Just caught the thread, so I hope it is still being visited. No pictures, but I have visited the North Pole pub not far from Maidstone, which was a haunt of crews from RAF West Malling, so can anyone provide more info? Steve.
As regards RAF Ingham on the Lincolnshire Ridge,on the west side of the A15,north of Lincoln.The Polish bomber squadrons were posted here from Hemswell just a couple of miles north in 1943 when Hemswell was vacated to allow concrete runways to be laid. On the edge of the airfield on the Lincoln-Kirton Lindsey B class road is The Windmill pub which must have witnessed the goings on at RAF ingham ...a tight grass field throughout the war...makes you wonder how the Poles got their loaded Wellingtons into the air from this airfield.There used to be a superb photograph of PAF Wellington on dispersal in the pub....now unfortunately a private dwelling. There is an up and coming heritage centre set up for RAF Ingham, driven by the RAF Ingham Heritage Group....www rafingham.co.uk. They put on a very good display in the Village Hall in May last year outlining the history of the airfield.
I will have to resize my photograph of the Windmill at Ingham,I tried to upload the photograph but it was too large. Meanwhile memories of having a pint at the Windmill at the height of the summer looking across the Trent valley in the late sun and at sunset.Something that some lads last saw on their FTR...Again a superb picture of a PAF Wellington at dispersal displayed on the pub wall.
I think the plaque to No 101 Squadron used to be on the wall of the pub across the road which closed a few years ago.Having said that the plaque looks to be new unless it has been subject to restoration. At the squadron reunion in September 2011,the plague was rededicated in its present position on the wall of the White Hart.I am led to believe that the groundcrew used to booze at the now closed pub while the aircrew used the White Hart.
The Flying Legends at Clifton Moor shopping estate, holds photos of the Halifax repair facility that thye estate is built on
I think the plaque to No 101 Squadron used to be on the wall of the pub across the road which closed a few years ago.Having said that the plaque looks to be new unless it has been subject to restoration. At the squadron reunion in September 2011,the plague was rededicated in its present position on the wall of the White Hart.I am led to believe that the groundcrew used to booze at the now closed pub while the aircrew used the White Hart. I'm sure that was the Black Horse? The plaque was originally placed within the village school, on the playground wall, not too long after this,the school closed. So it was decided to re-locate it upon the outside wall of the White Hart pub.
I found this quite by accident while carrying out research into the Auxiliary Units as its reputed to have a radio hide buried in the grounds. When looking at the website for the Hotel it has the following "The St Leonard's Hotel must have one of the few bars in Britain where the pillars are inscribed with the illustrious names of many and few who flew from wartime airfields dotted around the New Forest and the South Coast. These include 'Dambuster' Guy Gibson, 'Catseyes' John Cunningham, 'Sailor' Malan, 'Dogsbody' Douglas Bader and top-scoring pilot Johnnie Johnson." I will certainly be giving this place a visit when down that neck of the woods. St Leonard's Hotel, Ringwood, Dorset - Home page
You are correct Little Friend regarding the initial location of the memorial plaque...your post jogged my memory for the reason for the plaque relocation.I think the Black Horse must have been closed much earlier than the school. Incidentally,I remember the Nissen huts on the north side of the Market Rasen-Louth Road still standing,the former Airmen and Officers Messes and billets.Apparently the Airmen's accommodation was the last to be completed such that in the first 6 months of the airfield operation,many had to sleep on the cinema floor on biscuit mattresses. Read the account of a WAAF Medical Orderly who as others who worked in SHQ and was was billeted and messed there.....said it was sheer luxury compared to those based on the domestic site.
The Golden Lion in Southwick, nr Portsmouth The pub where Ike and Monty planned D-Day! Situated near the entrance to Southwick Park (formerly HMS Dryad) where the infamous D-Day wall map was located in Southwick House.
The Blue Boar in Aldbourne where the 101st Airborne used to drink https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQWD4Tr6kqwxYBe_4D18QUY7pbAtgFtZVSeqBOY46xrSl1kbwQS
I called at the Blue Boar a couple of years ago, the Landlord/Manager allowed me to remove the plaque, and photographs from the walls to take some copies outside. As and when I can find 'em I'll post some up. Many thanks, Goodygixxer for the Operation Overlord plaque. Hope to see it sometime this year.
Here is The Windmill at Ingham,now a private residence,situated on the western boundary of the airfield technical site on the Lincoln to Kirton Lindsey B class road. Behind the Windmill was the western side peritrack and to the right was a T2 Hangar.The pub looks to have been surrounded by maycrete buildngs,the domestic site being dispersed in the shelter of woods to the north.
I joined this site. I enjoy WWII history. And my late father was a B-24 pilot, and here is his short PUB story he told me. He was in a pub. (around Oct 44), and a young lady comes down and says "For a few bucks, you can come upstairs with me". And my dad said."I came here to save your ass, not buy it!" I miss my Dad......
I lived in Bassingbourn from 2010 until last summer (husband was posted there), I can not for the life of me think of where this pub is. I wonder if it still stands, and I just missed it. A shame if it's no longer there. I loved living on Bassingbourn barracks with the history of it all.
As stated, it is / was along the A1198. On the left side as you head towards Huntingdon. The airfield is behind the pub (Looking at it) Maybe it's now a private house, or worse still, gone completely. From one of my many books I've read that; '' Through a rough hole in the hedge, we could escape to the boundary pub just outside the airbase. Though whether it was called the Flying Fish then I couldn't say. Maybe your Local History Group will have some photographs of this place. Do hope that this helps in your research of this elusive place. Regards Paul.
