RAF_Elsham_Wolds_Banner_left
Slava

Menu

RAF Elsham Wolds

Notices and News

..........

Airfield History

The Zeppelin Terror WW1

Diary 41/45

Sqns of Elsham Wolds

Aircraft of Elsham Wolds

..........

RAF Goxhill

RAF Kirmington

RAF North Killingholme

Other Local Airfields

..........

Brigg Cemetery WW2 RAF Register

Kirton-in-Lindsey Cemetery WW2 Register

North Cotes Cemetery WW2 Register

Misc RAF Burials N Lincs

Local Crashes

..........

Coastal Command - Lincolnshire - WW2

Fighter Command - Lincolnshire - WW2

..........

Profiles

..........

Articles and Misc

Resources.

 

Northlincweb.net new logo
NAFO
A of A
IWM logo
Logo_récent_de_la_CWGC
Thorpe Camp
[RAF Elsham Wolds] [Warsaw Hamlet]

Warsaw Hamlet.

When the RAF left Elsham Wolds in 1947 the site was used for several years as temporary accommodation for displaced persons from Europe. These were mostly Polish ex servicemen and their families. Many found work at the at the Iron Ore mines and steelworks at Scunthorpe. Work at the Scunthorpe steelworks was booming - 3 plants employed 18,000 alone so work was plentiful and there was a labour shortage.

Some families were forced to live in air raid shelters before graduating to a Nissen Hut. This squatting was done normally on a Friday so that a 48 hour settling in period passed before Monday morning when they had to sign in at Brigg Police station, a required procedure for Poles at that time.Elsham Wolds Warsaw Hamlet 1

There was a healthy black market at Warsaw Hamlet with families keeping chickens and geese. Pillows out of the feathers and traded these for paraffin for the cookers. Eggs were swapped for butter in Barnetby village and some of the men kept pigs. The bacon was cured in the shelters and traded for produce with the locals.

Heating was free as there were plentiful trees near the site and also lots of the derelict buildings were wood.  Whilst it sounded poor the family fared better then many of the indigenous town's people. This was still a time of severe rationing and many people had to rely on the most basic weekly foodstuffs, fuel and household commodities. At harvest time there was plentiful farm work for those on the camp.

 A doctor used to visit regularly and there were regular Catholic services. Also baptisms and several weddings. A travelling cinema visited the site and there were occasional dances and celebrations. Easter Jajko, Oplatek at Christmas. The 3rd of May was Constitution Day, 11th November Polish Independence/Armistice Day and St Silvester’s Day at New Year.Elsham Wolds Warsaw Hamlet Mr and Mrs

The local Elwes family of Elsham Hall had positive input on the community. Captain Elwes had a Polish grand mother. He employed several Poles and allowed the Polish Scunthorpe Community to use his land for fetes, picnics and Polish Boy Scout camps.

For the children Elsham Wolds was a marvellous playground full of interesting places and things to explore. In the early 1950s responsibility for the site was placed with the local Council and conditions improved.

Although life must have been difficult up there in those difficult post-war years and particularly in the cold weather Warsaw Hamlet is remembered with fondness by at least some of the former residents

Warsaw Hamlet finally closed in 1952 and the residents moved on to better things. Some settled in the area and some moved away. This was the final chapter in the Elsham Wolds history and the site reverted to agricultural and commercial use.

Mr Dmonchowski 1949

Mr Dmonchowski 1949 looking very smart

Dmonchowski lorry

Mr Dmochowski in his  lorry at Elsham 1949.

The lorry was from Dragonby Mine and it was used to transport workers to and from the mine. Notice that it had no licence plates. It should not have been on the road as it was Mines area lorry but not many police on the back roads in those days I suppose.

Item written by David Fell with input from a gentleman who remembers living at Warsaw Hamlet Post War

...................

Sources and Book Page

Contact - D W Fell at  e mail on the link below

 RAF Elsham Wolds Airfield

www.rafelshamwolds.org.uk

Privacy Policy

©️ David Fell - Northlincsweb.net  All rights reserved

Member of Cross and Cockade and Air Britain

Cross and Cockade logo smallRAF Elsham Wolds UKWA and RAFA BannerAir Britain Historians Logo small

RAFA Cleethorpes

          

13 Base RAF Website Logo Banner

Contact - D W Fell at  e mail on the link below

 Contact Me

For privacy matters see

Privacy Policy

For latest updates see the

 Notices and News Page.

For sources etc see the

  Sources and Books Page

For site search see

RAFEW Google Website Search

Other Websites in the 13 Base - RAF Series.

Click Links Below

103 Squadron - RAF

576 Squadron - RAF

Featured Page of the Month

AVM Sir Edward Rice KBE CB CBE MC - OC No 1 Group 1943/45

Latest Additions to this site

*1st April 2024 - 255 Squadron RAF Fighter Command

1st April 2024 - Boddy Loss Page

1st April 2024 - Bracebridge Heath

1st April 2024 - Pinnock Crash Page

1st April 2024 - Ross Crash Page

* 1st March 2024 - 22 Squadron RAF Coastal Command

1st March 2024 - West Common

1st March 2024 - Chalmers Crash Page

* 1st February 2024 - Menthorpe Gate

1st February 2024 - Rebbeck Crash Page

* 1st January 2024 - RAF Skellingthorpe

1st January 2024 - Jago Crash Page

* 1st December 2023 - 85 Squadron RAF Fighter Command

1st December 2023 - Paton Crash Page

* 1st November 2023 - Carter Crash Page

1st November 2023 - South Cave

1st November 2023 - 254 Squadron RAF - Coastal Command

* 1st October 2023 - 264 Squadron RAF - Fighter Command

1st October 2023 - Owthorne

1st October 2023 - Greig Crash Page

1st October 2023 - Bannert Crash Page

* 1st September 2023 - Withy Crash Page

1st September 2023 - Cumberworth Crash Page

1st September 2023 - RAF Waddington Pt 3

1st September 2023 - Bellasize

1st August 2023 - 236 Squadron RAF -  Coastal Command

1st August 2023 - RAF Waddington Lincolnshire - Pt 2

* 1st July 2023 - RAF Waddington Pt 1

1st July 2023 - Tyrrell Crash Page

1st July 2023 - Davies Crash Page

* 1st June 2023 - Coastal Command Lincolnshire

1st June 2023 - Fighter Command Lincolnshire

1st June 2023 - Goulding Crash Page

1st June 2023 - McComb Crash Page

* 1st May 2023 - RAF Digby Part 2

1st May 2023 - RNAS Skegness

1st May 2023 - Thesiger Crash Page

1st May 2023 - McLean Crash Page

*1st April 2023 - 503 ( City of Lincoln ) Squadron Article

1st April 2023 - RAF Digby Part 1

1st April 2023 - Cocking Crash Page

1st April 2023 - Blue Steel Article

Bomber Command interest are the

166 Squadron website

and the

550 Squadron and North Killingholme website.