Nikokas
Well-known member
The story of RAF King's Cliffe and how "I saw dead people" !!!
According to the Wartime Memories Project site "RAF Kingscliffe is situated 12 miles west of Peterborough in Northamptonshire. Construction work on King's Cliffe commenced in 1940 and the base opened in October 1941.
King's Cliffe was utilized as a satellite to Wittering and the first R.A.F. squadron, 133 Fighter Squadron moved in with Spitfire Vb's on September 29th 1941. This unit was the third "Eagle Squadron" formed in the Fighter Command from American volunteers. 266 (Rhodesian) Squadron arrived in October 1941. The base was also home to 485 (New Zealand) Squadron and later 93 Squadron.
Kingscliffe became USAAF Station 367 in January 1943, it was home to the 20th Fighter Group of the USAAF 8th Airforce who flew P38 Lightnings and later P51 Mustangs on bomber escort duties.
The Airfield closed in 1959 and today is used for agriculture".
Now let me tell you a my story ...
First of all I'm Portuguese, so Technical War Terms are still being processed and translated into my brain
Before I go anywhere I like to just go around town and get a general perspective of the place ...
We got into town ,went to the Pub for some cold drinks and info, talked to some locals that said that there was not much left to see, almost everything had been demolished for the rock underneath and the field transformed into a hunting area and a massive potato plantation. Still I wanted to go see it so I dragged my friend along and "off we go" ... parked the car far away and we went for a walk
DSCF4085 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
Found some "left overs" here and there
DSCF4135 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
Saw the deers and the birds and the rabbits, walked through vegetation, found out what a potato plant looked like (I had never thought of that before in my life) ... and finally we got there !!!
There were only 4 buildings and the Watch Tower left!!! 2 of the buildings with no light going in, 1 with trees growing inside and a house ...
Ok, no need to take the flash light out because your camera lights up everything and either way you're a courageous girl never scared a anything (silly me) !!!
The first thing I saw was the Watch Tower completely redone and nick named "Hacienda".
DSCF4092 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4093 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
Another big walk and still nothing in sight ... Until the first building
shows up in between trees and bushes
DSCF4096 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4097 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4098 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
Then the Second one ...
DSCF4100 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4101 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
Ok, lets go into pitch darkeness as I like it ... "WHAT THE F*** !!! DON'T COME IN HERE !!! LET ME GET THE CAMERA FIRST !!! WHAT THE HECK IS THAT ?!?!?!"
I grabbed the camera hanging from my neck look through the LCD ... that looks like man balancing from the roof by his feet !!! "Don't be crazy just take a picture and see what it is!!!"
DSCF4104 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
Scare gone, my heart is back at it's normal pace,lets keep going, I still have to go to the house!!!
DSCF4105 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
More "bits and bobs" along the way ...
DSCF4106 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4132 by nikokas.reis, on Flick
And we finally get to the house !!!
DSCF4108 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4109 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4110 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4111 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4112 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4113 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4116 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4122 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4123 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4125 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
There is always a chair somehow ... think this one may be a little bit "too new" though
DSCF4126 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
And now the last building, the one I wasn't able to go in ...
DSCF4128 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4129 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4130 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
I had a blast going on this "road trip" !!!
Hope you enjoyed the report and learned from my mistake
According to the Wartime Memories Project site "RAF Kingscliffe is situated 12 miles west of Peterborough in Northamptonshire. Construction work on King's Cliffe commenced in 1940 and the base opened in October 1941.
King's Cliffe was utilized as a satellite to Wittering and the first R.A.F. squadron, 133 Fighter Squadron moved in with Spitfire Vb's on September 29th 1941. This unit was the third "Eagle Squadron" formed in the Fighter Command from American volunteers. 266 (Rhodesian) Squadron arrived in October 1941. The base was also home to 485 (New Zealand) Squadron and later 93 Squadron.
Kingscliffe became USAAF Station 367 in January 1943, it was home to the 20th Fighter Group of the USAAF 8th Airforce who flew P38 Lightnings and later P51 Mustangs on bomber escort duties.
The Airfield closed in 1959 and today is used for agriculture".
Now let me tell you a my story ...
First of all I'm Portuguese, so Technical War Terms are still being processed and translated into my brain
Before I go anywhere I like to just go around town and get a general perspective of the place ...
We got into town ,went to the Pub for some cold drinks and info, talked to some locals that said that there was not much left to see, almost everything had been demolished for the rock underneath and the field transformed into a hunting area and a massive potato plantation. Still I wanted to go see it so I dragged my friend along and "off we go" ... parked the car far away and we went for a walk
DSCF4085 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
Found some "left overs" here and there
DSCF4135 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
Saw the deers and the birds and the rabbits, walked through vegetation, found out what a potato plant looked like (I had never thought of that before in my life) ... and finally we got there !!!
There were only 4 buildings and the Watch Tower left!!! 2 of the buildings with no light going in, 1 with trees growing inside and a house ...
Ok, no need to take the flash light out because your camera lights up everything and either way you're a courageous girl never scared a anything (silly me) !!!
The first thing I saw was the Watch Tower completely redone and nick named "Hacienda".
DSCF4092 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4093 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
Another big walk and still nothing in sight ... Until the first building
shows up in between trees and bushes
DSCF4096 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4097 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4098 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
Then the Second one ...
DSCF4100 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4101 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
Ok, lets go into pitch darkeness as I like it ... "WHAT THE F*** !!! DON'T COME IN HERE !!! LET ME GET THE CAMERA FIRST !!! WHAT THE HECK IS THAT ?!?!?!"
I grabbed the camera hanging from my neck look through the LCD ... that looks like man balancing from the roof by his feet !!! "Don't be crazy just take a picture and see what it is!!!"
DSCF4104 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
Scare gone, my heart is back at it's normal pace,lets keep going, I still have to go to the house!!!
DSCF4105 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
More "bits and bobs" along the way ...
DSCF4106 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4132 by nikokas.reis, on Flick
And we finally get to the house !!!
DSCF4108 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4109 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4110 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4111 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4112 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4113 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4116 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4122 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4123 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4125 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
There is always a chair somehow ... think this one may be a little bit "too new" though
DSCF4126 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
And now the last building, the one I wasn't able to go in ...
DSCF4128 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4129 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
DSCF4130 by nikokas.reis, on Flickr
I had a blast going on this "road trip" !!!
Hope you enjoyed the report and learned from my mistake
Last edited: