RAF Bardney, Lincolnshire
This airfield was situated 10 miles east of Lincoln. north east of the village of Bardney and just east of the B1202 Wragby Road. It was one of the numerous bomber airfield built during WW2 in Lincolnshire with RAF Fiskerton situated to the north west and RAF Woodhall Spa to the south east.
Bardney was designed to a standard pattern of 3 concrete runways with all the facilities dispersed and a control tower constructed on the south east perimeter not far from a minor road, Henry Lane/Lowfields leading north west from the village of Bardney. Scotgrove drain runs at the south side of the airfield which was bordered on 3 sides by woods.
The airfield was opened in April 1943 and occupied on the 14 April 1943 by IX Squadron from Waddington. Most of the aircraft took off from their former base the previous evening on a long raid to Spezia in Italy and then landed back at Bardney the following morning.
Avro Lancaster LL845 IX Squadron Bardney Jan 1945
IX Squadron operated from Bardney for the rest of WW2 including using 12000 lb Tallboy bombs in conjunction with 617 Squadron including 3 attacks on the German battleship Tirpitz which was credited to the Squadron. Flight Sergeant George Thompson of IX Squadron was awarded the VC for his gallantry during an attack on the 1 January 1945 on the Dortmund Emms canal from which died 3 weeks later from the severe injuries he sustained.
On the 7 October 1944 227 Squadron was reformed at Bardney and after 2 weeks moved to RAF Balderston. On the 15 October 189 Squadron was formed at Bardney They moved out to RAF Fulbeck on the 2 November 1944. After the war Bardney became redundant and closed for flying in late 1945.
However it was selected to become part of the Hemswell complex of Thor ICBMs in 1959. 106 Squadron occupied the site with their missiles in 1959 and were operational until 1963 when the unit disbanded and the airfield was vacated again
RAF Thor missile
The site is now used for agricultural commercial purposes and at least 2 of the old hangars seem to have survived.
Compiled by David Fell with photos from WWP and wiki.
....................
|
