Dunholme Lodge – Lincolnshire
Dunholme Lodge airfield today. Very little to see. Welton village is just out of picture top right and Dunholme slightly lower down
The airfield at Dunholme Lodge 3 miles north of Lincoln and approx 1 mile west of the A15 main raod opened in May 1943 as a standard pattern war time design. Work started at the end of 1942 and there were 3 paved runways linked at the ends by a perimeter track around which were concrete hard stands. A tower was built on the eastern side not far from the Lodge after which the airfield was named. The hutted accommodation was dispersed around the surrounding countryside. Some of this was on the outskirts of Welton to the north east.
Th first Squadron to arrive was 44 ( Rhodesia ) Squadron which moved in from Waddington whilst their concrete runways were laid.
44 Squadron Lancaster 1943
In April 1944 619 Squadron also arrived flying Lancaster Is and IIIs.
During the later part of 1943 and early 1944 it was a very busy airfield. However it soon became apparent that it was situated too near Scampton 2 miles to the north east and several other airfields in the vicinity – Fiskerton, Ingham, Faldingworth and Wickenby - which were not much farther away and which all caused problems because of the overlapping circuits.
It was therefore decided to close Dunholme and on the 28 September. 619 Squadron moved out followed two days later by 44 Squadron. However even with overlapping circuits which was more serious when Scampton was reopened Dunholme Lodge was brought back into operational use for a few weeks. On the 22 October 1944 170 Squadron moved in from Kelstern where they had reformed to a heavy bomber Squadron a few days earlier and the Squadron was very active during its brief stay. However the circuit problems became more evident and 170 moved out on the 30 November 1944 to Hemswell.
The airfield now closed for operations and in the same month General Aircraft Ltd and used the airfield for modification of their large Hamlicar gliders later used in the Rhine crossing airborne operation. In 1945 General Aircraft left the site and the airfield closed.
General Aircraft Hamilcar. A rare bird in Lincs
Post war the old airfield the buildings of RAF Dunholme Lodge were used in 1946 to house over 2000 displaced refugees from Eastern Europe, many of whom were the families of the Polish airmen. Later it as used for motor car and motor cycle racing.
However the airfield was reactivated in 1959 for use as a Bloodhound surface to air missile site operated by 141 Squadron to defend the V Bomber airfields and Thor missile sites in Lincolnshire.
This lasted only till 1964 when 141 Squadron vacated the site and the airfield closed again.
Bloodhound SAM
Most of the old airfield has been demolished and the runways dug up. A few buildings still survive and a section of the east west runway remains intact. There is also a well maintained memorial on the airfield which is on private land and not accessible to the general public except by special arrangement.
The Dunholme Lodgers run a very tidy little website which gives more details.
Compiled by David Fell. Photos World War pics, Wiki and IWM
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