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Lancashire At War.co.uk

Exploring the hidden history of War sites in Lancashire

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Halifaxes and Lancasters were flown from this airfield, Patrick Otter makes no mention of any Wellingtons being based here. Yet we have streets named the following: Wellington Way (see below), Halifax Approach, Merlin Drive (named after the engine?), Pegasus Road (no idea if the airfield had links to this operation or if this is just fanciful naming) and finally my favourite, The Flarepath.

Elsham Wolds, North Lincolnshire

Another Second World War relic I spotted on my travels. A real blink and you miss it one this one just off the A15, it was once the largest bomber airfield of 1 Group, Bomber Command. According to Patrick Otter ('Lincolnshire Airfields in the Second World War') it "was once home to two squadrons of Lancaster bombers and the base station in a network of airfields which spread across north Lincolnshire".

 

It was also home to a famous Lancaster, M-Mother (ED888) which between 20th April 1943 and early 1945 had flown a record 140 operations.

 

Operations began in July 1941 and between then and April 1945 over 1000 crew died on operations from this airbase.

 

All that remains today is the one J-Type Hangar.

Recommended Links for more information:

 

Forgotten Airfields

 

Bomber County

 

Control Towers

Elsham Wolds google

Right: A Google Earth aerial view showing the modern A15 disecting the site and the ghosts of two runways.

 

The J-Type Hangar is the only contemporary building on the new industrial estate.

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