Last night went to my nana's for tea and she told me the new RAF Lissett memorial had been opened. It has always interested me from a boy when my grandad told me war time stories of the aerodrome being targeted by the Germans. One of his Cow's even got shot by the Luftwaffe!
On my way back I drove by and was amazed at how amazing it looked with the sunset beaming through the metal structure...
I only had my phone on me so the pictures aren't great quality.
Originally required as satellite airfield for RAF Catfoss the land was requistioned in 1940. Although constrained by three roads and the Gransmoor Drain the builders constructed a standard three-runway bomber airfield. It had two hangars and 36 dispersals and three concrete runways.
Lissett opened in February 1943 and No. 158 Squadron arrived from RAF Rufforth to be the resident squadron on the 28 February. 158 Sqn was a heavy bomber squadron equipped with the four-engined Handley Page Halifax. The squadron flew the first operational mission on the night of 11/12 March 1943 when ten aircraft were flown to Stuggart, one failed to return. The squadron carried out operations up to the end of the war from Lissett. At the end of war in May 1945 the squadron was transferred to Transport Command as it prepared to undertook a transport role and the squadron was re-equipped with the Short Stirling before it departed to RAF Stradishall in August 1945.
Nice photos. My great-uncle flew with 158 out of Lissett as a rear-gunner. The plane was shot down over Hanover on his 13th sortie and he went down with it. Two others also died, the remaining 4 were taken POW.
ReplyDelete