his crew and they were with him all the way“*5  was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously, the second such award to go to an airman of RAF Little Staughton, just one of three to the Pathfinders and one of only four South Africans to be awarded the Victoria Cross during the war. His citation appeared in the Fifth Supplement to The London Gazette, of Friday, the 20th of April, 1945:

Air Ministry, 24th April, 1945.

The KING has ‘been graciously pleased to confer the VICTORIA CROSS on the undermentioned officer in recognition of most conspicuous bravery:.—

Captain Edwin SWALES, D.F.C. (6101V), S.A.A.F., 582 Sqn. (deceased).

Captain Swales was ” master bomber ” of a force of aircraft which attacked Pforzheim on the night of February 23rd, 1945. As ” master bomber,” he had the task of locating the target area with precision and of giving aiming instructions to the main force of bombers following in his wake.

Soon after he had reached the target area he was engaged by an enemy fighter and one of his engines was put out of action. His rear guns failed. His crippled aircraft was an easy prey to further attacks. Unperturbed, he carried on with his allotted task; clearly and precisely he issued aiming instructions to the main force. Meanwhile the enemy fighter closed the range and fired again. A second engine of Captain Swales’ aircraft was put out of action. Almost defenceless, he stayed over the target area issuing his aiming instructions until he was satisfied that the attack had achieved its purpose.

It is now known that the attack was one of the most concentrated and successful of the war.

Captain Swales did not, however, regard his mission as completed. His aircraft was damaged. Its speed had been so much reduced that it could only with difficulty be kept in the air. The blind-flying instruments were no longer working. Determined at all costs to prevent his aircraft and crew from falling into enemy hands, he set course for home. After an hour he flew into thin-layered cloud. He kept his course by skilful flying between the layers, but later heavy cloud and turbulent air conditions were met. The aircraft, ‘by now over friendly territory, ‘became more and more difficult to control; it was losing height steadily. Realising that the situation was desperate Captain Swales ordered his crew to bale out. Time was very short and it required all his exertions to keep the aircraft steady while each of his crew moved in turn to the escape hatch and parachuted to safety. Hardly had the last crew-member jumped when the aircraft plunged to earth. Captain Swales was found dead at the controls.

Intrepid in the attack, courageous in the face of danger, he did his duty to the last, giving his life that his comrades might live.*6

His body was removed from the aircraft in which he gave his life and was interned at the War Cemetery at Leopoldsburg, in Belgium, Section VIII Grave C.5.

In honour of Captain Swales, two memorial stones were laid and revealed outside his Durban High School on Armistice day 2009. One in the Memorial Courtyard of the School and the second on the Memorial Wall of the Natal Mounted Rifles also in Durban. In attendance were both his niece, Professor Edwina Ward, and Lt. Gen. Carlo Gagiano, Chief of the South African Air Force.

In 2013, Swales was also awarded the “Bomber Command” clasp to be worn on the 1939 – 1945 Star already awarded.

Edwin Swales was indeed a very brave man, who through sheer determination managed to save his crew in spite of the dangers facing him. His award was in no doubt deservingly awarded.

The story of pals Edwin Swales and Robert Palmer both of whom won VCs posthumously whilst at RAF Little Staughton.*7

NColeFIG170709-020001.jpg

The story of Captain Swales appeared in a newspaper cartoon “Heroes of the Air War”.*8

RAF Little Staughton appears in Trail 29.

Sqn Ldr. Robert Palmer’s story appears in Heroic Tales.

Sources and further reading.

*1 the documents showing Captain Swales’ promotion to the rank of Major only reached the UK authorities after his death and as a result he was cited as being a Captain. (South African Aviation Foundation)

*2 National Archives 582 Operational Record Book AIR-27-2052-18

*3 Supplement 36954, to The London Gazette, 23rd February 1945, published 20th February 1945, page 1070

*4 Middlebrook, M., Everitt. C., “The Bomber Command War Diaries“, Midland Publishing Ltd, 1996

*5 International Bomber Command Centre National Archive website.

*6 Fifth Supplement to The London Gazette, of Friday 20th April 1945. Published on Tuesday 24th April 1945, Supplement 37049, Page 2173.

*7 “Newspaper cuttings concerning awards of Victoria Crosses,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed November 11, 2023,

*8 “Heroes of the Air War (No. 39) Captain Swales,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed November 11, 2023,

*9 Photo The South African Legion of Military Veterans website

*10 South African Aviation Foundation website

Trail 65 – RAF Thurleigh Part 2 – The USAAF Arrive.

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In Part 1 we saw how RAF Thurleigh emerged from the Bedfordshire countryside and was shaped by early Luftwaffe raids on the construction site. We saw the arrival of new RAF training units flying Wellington bombers, and their subsequent departure to the far East. We saw how tragedy and fatal accidents claimed the lives of new Polish crews training at the station with 18 OTU, and how with Bomber Command moving on, Thurleigh’s role was set to change dramatically.

A New Ally Arrives: The American Transformation of Thurleigh

At the end of 1941, after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbour, America entered the conflict declaring war on both Japan and Germany and their allies. Over the next few months high ranking officials hurriedly put plans in place to send twenty-eight American bomb groups to the United Kingdom, and the European theatre of war. In a meeting between General Eaker and Air Chief Marshal Arthur Harris, discussions took place that would not only facilitate such a move, but also give the Americans suitable airfields on which to house their new heavy bombers.

Aware that most British airfields were too small to accommodate the American’s heavy bomber units, Eaker went on to press Harris for specific details including both their locations and the facilities available at each one. Anticipating this, Harris handed over the identity of eight potential sites, many of them RAF satellite stations, but all suitable for the American’s use. Amongst these were the airfields at Polebrook, Chelveston, Molesworth, Kimbolton, and of course Thurleigh.

Initially designated Station B-4, Thurleigh would then undergo a major modification programme, one that would bring it up to the new Class ‘A’ standard, a specification that would make it suitable for the American heavy bombers, both the B-24 ‘Liberator’ and the B-17 ‘Flying Fortresses’ that Eaker was sending over.

Thurleigh

One of the former arms buildings.

Construction crews quickly began work, both extending and reinforcing the short runways; they added additional hardstands, and expanded both the technical and domestic sites. Upon completion, the airfield would feature three concrete runways: one of 2,000 feet and two of 1,400 feet in length, each being the standard 50 yards wide. Aircraft dispersal was facilitated by a total of 51 loop and frying-pan style hardstands arranged around a full length perimeter track.

In addition, and unusually, four T2 hangars were erected, providing protective aircraft shelter and maintenance facilities. The bomb store was discreetly placed in Galsey Wood, a wooded area to the northwest and away from the main flying and accommodation areas – an essential safety precaution in wartime.

Fifteen accommodation sites, including two communal areas, two WAAF quarters, medical facilities, and barrack blocks, were all established along the road leading away from Thurleigh village to the south-west of the airfield. These sites employed a variety of wartime construction styles – brick, timber, concrete, steel, asbestos, and plasterboard – using standard designs from Laing, Nissen, Seco, Jane, Romney, and others. At full capacity, the base would accommodate over 440 officers and more than 2,500 enlisted personnel, including members of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force.

After being allocated to the Americans on August 10th 1942, Thurleigh opened with its first residents. On 7th September that year, the first and only front line bomber Group to operate from the airfield, the 306th Bomb Group (BG), arrived with its four squadrons of B-17s: the 367th, 368th, 369th and 423rd Bomb Squadrons (BS). In command would be Col. Charles B. “Chip” Overcracker.

The 306th Bomb Group: Arrival of “The Reich Wreckers” (Autumn 1942)

Known as “The Reich Wreckers” the 306th would have many claims to fame, including being the oldest operational Bomb Group in the 8th Air Force and the only one to remain at the same station (Thurleigh) in England for the longest period of time. In addition, they were the first unit to have personnel achieve their first tour of operations, a major mile stone that gave the whole air force hope that going home was indeed possible.

Thurleigh

A graffiti panel rescued from a 423rd BS barrack now on display at the museum.

The Group, designated the 306th, were constituted on January 28th 1942, and activated in March that same year. Their journey to the UK began at Gowen Field in Idaho, transferring through Wendover Field to their embarkation point at New York onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth. The ground echelon set sale, travelling across the treacherous north Atlantic route to arrive at Greenock in Scotland, on September 5th, 1942.

The air echelon travelled separately, arriving a week later in small groups touching down at Thurleigh between the 8th and 13th September, having flown their own thirty-five aircraft across the northern route. This cold and bleak route took them via Greenland and Iceland, before passing over northern Ireland to arrive at Prestwick in Scotland on the north-west coast. During the journey over, one B-17F, with a crew of nine and one passenger, exploded for no apparent reason, 150 miles from Gander Lake,  Newfoundland. A second aircraft also ditched in the Irish Sea. The crew in this instance were picked up, but the aircraft was lost in the cold waters of the North Atlantic. This was the third B-17 the group had lost since their inauguration.

The 306th would go on to fight in some of the most bitter air battles of the war, including Schweinfurt, Stuttgart, Hannover, Berlin, Ludwigshafen and Leipzig. They would lead the first US bomber penetration of German skies; Big Week in February 1944, and go on to support both the Normandy landings and the St. Lo breakout. They would remain active throughout the war achieving numerous awards including two Medals of Honour, numerous Purple Hearts and two Distinguished Unit Citations (DUC) for action over occupied Europe.

Their arrival at Thurleigh was not however the great dream they may have wished for. On unloading, the 306th were greeted by unfinished buildings and mud – lots of it. Tents immediately formed the basis of personnel  accommodation and the officers’ mess was so small, staff had to operate in three shifts to enable them all to get fed.

Not only was a considerable amount of work needing to be done to get the station ready, but being new to the European theatre, a huge amount of ‘up-skilling’ was also going to be needed. To this end, intelligence staff, operations controllers and flight controllers were all sent to RAF stations to learn the ‘tricks of the trade’ enabling them to operate alongside their British counterparts in what was about to become a very busy airspace.

Baptism by Fire: First Operations and Early Losses

This poor start was then compounded when on October 2nd 1942, during a practice mission over the Wash, one of the waist gunners of B-17 #41-24492 ‘Lady Halitosis‘ of the 367th BS, suffered oxygen failure. In a bid to help the gunner, the pilot put the aircraft into a steep dive losing some 9,000 feet of altitude in a matter of minutes. The dive and subsequent recovery was so severe that the aircraft’s control cables snapped, and part of the starboard wing broke away taking an engine with it. The aircraft then caught fire and the bomb bay doors became detached. One of these doors, struck the rear section of the aircraft with such force that it severed the fuselage at the tail. The rear gunner, trapped inside his position, desperately tried to escape, hammering at the plexiglass and fuselage to break out. With only a 1,000 feet of air left, he just managed to break through the fuselage and free himself from his falling coffin. His parachute luckily opened, and he landed safely some distance away south-east of Spalding in Lincolnshire. His luck, already used exhaustively, somehow managed to continue on for a few moments more, when the remainder of the burning  B-17 came crashing down a mere one hundred yards or so from where he was sat.

Rescue crews from a nearby anti-aircraft gun ran to the scene but they were unable to get close enough to the wreckage due the the ferocity of the fire, and sadly, all six of those left inside, perished. During the whole episode only one other crewman managed to escape – Ball Turret Gunner Private Raymond McAskill – suffering slight injuries as he did so.

The event was so understandably harrowing for gunner S.Sgt. William Kellum, that he was eventually grounded, his mental state rendering him ‘unfit’ to continue on after having only carried out a few missions following his horrific flight debut in England.

With this disaster behind them, the 306th took to the air once more on their maiden operation on October 9th 1942, an operation to bomb the steel works at Lille, France. But again, it was not to be the glorious outcome they all would have wished for.

For the first time, over 100 American bombers, a mix of B-24s and B-17s, led by the soon to be legendary Col. Edward “Ted” Timberlake, flew across the English Channel to France. The huge formation, escorted by over 400 fighters, a mix of Spitfires – now part of the 4th Fighter Group –  and P-38 “Lightnings”, knew how important this mission was going to be.

Waiting for them were the battle hardened Luftwaffe pilots of JG 26 in their FW190s, they were not going to let the bombers through easily and the sky would be full.

With departure planned for 08:32, the lumbering giants gradually rose in to the air and set route for France.

As the bombers reached the target, the Luftwaffe struck, focussing initially on the B-24s of 93rd BG. Attacking from their favoured position, the rear, they struck at the formation ignoring the fighters flying high above. Releasing over the target, bombing was considered poor, some bomb aimers not even finding the target and so dropping their bombs on alternative sites. During the action, the formation had become disjointed, partly due to some turning back with technical problems and partly to some being knocked out by enemy fighters – the defensive wall had been breached.

As for the 306th, a second aircraft was lost, and this time there were no survivors. A third B-17, #41-24486 “Man O’ War” piloted by 2nd. Lt. James M. Stewart, lost three engines and its radio failed. It was about to ditch in the English Channel, when – as if out of a boy’s action story – a Spitfire, flown by Flt. Lt. Andrews of 91 Sqn, appeared alongside and guided the B-17 to RAF Manston in Kent where it made a successful crash landing. None of the crew were injured in the event, saved no doubt by the actions of Flt. Lt. Andrews.

Inexperience played a large part for many of the crews taking part that day. Being new to operational duties, not only had they suffered poor aiming but gunners had made hugely exaggerated claims about the numbers of enemy aircraft shot down – although probably unknowingly to them. In reply to the frenzied attack on the formation, air gunners sprayed bullets all over the sky hitting everything except the enemy. A mix of poor training and a determination to prove their worth, had been a recipe for disaster.

Thurleigh

One of several buildings on the bomb store.

Not only was the bomb aiming poor but so was the navigation. Many navigators, like the gunners, were simply not experienced enough, nor trained well enough for the European geography. With thick cloud being present almost all of the time, many new crews were unable to identify specific geographical features and were simply lost within 10 minutes of leaving their home base.*4

During this initial operation experienced enemy fighters were both fearsome and determined in their attacks. Whilst few bombers were actually shot down, all of those in the lagging 306th received hits from the FW-190s – some severely. The opening few weeks had been a real eye opener for the 306th, an experience resembling a baptism of fire not only for those newbies the “The Reich Wreckers“, but for the Eighth Air Force as a whole.

Weather, Warnings, and Misfires: October’s Frustrating Missions

The British winter weather then intervened. Several operations were cancelled as were training flights which were greatly needed. A cancelled flight to Lorient on October 21st, merely two weeks after their first operation, meant that the entire 306th returned without dropping a single bomb. The declining weather and poor visibility was to blame, but some ninety aircraft did continue on, and of those who did bomb, their bombs simply “bounced off” the submarine pens, having no impact whatsoever. *5

Aircrews were learning that operations over enemy territory were high risk, but even scrubbed missions could have their problems: aircraft still had tanks full of petrol and bomb-bays were still filled with tons of high explosives. For the 306th, troubles on this mission began even before they had left British airspace. When the abort signal came through, it instructed crews to drop their ordnance in the Wash – a large body of shallow coastal water off the north Norfolk coast.  Whilst it became a common practice for scrubbed missions, for one B-17 it was not going to be a simple or straight forward task.

Emergency Landing: A B-17 Touches Down at Sutton Bridge

B-17F, #41-24460 ‘RD-A’, “Little Audrey” of the 423 BS, began the process of releasing its bombs when suddenly the life raft latch broke loose causing the raft to escape and wrap itself around the elevator rendering the aircraft difficult to control.

Captain Mack McKay, 306th BG points to a “kill” marking painted on his B-17 Flying Fortress “Little Audrey” (IWM FRE 4418)

Now being unstable in flight, the B-17 had to find a safe place to land, and near to the Wash was the firing range at Holbeach and its associated airfield at RAF Sutton Bridge. A physically small grass airfield that was used for gunnery training of RAF fighters, it was not designed to take large four-engined heavy bombers. The likely hood of getting down safely was slim, but after using all his skill and judgement, the pilot managed to put the bomber down safely on the grass much to the joy of those inside the bomber. Once remedial work had been carried out on the aircraft, the crew began to prepare for the take off, an event just as risky as the landing and with odds just as bad.

Being an unusual aircraft to see at Sutton Bridge, huge crowds gathered to see the B-17 and to witness what could have been a terrible accident had the take off been misjudged on the small grass strip. Fortunately though, again using all his skill and judgement, the pilot got the aircraft up and the B-17 successfully rose in to the air making its way home to Thurleigh being waved off by the extensive crowd of locals gathered by. *6

Mounting Pressure: Heavy Losses and Royal Visits

The early days of November 1942, saw missions 3, 4 and 5 for the 306th. Visits to Brest, Lille and St. Nazaire, saw a further four aircraft lost with all crews listed as ‘missing in action’. These early loses were beginning to mount, and those in charge were beginning to voice their concerns.

On November 13th, a Royal visit was made in which General Carl Spaatz and King George VI carried out a tour of the many airfields now in the region, including Thurleigh. Whilst the Royal party were here, they were shown around the airfield, seeing the various facilities available. They were also introduced to several crews and ground staff with whom they chatted happily.

Brigadier-General Newton Longfellow and Lieutenant Robert L Riordan of the 306th Bomb Group, show King George VI part of a damaged B-17 Flying Fortress during a royal visit. (IWM FRE 4390)

The B-17’s Fatal Flaw – and its Remedy

But the relief brought by important visitors didn’t prevent problems in the air. By now, the Luftwaffe had got the measure the of the B-17 and pilots, such as Oberstleutant Egon Mayer, quickly found its Achilles heel. Even though bristling with guns, the B-17s suffered from ‘blind spots’, areas where the gun’s arc didn’t cover. This made the bomber vulnerable, and the worst position was through a direct full frontal attack. New tactics were then used by the Luftwaffe, directing fire directly at the front of the aircraft, potentially its most vulnerable position. It became so successful, that some 30% of pilots and co-pilots in the 306th were killed in such attacks.*7  With little protection, early model B-17Es were quickly withdrawn from front line operations and investigations carried out into a possible remedy to the problem.*8

Naturally the B-17 crews realised this vulnerability too, and also set about finding their own remedy. Whilst official routes were being taken to solve the problem, these were taking too long, and a quicker solution was needed. Within the 367th BS an armourer  and a welder (S. Sgts. James C. Green and Ben F. Marcilonis) got together and took matters into their own hands. They designed and built a new bracket that could hold a heavy .50 machine gun fitted into the nose of the aircraft to protect this gap in the forward arc.  Once constructed and fitted, trials began, the ‘guinea pig’ being a B-17F #42-5130 named “Sweet Pea“.

The bracket fitted to Sweet Pea, proved to be so successful that it was adopted not only by the 306th but the 8th Air Service Command as a whole*9 becoming part of a modification feature to future B-17 models.

The aircraft  was unusual for other reasons though. It was ‘christened’ on December 20th 1942, by a small orphan girl called ‘Maureen’ whom the 367th BS had adopted from a London orphanage. They gave her the nickname ‘Sweet Pea‘ and to mark the occasion, she dipped her hand in paint and placed a print on the aircraft as a form of dedication.. Like many aircraft of the ‘Reich Wreckers’, Sweet Pea would fly on several operations, suffering a great deal of damage in the process; eventually failing to return from operations to Lorient on March 6th 1943, with one airman killed in action, one evading and eight being taken prisoners of war.

The news report on the dedication of ‘Sweet Pea‘ by Maureen – a three year-old orphan – at Thurleigh. (IWM UPL 15963)

Thurleigh had transformed from a training airfield into a heavy bomber base ready for its new American role. Upgraded to Class “A” standard it soon became home to the 306th Bomb Group – “The Reich Wreckers.” Their arrival in September 1942 was far from smooth though: unfinished buildings, muddy conditions, and a steep learning curve in the European theatre made for a difficult start. Early missions brought tragedy, from training accidents to heavy combat losses, while poor weather and inexperience compounded their struggles. Yet alongside setbacks came resilience, adaptation, and even innovation, as crews refined tactics and strengthened their aircraft. With these foundations laid, the stage was set for the 306th to face the increasingly bitter air battles of 1943.

The entire history can be read in Trail 65

Trail 65 – RAF Thurleigh Part 1 – Its Birth.

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In Trail 65 we head west again this time to the borders of Bedfordshire and Northampton, where a former wartime airfield evolved from a base for USAAF bombers into a centre of aviation excellence. First built during the Second World War, it supported critical missions over occupied Europe. In the post-war years, it transitioned into a leading site for aeronautical research, contributing to major advances in jet technology, carrier operations, and automated landing systems. Although official flying ended in 1994, the site continued to reflect a remarkable legacy, marking its place in history as a cornerstone of Britain’s military and civil aviation development.

In this trail, we go back to Bedfordshire and the former RAF Thurleigh.

RAF Thurleigh (Station 111)

Situated some 6.5 miles north of Bedford, RAF Thurleigh was built on land approximately 250 feet above sea level. Although not a high elevation, its open plateau setting – typical of many wartime airfields – exposed it to the elements. Surrounded by multiple river sources, the location benefited from good natural drainage, aiding its suitability as an airfield site.

The nearby village of Thurleigh has a long recorded history, appearing in the Domesday Book as La Lega*1 – a name that over centuries, has evolved into its current form. In a similar fashion, the airfield that bears the same name, would come to be known under many titles of its own: RAF Thurleigh, USAAF Station 111, RAE Bedford, Bedford Aerodrome, and Thurleigh Airfield Business Park amongst others. Yet throughout its history, one theme remained constant – aviation.

The War Reaches Bedfordshire: Early Bombings and Construction (1941)

Thurleigh’s association with the Second World War began even before construction commenced. Isolated bombing incidents in the parish during 1941 – possibly the result of jettisoned bombs from German aircraft – marked its early wartime experience. Once the airfield’s construction began however, it quickly caught the attention of the Luftwaffe. On 17th April that year, eight enemy bombs were dropped directly onto the construction site, causing damage to the incomplete runway. A second attack on 12th August 1941 saw another eight bombs fall along the northern boundary, again damaging the airfield and rupturing a water main*2. Both raids highlighted how conspicuous such developments were to enemy reconnaissance and subsequent aerial attacks.

Once land had been sourced, the airfield’s construction was carried out by the company W.C. French Ltd. and officially opened during the summer of 1941. At this early stage, Thurleigh was a modest airfield in size, suited only for fighters or light to medium bombers. Its first operational residents were the personnel from No. 18 Operational Training Unit (OTU), part of the RAF’s Bomber Command. Having recently adopted the twin-engined Vickers Wellington, 18 OTU (formed from the Polish Training Unit in No. 6 Group, in June 1940 to train light bomber crews for Polish operational squadrons) was tasked with preparing new crews transitioning onto bombers ready for active duty.

Though OTUs were primarily training units, they often found themselves involved in operational sorties, especially during periods of ‘maximum effort’. As a result, many crews suffered casualties, even before they joined a front-line operational squadron.

Following them, in October 1941, 12 Operational Training Unit – first formed at RAF Benson in April 1940 – briefly stayed here. Their residency lasting a mere month, it remains unclear whether it was the entire unit, or just detachments  that were present here during that time. It was also at this time that the first recorded aircraft landing took place at Thurleigh: Wellington IC R1234*3 touching down on the new runway, marking a small but important milestone in the station’s dramatic history.

12 OTU Were not the only training unit to reside here. The Central Gunnery School (CGS), famed for “training the trainers” remained here from December 1941 until their departure to RAF Sutton Bridge on the Lincolnshire / Norfolk border in April 1942.

First established at RAF Warmwell on 6th November 1939, the CGS would train both gunners of bombers and fighters in the art of aerial warfare, those attending having proven themselves in combat already. Once trained, they would return to their original squadrons and pass on their valuable knowledge to others.

Tropical Kit and Tragedy: The Brief Story of 160 Squadron (1942)

Thurleigh’s relative quiet made it an ideal location to raise a new unit, and on January 16th 1942, the ground echelon of 160 Squadron RAF, formed here. Created as a Consolidated B-24 Liberator unit under War Establishment order WAR/ME/448 (dated 31st December 1941), the squadron’s formation began with the arrival of 108 airmen, who were followed by a further 126 the very next day. Over the following weeks, the numbers of ground crew and support staff swelled, as it did, each one was issued with tropical kit, a move that suggested a deployment to the Far East.

Throughout the weeks that followed, the air echelon underwent heavy bomber training some with 1653 Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Polebrook, while  other crew members were sent to RAF Upwood for additional preparation. In mid-February, the posting finally came through and the ground party departed enroute to the Far East. Meanwhile, the air crews transferred to RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire, where they collected their new B-24s before they too left for the Far east.

Tragedy and Transition – May 1942

The now quieter Thurleigh would then experience a series of tragic accidents. On 18th May 1942, Wellington IC DV783, flown by a Polish crew led by Pilot Officer J. Kilmcsyk, crashed shortly after taking off. Just moments after departing the runway, the aircraft suddenly, and without warning, dived into the ground; the ensuing fireball killing all five crew members onboard. The Wellington, along with the crew’s bodies, was later recovered and the airmen interned in the Polish War Graves section of Newark cemetery in Nottinghamshire.

This was the second fatal crash suffered by the unit in as many days, a tragedy that was compounded by another such incident the following day – although mercifully this time, there would be no fatalities.

Not long after this short but devastating period, 18 OTU departed Thurleigh, a move that signified the end of its ties, as a training airfield, with Bomber Command. For the remainder of the war,  there would be no further front line, RAF units assigned here, and attention now turned to its new owner, the United States Army Air Forces.

In Part 2, we continue our journey through Thurleigh’s wartime history. We see the arrival of the USAAF, and share their experiences both good and bad. We learn of the failures of the B-17 and how through innovation they overcome these problems becoming one of the most successful bomb groups of the war.

The full story of RAF Thurleigh can be. read in Trail 65.

July 30th 1944 – Loss of Lancaster PB304 – 106 Squadron.

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On Sunday July 30th 1944, Lancaster PB304 from 106 Squadron RAF Metheringham in Lincolnshire, crashed with the loss of all on board, along with two civilians, in Salford Greater Manchester.

Lancaster PB304, was a MK.III Lancaster based at RAF Metheringham in Lincolnshire, flying under the squadron code ZN-S. It was tasked to attack enemy strong points at Cahagnes in the Normandy battle zone following the Allied invasion in June.

The early briefing at 04:00 was not a welcome one, many men having been out the night before following a stand down order due to bad weather and heavy rain over the last two days. On board that day was: F/L. Peter Lines (Pilot); Sgt. Raymond Barnes (Flt. Eng.); F/O. Harry Reid RCAF (Nav.); F/O. John Harvey Steel (Air Bomber); Sgt. Arthur William Young (W.O/Gunner); Sgt. John Bruce Thornley Davenport (Mid-Upper Gunner) and Sgt. Mohand Singh (Rear Gunner)*1.

The operation, code-named Operation Bluecoat, would involve attacking six specific targets, each one identified to assist a forthcoming offensive by British land forces in the Normandy area.

After all the ground checks were completed and the signal given to depart, PB304 began the long taxi to the runway, take off was recorded as 05:55, but it is thought that this was ten minutes early with the first aircraft (ND682) departing at 06:05. Once in the air, the aircraft formed up alongside twenty other 106 Sqn aircraft,  meeting with a smaller formation from 83 Sqn at Coningsby before joining the main formation.

The weather remained poor with heavy cloud blanketing the sky between 5,000 and 10,000 feet, as the 183 Lancasters from No. 5 Group and one Mosquito headed south toward the Normandy coast.

With further poor weather ahead, signals were beginning to come through to abandon the mission and return to base, but communication between aircraft was garbled and difficult to understand, it may have been as a result of German interference broadcasting messages over that of the master bomber. The order to abort finally came through just after 08:00 even though some of the formation had released bombs on target indicators (TI) dropped by the Pathfinders. Smoke was by now mixing with the low cloud causing more confusion and difficulty in identifying the primary targets. Not all aircraft understood the message however, and many continued circling in the skies above Cahagnes. To make a difficult situation even worse, there was by now, an  approaching formation of over 450 American A-20s and B-26s along with just short of 260 P-51 and P-47 escorts on their way to France; the sky was full of aircraft in thick cloud and was an accident waiting to happen.

Difficult communication continued, some aircraft were seen disposing of their bomb loads over the Channel, whilst others retained them. Various courses were set for home, but with many airfields closed in by low cloud, alternatives were gong to be needed and alternative courses were issued to the returning bombers of each squadron.

106 Sqn were ordered to fly north along the western coast, passing over Pershore and on to Harwarden near Chester, before turning for home. The messages coming through continued to be misheard or misunderstood with several aircraft landing at either Pershore, Harwarden or Squires Gate at Blackpool. Gradually all aircraft managed to land, whether at home at Metheringham or at away airfields. Patiently the Metheringham staff waited, nothing had been heard from PB304 and they could not be contacted on the radio – something was wrong.

Precise details of the accident are sketchy, but an aircraft was seen flying low and in some difficulty. It passed low over Prestwich on the northern edges of Manchester, where it was later seen engulfed in flames. It twice passed over a playing field, where some suspect F/L. Lines was trying to make a crash landing, but this has not been confirmed. At some time around 10:10 -10:15 the aircraft came down resulting in a massive explosion, a full bomb load and fuel reserves igniting on impact. Many houses were damaged in the explosion with one being completely demolished.

As a result of the accident, all seven of the crew were killed along with two civilians, Lucy Bamford and George Morris, as well as, what is believed to be, over 100 others being injured all to varying degrees.

PB304 was the only aircraft lost that night, in a mission that perhaps with hindsight, should not have taken place. The poor weather and difficult communication playing their own part in the terrible accident in Salford on July 30th 1944.

RAF Metheringham

The Memorial at Metheringham pays tribute to all those who flew with 106 Sqn.

Notes and Further Reading.

*1 Operational Record Book AIR 27/834/14 notes Sgt. Young as Sgt. A.L. Young.

A book written by Joseph Bamford the Grandson of Lucy who was killed that night, was published in 1996. “The Salford Lancaster” gives excellent details of the crew, the mission and the aftermath of the accident, published by Pen and Sword, it is certainly worth a read for those interested in knowing more about the incident.

Carter. K.C., & Mueller. R., “Combat Chronology 1941-1945“, Centre for Air Force History, Washington D.C.

Freeman. R., “Mighty Eighth War Diary“, Jane’s Publishing. 1980

RAF Narborough – ‘The Largest Aircraft Base of the First World War.’ Part 2

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In Part 1, we saw how Narborough was established as a Night Landing Ground, and how the RNAS passed it onto the RFC to train pilots in aerial combat at great rick. In Part 2, that rick continues and so does the development of the aerodrome to the point it becomes the largest aircraft based airfield in Norfolk.

All Saints Church Narborough, Norfolk

2nd Lt. Allen Ingham Murphy, killed March 30th 1917 ‘in an aeroplane accident’.

These departures left only the reserve squadrons at Narborough, and it wouldn’t be long before they too suffered causalities. The first of these to lose a valuable pilot was 50 Reserve Squadron on March 30th 1917. A young Canadian, not yet out of his teens, 2nd Lt. Allen Ingham Murphy, was killed when his Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8 ‘A2720’ stalled whilst turning after take off. 2nd Lt. Murphy was the first of many casualties from the units that year – training young pilots was not getting any easier.

April saw the arrival of yet another of the Reserve Squadrons, with 64 Reserve Squadron (RS) being posted in from Dover (Swingate Down) in mid April. Another of the training units they would also bring RE8s, Avro 504s Nieuport 17s, BE2s and Shorthorns.

All Saints Church Narborough, Norfolk

Lt. Hubert J. Game, All Saints Church Narborough.

A second tragic accident on June 8th 1917, showed how fragile these aircraft could be. Lieutenant Hubert John Game  was attempting a loop when he got into difficulty and ended up in a steep dive. Trying to pull the aircraft – a BE2 (A2794) – out of the dive was too much for its fragile structure and it suffered a catastrophic wing failure, both wing extensions breaking away leaving the aircraft uncontrollable. Lt. Game was originally a Lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery (RFA) and was attached to 53 (Training) Sqn RFC at Narborough, when he was tragically killed. He was also the younger brother of Air Vice-Marshal Sir Philip Woolcott Game, and was just 26 years old at the time of his death. He is another one of those whose grave lays a short distance away from the site of Narborough airfield.

Many of those who joined up to fight had jobs or were celebrities in their own field. Many famous actors went on in the second World War to have successful military careers, and many sports personalities also performed admirably. At Narborough, 2nd Lt. William Smeeth was a  22 year old who transferred into the RFC from the 9th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles. Before the war he attended the Loretto School (a prestigious boarding school whose building dates back to the 14th Century, and was founded in 1827 thus claiming to be Scotland’s oldest) from 1909 to 1913, and was a player in the Loretto XI. Considered a “fine, slow, left-handed bowler”, he was wounded in France and posted to Narborough as a flying instructor. On 17th July 1917 he was flying an Avro 504B (A9975) which was struck, whilst landing, by an A.W. FK8 which was taking off at the same time. In the accident Smeeth was killed, and he remains the only military grave in his home town of Bolton Abbey in the Yorkshire Dales.*6, 7

The inherent danger faced by trainees was made no more obvious once again on October 29th, when two more aircraft, both from 50 RS, were lost in separate accidents. The first an Armstrong Whitworth FK.8 (A2730) side slipped during a turn and nose dived into the ground killing both crewmen, 2Lt. Norman Victor Spear (aged 29) and Air. Mech. 1 Sidney Walter Burrell (age 22).  The second aircraft, also an Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8 (B219) spun off a low climbing turn also killing its pilot 2Lt. Laurence Edward Stuart Vaile (aged 23). It was indeed a black day for 50 RS and a stark reminder to the trainees.

All Saints Church Narborough, Norfolk

2Lt. Laurence Edward Stuart Vaile, killed ‘in an aeroplane accident’ August 29th 1917.

In October and December 1917 two more units bolstered the numbers of personnel at Narborough. Firstly, 1 Training Squadron was reformed here on October 1st, whilst 83 Sqn, born out of 18 (Reserve) Squadron (RS), arrived at Narborough two months later, both these bringing a range of aircraft that they quickly swapped for FE.2bs. 83 RS had previously been based at Wyton commanded by Major V. E. Albrecht and were one of the first units designated a Training Squadron Station rather than Training Depot Station.

83 Squadron had only been formed in January that year and within three months of their arrival here, would be on the front line at St. Omer  attacking enemy troop concentrations, attempting to stem the early German spring offensive.

The occurrences of all these tragic accidents was becoming so frequent, that one instructor, Capt. W.E. Johns, creator of ‘Biggles‘, later cited spies as the cause of many ‘accidents’ – claiming that they had tampered with the machines causing the deaths of the crews on board. Johns, himself having written off many machines, believed Americans with German sounding names were to blame for aircraft breaking up in mid-air or crashing at the bottom of loops. More likely however, the fault lay with over exuberant or simply poorly trained recruits.

Like most airfields, there were those locals who disliked the presence of the military and their new flying machines on their doorstep, and there were those who welcomed them into their villages and homes with open arms. Narborough was no different and there are many tales of interactions between military personnel and the local civilians.

The nearby Narborough Hall opened its doors to wounded brought in the from the fields of Flanders, whilst local people, in conjunction with airfield staff, held money raising events to help with food shortages. The local hostelries were frequented by personnel from the airfield, and friendly sports events were held between civilian and military teams. On some days, flying events were put on to display the aircraft and the skills of the pilots training with the RFC. Many came to watch in awe whilst others complained about low-level flying disturbing livestock, and pilots making a nuisance of themselves in the villages; others complained about the speeding lorries that brought in both supplies and men.

In early 1918 a year after the United States declared war, airmen of the 20th, 24th and 163rd U.S. Aero Squadrons were brought into Narborough and attached to 121 Sqn which had just formed in the opening days of the year. Whilst using a variety of aircraft, the backbone of the squadron was the DH 9, an aircraft they used until their departure to Filton in August and eventual disbandment.

As a unit set up to train the Americans, times were hard and often relationships were strained, the cold British winter weather being a substantial change from the hot climate of Texas from where many originated. These units, once here, were spread far and wide, amongst other squadrons across the UK; their Campaign Hat, a broad-brimmed, high-crowned hat, becoming synonymous with their presence.

There would be no let up in the movements in and out of Narborough. 1918 would see yet more arrivals in February with 26 Training Squadron (TS) and 69 Training Squadron (TS)  both units being posted in during that month. Flying a mix of Henry Farman models, the two units would leave Narborough in August to form 22 Training Depot Station in Gormanston, Ireland. Whilst here in Norfolk though, they would carry out training duties, honing their skills alongside the already present training units and the newly arrived Americans.

As time passed, the angst between the US and RFC staff began to mellow. The initial feeling of US personnel having a much more ‘laid back’ approach to rank and uniform being extremely distasteful to the more rigid RFC officials. By the time they were to leave though, relationships had matured and their sad departure ended what had become a generally happy association between them all.

The last months of the war saw no let up in training either; keen to join the RFC young men continued to join up and train to fly. In mid February 1918, two 18 year old boys were perhaps fulfilling a dream when it all went tragically wrong. Flying a DH.4 (B2121), 2Lt. John Fyffe Shaw and 2Lt. Charles Arkley Law of 26 Training Squadron, were both killed after their aircraft’s engine failed causing it to stall and then nose dive with dire consequences into the ground.

When crews arrived at the scene the throttle was found only half open, suggesting the aircraft had stalled during the low level right-hand turn they were performing. Insufficient fuel would have starved the engine leading to it cutting out and causing the resultant crash. Both airmen were from Scotland, Shaw from Dundee where he remains, and Law was from Edinburgh – he remains buried in Narborough.

All Saints Church Narborough, Norfolk

2Lt. Charles Arkley Law killed after his engine failed and the aircraft stalled.

In a major reforming of the military structure on April 1st 1918, the RFC and RNAS were finally amalgamated officially forming the Royal Air Force, a major turning point in the history of the force as it is today. To reflect this, RFC Narborough also took on the new name RAF Narborough, but a mere name change wouldn’t stop the intense work from going on as usual.

As the summer approached and the weather improved, so too did the relationship between the various nationalities. The American’s arrival at Narborough was now matched by the arrival of some thirty or more women of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC)*2 – which along with the Women’s Naval branch (WRNS) and Women’s Legion, formed the Women’s Royal Air Force (WRAF) on April 1st. Many of these women performed roles in admin sections of the Air Force, telephonists, catering and personal duties whilst some entered the more technical roles, parachute packing, riggers, mechanics and carpenters. By the war’s end, Narborough would have in excess of 100 female personnel working at its site.

On September 12th 1918, 55 Training Depot Station – who originally formed at Manston when 203 Training Depot Station (TDS) was renumbered – arrived here also to carry out training duties. A large number of these training Depots existed at that time and continued on to the war’s end. Like other training units 55 TDS also flew a large range of aircraft types; B.E.2e, D.H.4, 6, and 9, Avro 504j and k and S.E.5a.

All Saints Church Narborough, Norfolk

The Plaque at All Saint’s Church Narborough, honouring those who served at Narborough.

This latest squadron to join the many arrived during a time of major redevelopment not only of the site, but the training units as well. Narborough with such a huge influx of staff was now developing new accommodation buildings, hangars and work space. Electricity supplies were at last being installed, new roads created to get men and supplies around the site much quicker and a new hangar, The ‘Red hangar’ – due to its red brick construction – was added near to Battles  Farm. The site had become so big now that it was one of just a few considered for homing the new enormous Handley Page Bomber the V/1500 which was capable of bombing Berlin. But like both Sedgeford and Pulham that decision went elsewhere, to Bircham Newton, with its more suitable and stable soils and long term development potential.

Whilst no V/1500 was ever stationed at Narborough, Capt. J. Sinclair of 166 Sqn Bircham Newton, did land one on the site proving that it could be done and that Narborough airfield was more than able to cater for its needs. However, the aircraft never made the flight to Berlin,  the Armistice being called just before the operation was planned to go ahead.

In November 1918, the war finally ended. After 4 and half years of brutal warfare, millions had died, a small fraction of those killed had been either based at, or passed through, RAF Narborough in their training.

Then, after the news of the cessation of conflict, the big reduction in manpower and machines would begin. As units began to arrive home from France they were quickly disbanded. At Narborough, several of these arrived as cadres, No. 64 (14th February), No. 56 (15th February)and No. 60 (20th February) where upon they joined 55 Training Depot Station to see out their last few months of existence.

Despite this, training continued on, but with less urgency than before. The arrival of one (Sir) Alan Cobham went rather unnoticed, just another instructor to train those stationed here. His focus was on those who struggled to achieve the status of ‘pilot’ for whatever reason – whether it be lack of ability or just through lack of ambition. He remained at Narborough until February 1919 at which point, like so many others, he was demobbed and returned to civvy street.

With flying restrictions now lifted, Cobham teamed up with brothers Fred and Jack Holmes forming their own Aviation Tours company buying an ex RAF Avro 504K, a car and some petrol. He soon added to this a second 504K (G-EAKX and G-EASF) with which they created the famous ‘Cobham’s Flying Circus‘, performing daring barnstorming shows across the country.

In 1921, with the great depression, he began to work for an aerial photographic company and air taxi firm, this led him on to long distance travel, becoming known as “the King of the Taxi Pilots“.*8

Cobham went on to have an incredible aviation life, pioneering both long distance flight and aircraft technology. He made civil aviation more accessible and popular to the masses his influence on aviation going far beyond the training of RAF pilots.

With the war over it was now time for harsh decisions. The monetary and human cost of the war had been astronomical and the military were now no longer the favour of the Government. A new restructure and decommissioning of vast quantities of military equipment was on the horizon. In one small gesture in March 1919, 55 Training Depot Station were disbanded only to be renamed 55 Training Squadron, this simple move brought it inline with other training units of the same designation.

The four units who arrived at the end of 1918, would now one-by-one disband or move on elsewhere to disband; 56 departing to Bircham Newton on December 30th where it disbanded a month later; 60 followed in January only to disband before the month was out, and 64 ended its days on New Years Eve 1919 at Narborough. With that, its days now over, Narborough was deemed surplus to requirements and with the disbandment of the recently renamed 55 Training Squadron, on New Years Eve, the airfield was unceremoniously closed for good.

The post war years saw the closure of many other war time airfields like Narborough. But unlike its sister station RAF Marham a mile or so away, it would remain closed.  For over a year the site remained unoccupied and unused, and the usual vandalism began to take its toll. Machinery, tools and even scraped aircraft remained on site for enthusiastic youths to make their playground. Then in 1921, the buildings and contents were all sold off in a two day event over 2nd and 3rd February, in what was considered to be one of the biggest auctions in Norfolk: some of the items going to local farmers, other for small industrial units, some to schools and the like; Narborough was now scattered to the four corners of the county. The remainder of the site was sold to the farmer and it quickly returned to agriculture, a state it remains in today.

Some of the original buildings are reputed to have existed for many years, even to the present today, (a car show room in Cromer, a furniture warehouse in Terrington-St-Clement and a nearby hut at Setch) whether they still do, is difficult to ascertain, but most have long since succumbed to age, their inevitable deterioration and eventual demolition. In 1977 the last hangar on the airfield, a hangar known as the ‘Black Hangar’ was demolished after severe gales took the last sections of roof. With little option but to pull it down, it was removed leaving little trace.*2 The last full building on site, known as the ‘Racket House’ after personnel used it to play squash, burnt down in 1995, and with that the last trace of the airfield was wiped away.

Narborough itself having no hard runways or perimeter tracks has long since gone. A small memorial has been erected by the Airfield Research Group who are part of the Narborough Local history Society, aiming to promote and preserve the memory of RFC/RAF Narborough; a memorial plaque also marks the graves of those who never made it to France, and the small Narborough Museum & Heritage Centre holds exhibits of 59 Squadron in the local church.

During the First World War some nineteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to members of the RFC/RAF, of those three had passed through Narborough. Several famous individuals also cut their teeth at Narborough, and some went on to achieve great things in the aviation world. Many trainees lost their lives here, but many became successful pilots seeing the war out alive.

Significant not only in size, but in its history, Narborough has now been relegated to the history books. But with the dedication and determination of a few people the importance and historical significance of this site will hopefully continue to influence not only the aviators of tomorrow, but also the public of today.

Updated memorial August 2021

The Narborough memorial which sits at the entrance to Narborough airfield. It was refurbished after the original was struck by a vehicle.

After Narborough, we head east once more toward Swaffham. After turning off the main A47 we come across another American airfield. In the next part of this trip we visit the former RAF Attlebridge.

The full story of Narborough can be read in Trail 7 – North West Norfolk.

Sources and further reading (RAF Narborough)

National Archives: AIR 27/554/1; AIR 27/558;

*1 Fleet Air Arm Officers Association Website accessed 14/6/21

*2 Narborough Airfield Research Group “The Great Government Aerodrome” NARG, 2000

*3 RAF Museum Story Vault Website accessed 14/6/21

*4 Letter from 2/AM C. V. Williams from 59squadronraf.org.uk

*5 On May 31st 1917, all RFC ‘Reserve Squadrons’ were renamed ‘Training Squadrons’.

*6 “Loretto Roll of Honour 1914-1920” National Library of Scotland digitised copy. accessed 17/5/25 via Google books.

*7 Renshaw, A., “Wisden on the Great War – The Lives of Cricket’s Fallen 1914 – 1918“. Bloomsbury. 2014

*8 Gunn. P., “Flying Lives with a Norfolk Theme“. Gunn. 2010

The book “The Great Government Aerodrome” is an excellent publication about the history of Narborough and contains a great many photos and personal stories of those who knew Narborough. It is well worth a read.