Tuesday 24 March 2015

RAF Wickenby - Now just a private airfield

On Sunday 22 March we took a drive to this airfield, just to have a cuppa coffee, a chat with whomsoever was unlucky enough to be collared by Yours Truly and having a chinwag about whatever aeroplane they had just flown in for, literally, a flying visit.

As usual, I nip upstairs after having a coffee in the 'NAAFI' kaff, to meander around the mini-museum here.

This airfield was home to squadron 12 and squadron 626 of Bomber Command during the 1943-1945 period of WW2. I always think of the many hundreds of young men, over 1000 aircrew, who flew out of here and never made it back. What a huge waste of life and the subsequent heartbreak for thousands more who loved these brave lads.

My somewhat sepulchral commentary is poor and the video is very amateur; forgive me for that.

A week or so back some low-life scum removed the two bronze plaques of the two squadrons from the memorial at the entrance to this airfield.  All of us in the Friends of Wickenby Museum and Airfield were thoroughly sickened by this damnable theft.  To the thieving toe-rags who stole these plaques for scrap I hope you can sleep well.  If you never wake up again then that would be just reward for your deplorable action last week!

8 comments:

PhilipH said...

Apologies for poor sound.

All Consuming said...

Oh what a touching video Philip! You're better than I am with a camera for sure. The sense of nostalgia and peace comes across so well, tinged with sadness of course. Thank you for capturing a piece of the day for us, it was lovely. X

Snowbrush said...

"To the thieving toe-rags who stole these plaques for scrap I hope you can sleep well."

I should rather wish them a long and painful death. Perhaps, you're kinder than I, which wouldn't surprise me. One of my objections to the belief in ghosts is they don't defend that which so badly needs defending, such as those plaques.

PhilipH said...

Thanks Michelle and Snowy.

It was a lovely sunny day so we had to get out to the wilds of Lincolnshire.

Like most RAF stations, Wickenby is a tad isolated from any town so getting there involves wending one's way through narrow lanes in flat farmland areas.

I don't mind that. Except when a tractor or other vehicle comes towards us! Very tight passing space with ditches either side.

What REALLY gets to me when I think about the crews flying out on a mission is that every single man who gets safely back HAS to do it again, and again and again.

The stress that they all go through is immense. Many spewed up in the flight; some had other 'accidents' of bowel or bladder. Some experienced the death of a friend during the flight owing to gunshot or flak attacks. Yet, no matter what, each lad knew he has to face it all again next mission.

That is what bravery is.

the walking man said...

Stealing the plaques for scrap money. Man that is so Detroit.

That Lancaster was one hell of a plane especially on the aircrews doing the night raids.

66 million dead all for the power trips of about 100 men. What a waste.

PhilipH said...

Thanks Mark. You are so right. The madness of the few - when will it end?

Sparkling Red said...

Aha, an aviation history buff! My grandfather would have loved to see the airfield and museum. He was a pilot (commercial pilot of private jets and test pilot in the RCAF) who lived and breathed aviation. Fortunately for me, he never fought overseas in WWII, however one of his test planes did crash, and he was the only survivor. I think 2 or 3 other fellows on board didn't make it.

PhilipH said...

Thanks for popping in SR.

Your grandfather had a very lucky escape; test pilots are taking a big risk of course. Many Canadian airmen played a huge part in the UK and elsewhere during WW2 along with American flyers. We were so thankful to have so many from all parts of the world against Hitler and his Luftwaffe et al.