RAF Metheringham
Encyclopedia
RAF Metheringham was a Royal Air Force station situated between the villages of Metheringham
and Martin
and 12.1 mi (19.5 km) south east of the county town Lincoln, Lincolnshire
, England.
Operated as a bomber airfield during World War II
the station opened in October 1943 and was decommissioned in the spring of 1946.
Although now mostly returned to agricultural and commercial uses the site retains one original runway, the eastern perimeter track and some contemporary buildings together with a No. 106 Squadron RAF
memorial garden and a visitor centre.
, Bomber Command
in Grantham
. The station was planned as a Class A airfield
standard layout and, although it was named Metheringham, was located largely in the adjoining parish of Martin. The runways were to the standard layout and specification with the main 02/20 runway at 2000 yd (1,829 m) long and with the 13/31 and 07/25 runways at 1400 yd (1,280 m).
One of the standard T2 hangars was placed on the technical site located alongside the B1189 road, near Linwood Grange and between runway heads 02 and 07. The second T2 hangar stood just off the east perimeter track between runway heads 25 and 31. A B1 type hangar lay north of runway head 13, near Barff Farm. The bomb dump was built around Blackthorn Holt and Fox Holt woodlands between runway heads 13 and 20.
The administration and accommodation sites were built in the south western corner of the airfield on both sides of the B1189 and consisted of an operations block, ration store, a single officers' mess, one communal other-ranks dining room, one WAAF mess, a gymnasium, four domestic accommodation blocks and a station sick quarters. Living accommodation was designed and scaled to house 1,685 males and 345 females. Many of the buildings were of the quickly erected Nissen (or Quonset) temporary hutting type.
. Despite having only a single week to settle in, the Squadron was still operational in time for the opening of the Battle of Berlin
, and RAF Metheringham's aircrews went to war on 18 November 1943. No. 106 Squadron and No. 110 Squadron RAF
were the initial residents at Metheringham both arriving during November 1943, although No. 110 Squadron remained at Metheringham only a few weeks before relocating to RAF Waddington
and before they flew any operational missions. In 1945 when hostilities ceased No. 106 Squadron had lost 65 Lancaster bombers
and 995 aircrew in operations flown from the airfield and other bases.
After VE-Day the Australian No. 467 Squadron RAAF
arrived to train with 106 Sqn for planned Tiger Force
operations against Japan in the Far East. The end of the war overtook this plan and 467 Sqn disbanded at the start of October 1945. No. 189 Squadron RAF
briefly took its place, but this squadron was also soon stood down. No. 106 Squadron remained in service until February 1946 when it too was disbanded. RAF Metheringham was closed to flying and decommissioned shortly thereafter. The station was partially dismantled and the land returned to agricultural use in the early 1960s.
s flown by No. 1690 Bomber Defence Flight of No. 169 Squadron RAF
. The flight detachment were based at and flew from nearby RAF Scampton
and protected all bomber operations from No. 5 Group RAF
's area.
for his selfless act of extreme bravery in attempting to save his crew.
system. The station was provided with seven large fuel tanks, which pumped petrol into two large pipes running up either side one of their runways. Once the open flame burners along the length of the main runway were ignited the intense rising heat would lift and disperse the fog leaving a visually clear and illuminated runway.
Not all RAF stations were FIDO equipped and when dense fog affected the county it was not unknown for aircraft from several stations to be diverted to RAF Metheringham for a safe landing, returning to their home stations when the foggy weather cleared. Volunteer observers at the surrounding Royal Observer Corps
posts were specially trained and provided with coloured rocket flares (Code named Granite) to guide any aircraft lost in thick fog towards the limited number of FIDO equipped stations.
The only other airfields in Lincolnshire fitted with FIDO systems were RAF Fiskerton
, RAF Ludford Magna
and RAF Sturgate
and there were only 15 FIDO stations in the UK, mostly on the east coast.
Some signs of this once active airfield still remain. On the original communal accommodation site south-south-west of the main airfield, near King's Covert and Westmoor Farm, many of the original buildings still stand. The former station's ration store has now been restored and houses the RAF Metheringham Visitor Centre, featuring an exhibition of photographs and memorabilia recalling life on an operational Second World War airfield. The visitor centre opens on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons between the last week of March and the last week of October each year and also displays a small collection of post-war RAF jet aircraft in varying stages of restoration.
Close by are the remains of the concrete runways and perimeter tracks, and the memorial garden and plinth dedicated to No. 106 Squadron. A ghostly young lady is said to haunt the area close to the airfield.
Metheringham
Metheringham is a medium sized village in Lincolnshire approximately ten miles south of the English city of Lincoln...
and Martin
Martin, Lincolnshire
Martin is a small, ancient, village just north of Timberland, Lincolnshire, located on the a large flat Fen through which the River Witham runs...
and 12.1 mi (19.5 km) south east of the county town Lincoln, 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.
Operated as a bomber airfield during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the station opened in October 1943 and was decommissioned in the spring of 1946.
Although now mostly returned to agricultural and commercial uses the site retains one original runway, the eastern perimeter track and some contemporary buildings together with a No. 106 Squadron RAF
No. 106 Squadron RAF
No. 106 Squadron RAF was a Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force squadron active from 1917 until 1919. It was also operative during World War II and in the post war period until 1963.- Establishment and early service :...
memorial garden and a visitor centre.
Construction and layout
The airfield was constructed during 1942 and 1943, when approximately 600 acres (2.4 km²) of farmland and woods were cleared to create the new airfield for No. 5 Group RAFNo. 5 Group RAF
No. 5 Group was a Royal Air Force bomber group of the Second World War, led during the latter part by AVM Sir Ralph Cochrane.-History:The Group was formed on 1 September 1937 with headquarters at RAF Mildenhall....
, 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...
in Grantham
Grantham
Grantham is a market town within the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It bestrides the East Coast Main Line railway , the historic A1 main north-south road, and the River Witham. Grantham is located approximately south of the city of Lincoln, and approximately east of Nottingham...
. The station was planned as a Class A airfield
Class A airfield
Class A airfields were military installations originally built for the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. Several were transferred to the U.S...
standard layout and, although it was named Metheringham, was located largely in the adjoining parish of Martin. The runways were to the standard layout and specification with the main 02/20 runway at 2000 yd (1,829 m) long and with the 13/31 and 07/25 runways at 1400 yd (1,280 m).
One of the standard T2 hangars was placed on the technical site located alongside the B1189 road, near Linwood Grange and between runway heads 02 and 07. The second T2 hangar stood just off the east perimeter track between runway heads 25 and 31. A B1 type hangar lay north of runway head 13, near Barff Farm. The bomb dump was built around Blackthorn Holt and Fox Holt woodlands between runway heads 13 and 20.
The administration and accommodation sites were built in the south western corner of the airfield on both sides of the B1189 and consisted of an operations block, ration store, a single officers' mess, one communal other-ranks dining room, one WAAF mess, a gymnasium, four domestic accommodation blocks and a station sick quarters. Living accommodation was designed and scaled to house 1,685 males and 345 females. Many of the buildings were of the quickly erected Nissen (or Quonset) temporary hutting type.
Operations
Although the airfield building programme was far from complete, the station was soon home to No. 106 Squadron RAFNo. 106 Squadron RAF
No. 106 Squadron RAF was a Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force squadron active from 1917 until 1919. It was also operative during World War II and in the post war period until 1963.- Establishment and early service :...
. Despite having only a single week to settle in, the Squadron was still operational in time for the opening of the Battle of Berlin
Battle of Berlin
The Battle of Berlin, designated the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union, was the final major offensive of the European Theatre of World War II....
, and RAF Metheringham's aircrews went to war on 18 November 1943. No. 106 Squadron and No. 110 Squadron RAF
No. 110 Squadron RAF
-Formation and World War I:No. 110 Squadron RFC was formed on 1 November 1917, at Rendcomb, Gloucestershire and was equipped with B.E.2c aircraft. The squadron moved to Kenley the following year and re-equipped with the DH.9A - the first squadron to employ this aircraft. Its original complement of...
were the initial residents at Metheringham both arriving during November 1943, although No. 110 Squadron remained at Metheringham only a few weeks before relocating to 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....
and before they flew any operational missions. In 1945 when hostilities ceased No. 106 Squadron had lost 65 Lancaster bombers
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...
and 995 aircrew in operations flown from the airfield and other bases.
After VE-Day the Australian No. 467 Squadron RAAF
No. 467 Squadron RAAF
No. 467 Squadron RAAF was a Royal Australian Air Force bomber squadron during World War II, active in the European Theater of Operations as an Article XV Squadron under command of the Royal Air Force.-History:No...
arrived to train with 106 Sqn for planned Tiger Force
Tiger Force (air)
Tiger Force, also known as the Very Long Range Bomber Force, was the name given to a World War II British Commonwealth long-range heavy bomber force, formed in 1945, from squadrons serving with RAF Bomber Command in Europe, for proposed use against targets in Japan...
operations against Japan in the Far East. The end of the war overtook this plan and 467 Sqn disbanded at the start of October 1945. No. 189 Squadron RAF
No. 189 Squadron RAF
-History:No. 189 Squadron was formed at Ripon on 20 December 1917 as a night-flying training unit, moving shortly afterwards to Sutton's Farm to continue their work until the end of World War I. On 1 March 1919, the squadron was disbanded....
briefly took its place, but this squadron was also soon stood down. No. 106 Squadron remained in service until February 1946 when it too was disbanded. RAF Metheringham was closed to flying and decommissioned shortly thereafter. The station was partially dismantled and the land returned to agricultural use in the early 1960s.
Fighter protection during missions
As fighter aircraft ranges improved with the addition of drop tanks it became possible to provide fighter cover to bomber formations even on longer missions. During night bombing raids over Germany No. 106 Squadron's aircraft were escorted by P51 Mustangs and long range Supermarine SpitfireSupermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
s flown by No. 1690 Bomber Defence Flight of No. 169 Squadron RAF
No. 169 Squadron RAF
No. 169 Squadron RAF was a tactical reconnaissance and later a night intruder squadron of the Royal Air Force during World War II-History:No. 169 squadron was formed on 15 June 1942 at RAF Twinwood Farm as a tactical reconnaissance squadron from 'B' flight of 613 Squadron, and took over their North...
. The flight detachment were based at and flew 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 protected all bomber operations from No. 5 Group RAF
No. 5 Group RAF
No. 5 Group was a Royal Air Force bomber group of the Second World War, led during the latter part by AVM Sir Ralph Cochrane.-History:The Group was formed on 1 September 1937 with headquarters at RAF Mildenhall....
's area.
Victoria Cross
During a raid on Schweinfurt flown from RAF Metheringham during the night of 26–27 April 1944 the flight engineer of a 106 Squadron Lancaster, Sergeant Norman Jackson, volunteered to climb out along the wing of the aircraft in mid-flight and extinguish an engine fire started after a German fighter attack. However, after extinguishing the fire he become badly burned and was blown off the wing. Despite parachuting to safety he landed heavily and was captured, spending the rest of the war in captivity. Sergeant Jackson was awarded the Victoria CrossVictoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
for his selfless act of extreme bravery in attempting to save his crew.
Fog dispersal system
Metheringham was one of a small number of RAF stations equipped with an early experimental Fog Investigation and Dispersal Operation (FIDO)Fog Investigation and Dispersal Operation (FIDO)
Fog Investigation and Dispersal Operation was a system used for dispersing fog from an airfield so that aircraft could land safely...
system. The station was provided with seven large fuel tanks, which pumped petrol into two large pipes running up either side one of their runways. Once the open flame burners along the length of the main runway were ignited the intense rising heat would lift and disperse the fog leaving a visually clear and illuminated runway.
Not all RAF stations were FIDO equipped and when dense fog affected the county it was not unknown for aircraft from several stations to be diverted to RAF Metheringham for a safe landing, returning to their home stations when the foggy weather cleared. Volunteer observers at the surrounding Royal Observer Corps
Royal Observer Corps
The Royal Observer Corps was a civil defence organisation operating in the United Kingdom between 29 October 1925 and 31 December 1995, when the Corps' civilian volunteers were stood down....
posts were specially trained and provided with coloured rocket flares (Code named Granite) to guide any aircraft lost in thick fog towards the limited number of FIDO equipped stations.
The only other airfields in Lincolnshire fitted with FIDO systems were RAF Fiskerton
RAF Fiskerton
RAF Fiskerton was located in the Lincolnshire village of Fiskerton, 5 miles east of Lincoln, Lincolnshire. It was one of many new bomber airfields built in the early part of World War II. The airfield was situated north of the village...
, RAF Ludford Magna
RAF Ludford Magna
RAF Ludford Magna was a Royal Air Force airfield operated by Bomber Command during World War II and the Cold War. The station lay on agricultural farmland immediately south of the village of Ludford, Lincolnshire and was sited 21.4 miles north east of the county town of Lincoln, Lincolnshire...
and RAF Sturgate
RAF Sturgate
Royal Air Force Station Sturgate was an airfield located 10 miles north of Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England.-Royal Air Force:The airfield was opened in 1944 at Royal Air Force Station Sturgate. Originally used for blind flying training two operational Lancaster squadrons arrived in June 1945 but both...
and there were only 15 FIDO stations in the UK, mostly on the east coast.
Station timeline and resident units
| Date | Event or Unit | Notes |
| 1942 | Airfield and accommodation construction commences | |
| October 1943 | RAF Metheringham opened as part of No. 5 Group RAF No. 5 Group RAF No. 5 Group was a Royal Air Force bomber group of the Second World War, led during the latter part by AVM Sir Ralph Cochrane.-History:The Group was formed on 1 September 1937 with headquarters at RAF Mildenhall.... Station Identity Code: MN |
In 1944 No. 5 Group RAF introduced station control groupings for future operations with all squadrons from stations in the group linking up and flying as a single formation. RAF Metheringham was grouped into No. 5/4 Bases that included itself, RAF Woodhall Spa RAF Woodhall Spa -History:Constructed on farmland 1 km south of Woodhall Spa, the station opened in February 1942 as a satellite station to RAF Coningsby. In August 1943 it became No 54 Base Substation. After victory in Europe the airfield was used as an assembly and kitting out point for Tiger Force... and RAF Coningsby RAF Coningsby RAF Coningsby , is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England. It has been commanded by Group Captain Martin Sampson since 10 December 2010.-Operational units:... with the latter acting as the controlling station. No. 5/4 Bases RAF remained under the command of Air Commodore A C H Sharpe until the end of hostilities. |
| 11 November 1943 | No. 106 Squadron RAF | Operating 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... s and relocated from RAF Syerston RAF Syerston RAF Syerston is a Royal Air Force station in the parish of Flintham, near Newark, Nottinghamshire. It was used as a bomber base during World War II.-Bomber Command:... near Grantham. This squadron operated from Metheringham throughout the remainder of World War II and only disbanded on 18 February 1946. (The squadron would eventually reform as a Bomber Command strategic missile squadron in the 1960s.) |
| 21 November 1943 | No. 110 Squadron RAF | Operating Lancasters. The squadron arrived from RAF Wattisham RAF Wattisham RAF Wattisham was a Royal Air Force station located in East Anglia just outside the village of Wattisham, south of Stowmarket in Suffolk, England. During the Cold War it was a major front-line air force base... but flew no operational missions from RAF Metheringham and relocated to 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.... just a few weeks later, when space had been made for them there. |
| June 1945 | No. 467 Squadron RAAF | Operating Lancasters. Arrived from RAF Waddington to train for planned Tiger Force operations against Japan. The plans were cancelled after Japan surrendered and the squadron was disbanded at Metheringham in October 1945 |
| October 1945 | No. 189 Squadron RAF | Operating Lancasters. The squadron had relocated from RAF Bardney RAF Bardney RAF Bardney was a RAF station situated near Bardney, in Lincolnshire, England. It was built as a satellite to RAF Waddington in 1943.-Time line:* Opened on 13 April 1943 as home to No. 9 Squadron... where it had been involved in dropping food relief to the Dutch and repatriating POWs, a role it continued while at Metheringham. The squadron was disbanded on 20 November 1945. |
| February 1946 | Flying ceased from RAF Metheringham | Lancaster bomber aircraft from the disbanded squadrons were flown to 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 RAF Hemswell RAF Hemswell RAF Hemswell was an airfield used by RAF Bomber Command for 20 years between 1937 and 1957 and saw most of its operational life during World War II. Later used by RAF Fighter Command as a nuclear ballistic missile base during the Cold War it closed to military use in 1967... for mothballing, storage and disposal. |
| May 1946 | RAF Metheringham decommissioned and closed |
Metheringham in the media
RAF Metheringham was utilised in the developmental testing of the experimental programme to assist aircraft landing in foggy conditions (the system eventually known by the acronym FIDO) and the station featured in the official RAF training film. Although the year of the film production is unknown, it references 21 December in relation to the system testing at Metheringham. The actual reference to RAF Metheringham in the film is brief but depicts the role that the station contributed.Post war and Squadron Memorial
Although the airfield site would remain fairly intact into the 1950s, its hangars and most of the domestic buildings had been demolished by 1970. The airfield itself had been sold off for farming in 1961/62 with some hardstandings removed. Parts of runways 07/25 and 13/31 were pressed into service to reinstate two minor roads that had been subsumed into the airfield in 1942. Several technical site buildings still remain in use, converted to modern commercial purposes.Some signs of this once active airfield still remain. On the original communal accommodation site south-south-west of the main airfield, near King's Covert and Westmoor Farm, many of the original buildings still stand. The former station's ration store has now been restored and houses the RAF Metheringham Visitor Centre, featuring an exhibition of photographs and memorabilia recalling life on an operational Second World War airfield. The visitor centre opens on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons between the last week of March and the last week of October each year and also displays a small collection of post-war RAF jet aircraft in varying stages of restoration.
Close by are the remains of the concrete runways and perimeter tracks, and the memorial garden and plinth dedicated to No. 106 Squadron. A ghostly young lady is said to haunt the area close to the airfield.