Pics : Another Old Bomber Command Airfield......

Driving back across Suffolk from a business meeting this week I found myself passing the fragmentary remains of RAF Chedburgh - in 1944-45, home to the Avro Lancasters of 218 Squadron. It was from here that Miles Tripp flew as bomb-aimer with Klenner's Crew, a period immortalised in his classic memoir 'The Eighth Passenger' and earlier novel, 'Faith Is A Windsock'.

The flying field was ripped up for hardcore many years ago, but I walked across the grass and found the threshold of the former runway 12 ; -



And a fragment of the runway stretches to the horizon ; Lancasters flew from here to Dresden in February 1945.



I thought that no WWII-era buildings remained, but just off the road was a familiar shape, the windows and door openings being a clue : -



It is indeed the old control tower, modified and converted into offices.



Just a few paces away, on the opposite side of the road is the tiny village of Chedburgh - really just a couple of farms and a few houses. On the village green, it's nice to see this sign...



The day was warm and it was lunchtime - set back a little from the road was a rather nice-looking pub...



I was the only customer ; a glass of cold beer appeared, my lunch order was taken...and if was interested in the old airfield, I might be interested in those pictures on the wall...................











In peace and quiet, I savoured my meal and the atmosphere, raising a glass to those long-forgotten evenings.

Cheers !

 

Great stuff! Thank you very much for sharing it with us Mister Bull!

 

Great stuff, Martin!

It's a strange feeling to stand on an old airfield and imagine what it was like when it was operational. It always gives me goosebumps!

 

nice pitures and moving too Martin

 

Martin, what a moving post. In 1980, supposedly on a sabbatical, I was exploring the Fens and happened upon a control tower in a farmers field , long abandoned , with rusting decks and railings. I found the farmer's house and got permission from his wife to explore it. She told me about two Quonset huts , now full of farm equipment and hay , still stuck to the ceiling were tatters of old magazine pictures, almost gone. Standing on the tower one could imagine seeing the take offs and landings, in this case B 17's of the 8Th. I stopped back by to say thank you and of course was offered a cup of tea. Your post reminded me of 1980 and of the opening of 12 O'clock High. That summer was the best of my life. That is an attractive pub! When you grow older memories become more important.

Gaines

 

Almost impossible to stand on an old airfield and not feel the hairs on the back of your neck standing up. Thanks Martin.

 

I'm really glad you all enjoyed the post. It's good to be able make something useful out of a 'business trip'.....

 

Thanks for sharing !

 

Awesome stuff there!!!

 

Thank you so much for this wonderful post my Father Frank Edward Reed 1582137 took off from that airfield on the 9th of Dec 1944 never to be seen again after being shot down with his crew at a railway embankment near Celle he survived badly injured and is presumed killed by friendly fire while in a military hospital in Hanover.
In September next year all being well I will be jogging from Chedburgh to Hanover in Memory of my Father and his crew.If anyone can help me with information I would be very grateful.