Military History Tours          On Tour - Bomber Command (RAAF in the UK) 14 July 2015

Leaving the Petwood Hotel we headed North towards York but on the way we had many interesting stops to make. We were fortunate that we were able to visit RAF Scampton and the Museum located there. The Curator, Dave, has certainly improved the Museum and those improvements are very noticeable and bring this Museum to a high standard. As well as the work inside the offices there has been a major effort within the hangar and the layout is now very clear and easy to view.

Scampton is an operational Base and the famous Red Arrows reside there. This also was the base from where the Dambusters set off for their famous successful attack on the German Dams. The Museum has many artefacts from the raid including a board detailing the crews taking place in the raid and depicting those who were lost. Also established in the building is a recreation of the office of Guy Gibson, as it was when he led the Dambusters.

We bid farewell to Scampton and made our way north towards York and we visited many sites that were part of the history of the members of our group. Fathers, Uncles and Family friends, we visited the airfields from where they had left as part of Bomber Command. Wickenby where 12 Sqn and 626 Sqn operated, Waddington where one member's father was the Commanding Officer, Binbrook where 460 Sqn operated, North Killingholme where 550 Sqn operated, the Memorial Garden at Kirmington for 166 Sqn and finally, before we reached York, we visited the previous Leconfield airfield that is now the Army base where all driver training is conducted. An uncle served here during the War.

Tomorrow we visit Elvington, where after the War the site was left as it had been during the War and remains the same today, a memorial to all those who served in Bomber Command.

On our way to RAF Scampton we needed to go through Lincoln where the Cathedral sits on the highest hill overlooking the City and can be seen from miles around.