Pics: An Old Airfield in Winter

Regular viewers may remember me finding this old snapshot at an aerojumble...



Which is an unidentified Lancaster crew of 582 ( Pathfinder ) Squadron , RAF Little Staughton, 1944/45.

I've been there before some years ago, but the recent holiday period gave me an opportunity to drive up to Little Staughton for a days' exploration. Many of the old buildings survive in use by small businesses and the Tower has gained 'listed' status since my last visit. It remains the best-preserved Pathfinder station of WWII.

First thing I came across was a surviving 45,000-gallon aviation fuel tank...



I was determined to get some photos of the bomb dump which is buried deep in woods. I hate to admit it, but being there alone on a freezing cold day was rather spooky. Objective achieved, though. This is a ramp on the 'lorry road' where bombs were 'tramelled' off trucks using ropes threaded through the iron rings.....



And here's the other side ; the 'trolley road' where bombs were winched onto trolleys, tails fitted, and a tractor would haul its train off into the distance and the waiting Lancasters. Note the earth blast-walls among the trees.....




Something of a relief to get out of the trees and back up to the airfield site - where the aircrew NCOs dining room still stands...



And the original aircrew changing/drying rooms. These three linked huts are where Pathfinder aircrew prepared for 'ops', many never to return.



A quick look at the superb 'tower'....



And then back to my car. There were a lot of snow showers around, and I turned to get this view as another one approached....




And quite a nice little haul of relics, too - including a Merlin sparkplug, various pieces of alloy (some with part numbers) , the base of a brass cigarette lighter and a couple of broken RAF mugs, one dated 1944.



All in all, a very interesting day !

 

good pics martin,ray..

 

I love the mugs Martin, it makes me want to go there too

 

I found the mugs under a thicket of thorn bushes close by the old technical site. It's very close to where I found this item in 2001 : -



It is a torque-wrench from an original Rolls-Royce Merlin toolkit. I still have this large relic in my garden shed ( much to the annoyance of my wife ! ).

Here's a close-up of the markings on one of the mugs, with the Royal ( Government ) motif ....

 

Great pics again Martin. Thanx alot!!!

 

Great pictures, enjoyed it!

 

Very nice pictures and great finds.

 

That control Tower's a lovely shot - moody.

Listing details from EH:
Heritage Gateway - Results
Hmmm, that might not work. This should:
http://lbonline.english-heritage.org.uk/BuildingDetailsForm.aspx?id=496019&search=y

~A

 

Superb, Martin.

 

Uhh Martin, tour item on the far right looks like a rusty 20mm Hispano Suiza 404 grenade.
I would get rid off that.

 

Thanks, Nick - although it's not very clear in the pic, it is in fact an old sparkplug ; the rust makes it look unrecognizable. I have a new Merlin plug, and when you put the two together they are identical. You can still see the electrode and threads....

( Believe me, I am always very careful about 20mm rounds in particular. They are small, can look like other things and are very deadly indeed.... )

 

Interesting pics Martin. I have been to the airfield twice but need to go back armed with my ATB airfield & domestic site plans to explore a little more. My Uncle was an tailgunner in 582.

 

That's interesting about your Uncle - 582 had a short but dramatic history.

It's a shock to realise it's nearly two years since I was last at Little Staughton. Hopefully all is still well there : it's the most complete and most atmospheric Pathfinder Station left.....

 

Martin can you enlighten me as to which side of the airfield you made your "finds" etc, especially bomb dump & Avgas storage. Was access along Moor road or a little farther up?

Research into ED908's last operation is ongoing as we speak & most of the crew's relatives inc the two members of 109 that were on board, have been contacted. Best of all have found My Uncle's logbook,in my Mother's belongings, which was thought to have been destroyed.

 

In fact, Moor Lane keeps you frustratingly away from the airfield ( except for the former Mosquito hangar ).Access is easy if you park right next to the Squadron Memorial on 'Top End', the road that runs along the Western edge of the airfield. A few yards along is the old fuel dump and a public footpath from there goes straight over the fields, past the bomb-dump to the right and eventually coming to the former Technical Site. You really do need a combination of the ATB plans, a modern O/S map and also the wartime aerial photo in 'Airfields Of Bomber Command - Then & Now' to fully orientate yourself.....

 

I've been doing a little enjoyable browsing among my books and ED908 is a historic aircraft in its own right. It served as a trials airframe before taking part in several big raids during 1943 ( eg Hamburg, Berlin ). It was an early loss for 582, falling victim to intense flak while attacking a Noball V1 site at Foret de Croc on 20 July 1944. It was apparently on its 'Oboe' straight-and-level bomb-run when it exploded in mid-air, killing the very experienced crew ( which included Squadron Leader John Weightman, a key 582 personality at the time ).

I know you'll have all the above info and much more, but I've put it here as others may be interested. Sean Feast, in his excellent book 'Master Bombers', gives a detailed description of ED908's loss.

Very best of luck with your research, which I know will be most absorbing and rewarding. I was very pleased when Feast's book was published in 2008 as I'd always felt that 582's exploits had been overlooked.

 

So glad this thread came up, it's the first time I have seen it. What marvelous finds. I guess I am surprised that there are still items like this lying around, I would have thought others would have snatched them up by now. How amazing for you.

I couldn't salute your photos so I saluted one of your comments, the salute is all-inclusive.

(Funny, I was very envious while looking at the photos and thinking how wonderful it would be to be able to visit such sites and find such relics of WWII and then read Biak's comment about being grateful not to have such reminders here and realized the implications. Musn't forget that behind the history lies the often painful reality from which it stems. I am still envious, but grateful.)

 

I'm quite amazed at how much interest there is in this old thread, so I've backtracked to my Photobucket album and here are some more shots from that very cold day two years ago : -

Another view of the aviation fuel store : -



The Pyrotechnic store ; -



Inside the Pyrotechnic store...



Another view of the bomb dump...



A picket post near the old station entrance....




A Mosquito bomb-tail by the bomb dump....




And finally, essential 'kit' for a day of airfield-hunting. Brrrrrrr ! Note T2 hangar in background.....