RAF Wellingore, Lincs, March 2016

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HughieD

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Been through Wellingore too many times to time count but never got off the main road through this hilltop Lincs village and to the south-east where the former WWII airfield is situated. There is still quite a lot to see here and from the pictures I’d seen of the place knew it was well worth a visit. And when I finally got round to going it didn’t disappoint. There’s Pillbox a-plenty along with defended dispersals plus a reasonable condition Battle HQ. There was even the unexpected bonus of some other RAF buildings just west of the main airfield. This Technical Site for RAF Wellingore includes a power house, two large ‘Maycrete type’ workshops and a blast shelter. Which all-in-all made for a very satisfying explore. Here’s the history bit.

The airfield originally opened in 1917 as a Royal Naval Air Service station called Wellingore Heath. It then re-opened in 1935 and remained in active service until the end of the Second World War, finally closing in 1947. It had two grass runways, a concrete perimeter track and one extra over blister hanger and seven blister hangers. The site just south of village was used as Relief Landing Ground (RLG) by Cranwell until June 1940 and then as a satellite site for RAF Digby with 46 Squadron Hurricanes and 29 Squadron Blenheims and Beaufighters. Notable personalities include Wing Commander Guy Gibson who lived with his young wife in the nearby Navenby village. The station was also used as a prisoner of war (POW) camp for prisoners from Germany and the Ukraine. It operated as a work camp, where inmates were sent to work as labourers in the local area. The land was then given back to the local land-owner (the Overtons). Many of the original buildings, including the control have been demolished but many others, as mentioned earlier, still remain. Immediately to the east of the airfield runs the High Dyke (Ermine Street Roman Road).

Here’s the pix. Former technical site first.

Oooh…this looks promising:

25582791173_b221fdee7a_b.jpgimg4811 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Very promising. Is this the power-house?

26092961752_a4b65088f2_b.jpgimg4812 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Think this is one of the Maycrete type’ workshops:

26185473465_143422a113_b.jpgimg4832 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Doors in need of attention:

25582715533_1d4bba7efb_b.jpgimg4814 by HughieDW, on Flickr

25582683763_815d59e0e1_b.jpgimg4815 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And another workshop…

25912453260_30caa07245_b.jpgimg4816 by HughieDW, on Flickr

26118908111_ce33cdc63a_b.jpgimg4818 by HughieDW, on Flickr

These are definitely the blast trenches:

26092757872_30541d7ff3_b.jpgimg4821 by HughieDW, on Flickr

26185267795_9273ae5caa_b.jpgimg4817 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Nature is ever-advancing:

26092695152_619438468a_b.jpgimg4823 by HughieDW, on Flickr

26118784621_b7f050fdaa_b.jpgimg4824 by HughieDW, on Flickr

26092594062_061d4b73e4_b.jpgimg4829 by HughieDW, on Flickr

25912148820_cefe600d02_b.jpgimg4830 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The workshops are used by the local farmer for storage now:

26092722192_133efa0555_b.jpgimg4822 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Including this old dog kennel called ‘Bone View’:

25580336944_5a5da7e74d_b.jpgimg4825 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And this vintage piece of farm machinery:

25912116150_3897805c66_b.jpgimg4831 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Here’s the obligatory old RAF toilet shot:

26185064635_7695182d93_b.jpgimg4828 by HughieDW, on Flickr

On to the main site:

25913231490_0d2c1b9a92_b.jpgimg4833 by HughieDW, on Flickr

There are plenty of pillboxes scattered around:

26093615312_2d76f27489_b.jpgimg4834 by HughieDW, on Flickr

25581257934_6a4d4e5afc_b.jpgimg4839 by HughieDW, on Flickr

This one’s sealed but a peek through the slit reveals the iron gun loop mounts intact:

26119709741_892b8c8d02_b.jpgimg4835 by HughieDW, on Flickr

There are plenty of defended dispersals too:

26119661451_6624960394_b.jpgimg4840 by HughieDW, on Flickr

26160026686_44d80ac364_b.jpgimg4842 by HughieDW, on Flickr

26119600531_1e40785b06_b.jpgimg4843 by HughieDW, on Flickr

25913029680_33a8dab163_b.jpgimg4844 by HughieDW, on Flickr

26159930836_a192a8c249_b.jpgimg4845 by HughieDW, on Flickr

25912979220_b321960b99_b.jpgimg4846 by HughieDW, on Flickr

26159867156_f789d38412_b.jpgimg4848 by HughieDW, on Flickr

26093309932_6d634a0427_b.jpgimg4849 by HughieDW, on Flickr

This pillbox is on the site’s perimeter:

25583066143_baea47d746_b.jpgimg4851 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Again with the machine-gun mounts present:

25583030083_334413f164_b.jpgimg4853 by HughieDW, on Flickr

26119259671_ce5acd2542_b.jpgimg4856 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Finally we have the Battle HQ:

26159693126_165e4d5b6f_b.jpgimg4857 by HughieDW, on Flickr

26159672026_12be38b383_b.jpgimg4858 by HughieDW, on Flickr

26119243151_5e77fd5c81_b.jpgimg4859 by HughieDW, on Flickr

26093667562_c421774275_b.jpgimg4862 by HughieDW, on Flickr
 
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Nice report.love all these old buildings even though they are all of a standard design wherever you go they all have there own character.
 

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