Lincolnshire, for many people, is thought of as the home of the RAF, just as Aldershot is to the Army and Portsmouth or Plymouth is to the Royal Navy. During the Second World War, Lincolnshire had 45 airfields in active service ( the largest of any county ), and until recently was the home to aircrew training at Swinderby. Cranwell is still the home of RAF officer training and also the home of The Red Arrows Display Team. This is a brief history of the RAF in Lincolnshire, ' Bomber County '.
1910 - End of First World War
The early years
The RAF spent it's early years in the guise of the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Navel Air Service as service arms of the Army and Navy respectively. In 1913, the Admiralty gave orders to set up several coastal air stations along the east coast. Stations were established to give a patrol capability via seaplane stations such as Calshot, Dundee, Eastchurch, Felixstowe, Portsmouth, Isle of Grain and Great Yarmouth.
Killingholme
On the outbreak of the First World War a station was set up at Skegness to provide cover from the Humber to Cromer in Norfolk. This station was soon replaced by Killingholme ( on the banks of the Humber ). Patrol duties were to protect oil installations ( Immingham ), ports ( Grimsby and Hull ) and repell Zeppelin attacks. Killingholme became a large seaplane base, but also had land planes and was a training centre for seaplane pilots. September 1914 saw several Zeppelin raids on Lincolnshire at Humberstone, Owmby and Gainsborough in which Killingholme planes were used to intercept. In March 1918 the base at Killingholme became a US Navy base to carry out convoy escort work, submarine searches and long distance reconnaisance. The base was handed back to British control in January 1919 ans was closed in June that Year.
Cranwell
Cranwell was selected as a centralised training centre for seaplanes, balloons and airships by the RNAS. It was selected for three reasons, room for expansion, close to proposed east coast postings and no outstanding natural features that would guide enemy aircraft to it. The RNAS base was named HMS Daedalus, and was opened on 1st April 1916. A dedicated railway line was built to Cranwell from the nearby Sleaford line. On 1st April 1918 the RNAS and RFC were merged to form the new service, the Royal Air Force, RAF. This move lead to Cranwell becoming the centre of officer training for the RAF ( see later ).
Zeppelin Raids
The Germans had a long range raiding capability using the Zeppelin airships. Slow and unwieldly, they were still effective at raiding England and panicing the civilian population. The Lincolnshire coast was well defined by the coastline of the Humber and the Wash so a popular place for Zeppelins to cross. Although usually unsuccessful, the raids not causing much damage, a lucky raid in April 1916 killed 31 soldiers of the Manchester Regiment in their Cleethorpes billets. A Home Defence Network was created to counter this threat, and it was eventually successful as the Zeppelins were withdrawn from raiding in August 1918. Three of these Home Defence Squadrons were based in Lincolnshire. As well as being based in the county, there were several emergency landing strips they could use at Anwick, Cuxwold, Kelstern, Market Deeping, New Holland and Winterton.
RFC Training
As the RFC expanded and casualties on the Western Front mounted, new and replacement pilots were required. Training was formalised and there became a need for more airfields for these units to work. Lincolnshires open countryside was ideal as it was largely unindustrialised and unpopulated. The new airfields were opened in November 1916, these were Scampton, Harlaxton, South Carlton, Waddington and Spitalgate. As pilot losses became a problem, so did the loss of aircraft. At this time Lincolnshire was also producing a large proportion of the replacements from companies such as Ruston Proctor, Robey and Clayton & Shuttleworth. As the First World War ended, Lincolnshire had played its part in mainly a training role, but also vital roles in submarine surveillence and Zeppelin hunting.
Between the Wars
Following the end of the war only three airfields remained in active service, Cranwell, Scopwick and Spitalgate. The rest had been returned to farmland.
RAF College Cranwell
The Army and Navy were keen to regain control of their respective air arms after the war, but the new RAF had a commander, Trenchard, who foresaw a role for a separate force with its own college to rival Sandhurst and Dartmouth. He had his way and centred the college on Cranwell. The first courses were started in 1920, and each course lasted for 2 years. On Empire Day 1937, 9,000 people turned up to an open day werre displays were flown, although training remain the bases main task.
Flying Training Schools
Lincolnshire hosted two flying training bases at Digby and Spitalgate, FTS 2 and FTS 3 respectively. Entrants to the schools were either from University on permanent commissions or from recruits seeking short service commissions ( another route being from Cranwell ). Both bases had a variety of training aircraft including Sopwith Snipes, Bristol F2Bs, Siskins, DH9s and Vickers Vimy's. Digby eventually closed in December 1933, and Spitalgate was renamed Grantham in the mid 1930's. 1937 saw Germany emerge as the european threat and Lincolnshire became the front line geographically. The FTS's were moved to Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire respectively to allow room for operational squadrons.
Pilots at this time were trained to be their own navigators, and their only other aircrew consisted of the 'airgunner' who was usually a volunteer ground crew member. These men also needed training, and again Lincolnshires geography turned out to be ideal. Mudflats and sandy beaches were the choice for bombing and gunnery practice, bases at North Coats and Sutton Bridge being chosen. North Coats was also home to an Air Observer School opened in January 1936. When war became a certainty both Training Schools of North Coats and Sutton Bridge were moved to the safer areas of Wales, but the recently opened site at Manby ( August 1938 ) took over the practice ranges nearby and remained in-situ.
Operational Flying
It wasn't all training during the period between the wars. Waddington, which retained many of it's First World War buildings, re-opened in 1926 as a base housing units of the Special Reserve. A reserve squadron had at least one flight composed of regular officers and airmen and carried out various bombing roles. July 1936 saw the RAF reorganise, and the formation of Bomber Command. Expansion of the RAF meant the need for more bases and it was natural to look to former First World War bases again. Scampton was selected in 1935 and work was completed a year later when it became operational. Hemswell was also chosen and re-opened in 1937. Grantham, which had lost its Flight Training Scool also became a bomber station. Just as Lincolnshire was ideal for launching attacks on Germany, it suited the enemy as an entry point to attack the industry of the Midlands and the North West. Lincolnshire therefore recieved 2 Fighter Command squadrons at Digby in 1937. Initially equipped with outdated Gladiators, they were replaced with Hurricanes in 1938.
The Second World War
1939 - 42 - The early days
Airmen in the county recieved telegrams in August 1939 ordering a ' return to unit '. Activity was detected around the bases as they prepared for war. The early days of september saw Waddingtons Hampdens on patrol off the continental coast and Scampton aircraft over the North Sea. Many pilots had not taken off with full bomb loads before ! There was also a fear of attack from the enemy which prompted six squadrons to be scattered to Nottingham and Lanacshire bases. The attacks did not come, and weeks later they were back in Lincolnshire.
Bomber Operations
In the early months and by early 1940, losses to enemy fighters were quite high which lead to the policy of only flying at night. This policy, with only a few exceptions, lasted until the end of the war. Bombing was restricted to sea mining, dock and harbour areas in an attempt to delay the feared German invasion. In June 1940, a fourth bomber base was opened at Binbrook, bringing the number of squadrons of bombers in the county to eight. Originally operating out of date ' Battles ', Binbrook later used ' Wellington ' bombers.
Swinderby was opened in August 1940 with both squadrons manned by Polish airmen. Coningsby was opened in early 1941 and flew ' Hampdens ' and ' Wellingtons ', becoming the first base to recieve their replacements, the ' Manchester '. At this time, although German shipping was still a main target, the emphasis was switching to enemy cities and industry. The switch was partly due to the poor navigation of the time demanding larger targets. Two further stations emerged in early 1941 at Woodhall Spa and Syerston. At this time a significant event took place when the ' Manchester ' aircraft was re-designed to have four engines and re-named the ' Lancaster '. This aircraft was to be the most successful bomber of the war and was to become forever associated with Lincolnshire.
The early war built stations, at this time, were ' field and hut ' affairs. Concrete runways were essential on the introduction of the larger bombers and bases were temporarily shut to have them built. Coningsby had the work done in mid 1941. Skellingthorpe opened in 1942, having been a satellite station for Swinderby for some time. Further bases were opened.
At the end of 1942, the bases in Lincolnshire were
5 Group - Waddington, Skellingthorpe, Scampton, Woodhall Spa
1 Group - Wickenby, Grimsby, Elsham Wolds, Kirmington, Ingham, Hemswell, Blyton
Fighter Operations
Mainly known for bombers, Lincolnshire had a small number of bases under Fighter Command control. Digby recieved a third squadron of ' Hurricanes ', but one squadron was sent in a force to protect the BEF in france and another went off to Essex being replaced with a squadron of ' Spitfire I's ' and ' Blenheim IF's '. An attack on Hull and Immingham docks, 21st September 1939, was intercepted by digby aircraft and seven enemy planes were shot down. Otherwise, Digby's role was of convoy patrols over the North Sea. Digby was a ' quiet ' base as far as Fighter Command were concerned and during 1940's Battle of Britain, southern squadrons were rotated to Digby for rest.
Night flying was carried out by ' Blenhein IF's ' out of Digby. October 1940 saw the arrival of Guy Gibson at Digby, later of Bomber Command ' Dambuster ' fame. Digby had two satellite bases of Wellingmore and Coleby Grange. For a great part of 1942, day fighter squadrons rotated through on rest periods or as preparation for patrols abroad. December saw ' Typhoons ' at Digby and September saw it officially become a Canadian base ( RCAF ).
The northern area of Digby's sector was taken over by the new Kirton-in-Lindsey station opened in May 1940, providing the same roles. 1941 saw Hibaldstow open as a satellite, and take over night flying duties. June 1942 saw Goxhill open, but not as an RAF base. Originally planned as a Group 1 Bomber base, then a Kirton-in-Lindsey satellite, it became a station for the USAAF 8th Air Force, well away from its main force in East Anglia. It brought the unusual sight of P38 Lightnings, P47 Thunderbolts as well as Spitfires with US markings to the skys, and was used as an training base.
Coastal Command
On the outbreak of war, North Coats was evacuated for fear of invasion, leaving only ground units behind. By February 1940, though, Coastal Command returned with two squadrons of ' Blenheims ' for long range North Sea patrolling. By May, however, these left and the station took on it's new role that lasted the duration of the war, attacking enemy shipping. The Fleet Air Arm arrived in May 1940 with elderly ' Swordfish ', again for attacking shipping. A Canadian unit using Lockheed ' Hudsons ' arrived in 1941 to carry out anti-submarine and shipping operations. North Coats became crowded and required an overspill runway at Donna Nook, the bombing range station. For ditched aircraft, rescue was imperitive. Grimsby housed the counties only RAF Motor Launch Unit, a welcome sight when the North Sea is cold and rough.
PART II OF THIS HISTORY - HOME - MY FIRST WORLD WAR PAGES
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