RAF Dunholme Lodge
Encyclopedia
RAF Dunholme Lodge was a Royal Air Force
station during the Second World War. Located between the parishes of Welton
and Dunholme
in Lincolnshire
, England
.
aircraft from nearby RAF Scampton
, and was officially opened as a RAF Station in September 1942 as part of RAF Bomber Command
with the building of three hard runways.
The main occupier of the station was 44 Squadron
, with the Avro Lancaster
four-engined heavy bomber, which moved in from RAF Waddington
in May 1943 and stayed until it moved to RAF Spilsby
in September 1944.
In November 1944 flying operations ceased due the proximity of other stations which did not allow night flying. At the end of the war 120 Lancasters had been lost on operations from Dunholme Lodge.
The William Farr School
was opened in 1952 on part of the disused domestic site.
In 1959 the airfield became a site for Bloodhound surface-to-air missiles with 141 Squadron
until it was disbanded and the station finally closed in 1964.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
station during the Second World War. Located between the parishes of Welton
Welton, Lincolnshire
Welton is a village and civil parish seven miles north of the city of Lincoln in the county of Lincolnshire, England, and the district of West Lindsey...
and Dunholme
Dunholme
Dunholme is a village and civil parish in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is on the A46 six miles north-east of Lincoln.According to the 2001 census the village had a population of 1,681.Dunholme has a post office and village shop, St...
in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
History
The grass airfield was first used by the Royal Air Force during 1941 and 1942 for use by Handley Page HampdenHandley Page Hampden
The Handley Page HP.52 Hampden was a British twin-engine medium bomber of the Royal Air Force serving in the Second World War. With the Whitley and Wellington, the Hampden bore the brunt of the early bombing war over Europe, taking part in the first night raid on Berlin and the first 1,000-plane...
aircraft from nearby RAF Scampton
RAF Scampton
Royal Air Force Station Scampton is a Royal Air Force station situated north of Lincoln in England, near the village of Scampton, on the site of an old First World War landing field.-First World War:...
, and was officially opened as a RAF Station in September 1942 as part of RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
with the building of three hard runways.
The main occupier of the station was 44 Squadron
No. 44 Squadron RAF
No. 44 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is no longer operational. For most of its history it served as a heavy bomber squadron.-History:...
, with the Avro Lancaster
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
four-engined heavy bomber, which moved in from RAF Waddington
RAF Waddington
RAF Waddington is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England.-Formation:Waddington opened as a Royal Flying Corps flying training station in 1916 until 1920, when the station went into care and maintenance....
in May 1943 and stayed until it moved to RAF Spilsby
RAF Spilsby
-Units and aircraft based at Spilsby:-References:*Halpenny, Bruce Barrymore Action Stations: Wartime Military Airfields of Lincolnshire and the East Midlands v. 2 -External links:*...
in September 1944.
In November 1944 flying operations ceased due the proximity of other stations which did not allow night flying. At the end of the war 120 Lancasters had been lost on operations from Dunholme Lodge.
The William Farr School
William Farr School
William Farr Church of England Comprehensive School, generallyknown as William Farr School or just William Farr , is a Church of England comprehensive school in Dunholme, though the postal address places the school in Welton, five miles north-east of Lincoln...
was opened in 1952 on part of the disused domestic site.
In 1959 the airfield became a site for Bloodhound surface-to-air missiles with 141 Squadron
No. 141 Squadron RAF
No. 141 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was formed on 1 January 1918 at Rochford, for home defence in the London Area. The Squadron moved to RAF Biggin Hill in February and giving up its mixed collection of types in favour of Bristol F.2 Fighters during March...
until it was disbanded and the station finally closed in 1964.
RAF units and aircraft
| Unit | Dates | Aircraft | Variant | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 44 Squadron RAF No. 44 Squadron RAF No. 44 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is no longer operational. For most of its history it served as a heavy bomber squadron.-History:... |
1943-1944 | Avro Lancaster Avro Lancaster The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other... |
I and III | |
| No. 141 Squadron RAF No. 141 Squadron RAF No. 141 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was formed on 1 January 1918 at Rochford, for home defence in the London Area. The Squadron moved to RAF Biggin Hill in February and giving up its mixed collection of types in favour of Bristol F.2 Fighters during March... |
1959-1964 | Bristol Bloodhound | I | Surface-to-Air Missile |
| No. 170 Squadron RAF No. 170 Squadron RAF No. 170 Squadron RAF was a Second World War Royal Air Force squadron that operated the North American Mustang in the fighter-reconnaissance role and later the Avro Lancaster as part of Bomber Command.-History:... |
1944 | Avro Lancaster | I and III | |
| No. 619 Squadron RAF No. 619 Squadron RAF No. 619 Squadron RAF was a heavy bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, flying Lancaster bombers from bases in Lincolnshire.-History:... |
1944 | Avro Lancaster | I and III |