Bomber Command Airfields of Yorkshire

by Peter Jacobs

Overview

As part of the Aviation Heritage Trail series, the accomplished military author and former RAF Officer Peter Jacobs takes us to the county of Yorkshire and to its many bomber airfields of the Second World War.From the opening day of hostilities, RAF Bomber Command took the offensive to Nazi Germany and played a leading role in the liberation of Europe. Yorkshires airfields played a key part throughout, initially as home to the Whitley squadrons of No 4 Group and then to the four-engine Halifax heavy bombers; indeed, Bomber Commands first night operation of the war was flown from one of the countys many bomber airfields. Then, as the bombing offensive gathered pace, Yorkshire welcomed the new all-Canadian No 6 (RCAF) Group, after which all of Bomber Commands major efforts during the hardest years of 1943/44 against the Ruhr, Hamburg and Berlin involved the Yorkshire-based squadrons.Most of Yorkshires wartime bomber airfields have long gone, but many have managed to retain the flying link with their wartime past. For example, the former RAF airfields of Finningley and Middleton St George, and the factory airfield of Yeadon, are now the sites of international airports, while Breighton, Burn, Full Sutton, Pocklington and Rufforth are still used for light aircraft flying or gliding and Elvington is home to the magnificent Yorkshire Air Museum.From airfields such as these came countless acts of personal courage and self-sacrifice, with two men being awarded the Victoria Cross, Britains highest award for gallantry. Stories of both men are included, as are tales of other personalities who brought these airfields to life. The stories of thirty-three airfields are told in total, with a brief history of each accompanied by details of how to find them and what remains of them today. Whatever your interest, be it aviation history or more local, the county of Yorkshire has rightly taken its place in the history of Bomber Command.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781473870055
Publisher:	Pen & Sword Books Limited
Publication date:	01/24/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	240
File size:	49 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Peter Jacobs served nearly 37 years in the RAF (1977–2013) as an air defence navigator, initially on the F4 Phantom and later on the Tornado F3\. He has written twenty books including Daring Raids of World War Two: Heroic Land, Sea and Air Attacks (2015); Bomber Command: Airfields of Lincolnshire (2016) and The RAF in 100 Objects (2017).

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements vii

Introduction ix

Part I Airfields of 4 Group 1

Chapter 1 Acaster Malbis 5

Chapter 2 Breighton 8

Chapter 3 Burn 16

Chapter 4 Carnaby (Bridlington) 27

Chapter 5 Cottam 31

Chapter 6 Driffield (Eastburn) 33

Chapter 7 Elvington 43

Chapter 8 Full Sutton 51

Chapter 9 Holme-on-Spalding Moor 55

Chapter 10 Leconfield 63

Chapter 11 Lissett 69

Chapter 12 Marston Moor (Tockwith) 75

Chapter 13 Melbourne 79

Chapter 14 Plainville 85

Chapter 15 Pocklington (Barmby) 87

Chapter 16 Riccall 95

Chapter 17 Rufforth 99

Chapter 18 Snaith (Pollington) 103

Part II Airfields of 6 (RCAF) Group 109

Chapter 19 Croft 113

Chapter 20 Dalton 122

Chapter 21 Dishforth (Ripon) 127

Chapter 22 East Moor 137

Chapter 23 Leeming 143

Chapter 24 Linton-on-Ouse 152

Chapter 25 Middleton St George (Goosepool) 167

Chapter 26 Skipton-on-Swale 175

Chapter 27 Tholthorpe 182

Chapter 28 Topcliffe 190

Chapter 29 Wombleton (Welburn Hall) 197

Part III Other Bomber Airfields of Yorkshire 201

Chapter 30 Doncaster 202

Chapter 31 Finningley 204

Chapter 32 Lindholme (Hatfield Woodhouse) 209

Chapter 33 Yeadon 214

Appendix 1 Bomber Command Order of Battle (Operational Squadrons Based in Yorkshire Only)-1 September 1939 216

Appendix 2 Bomber Command Order of Battle (Operational Squadrons Based in Yorkshire and County Durham only) - January 1944 (Battle of Berlin) 217

Appendix 3 Bomber Command Order of Battle (Operational Squadrons Based in Yorkshire and County Durham Only) - January 1945 219

Bibliography 221

Editorial Reviews

This is another well researched book from Peter Jacobs and one that is a handy size to keep in the car. Whether you are a historian with an interest in Bomber Command, or perhaps looking for the place where your father, grandfather or other relative served during the war and you are trying to trace more about their experiences. While areas such as these continue to be developed it is good to know just what remains to be seen of this period in our history.

Military Model Scene

It is not only a mine of informative detail, but also discloses some of the personal stories of men and women stationed at these airfields. This book is an interesting and useful addition to Bomber Command's essential role in the Second World War.

Yorkshire Gazette & Herald

"I have seen similar books about airfields in East Anglia, now it's the turn of the county of Yorkshire to receive this special treatment. An amazing book."

Books Monthly