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March 1, 2002
Metheringham Airfield Visitors Centre
Focus on Metheringham Airfield Visitors Centre
Many bomber airfields were built in Lincolnshire to augment those already there at the start of WWI I. 5 Group Bomber Command alone consisted of quite a number including:- Bardney - Coningsby - Dunholme Lodge - East Kirkby- Fiskerton - Fulbeck - Hemswell - Metheringham - Scampton - Skellingthorpe -Spilsby - Swinderby - Strubby - Waddington and Woodhall Spa. Most of these airfields were built on requisitioned farmland, RAF Metheringham was one where the land of five farms between Metheringham and Martin were taken over and the farm residents had to move from their homes at very short notice, some of the dwellings, farm buildings and woodlands were flattened to make way for runways and airfield buildings.
The families of Peter Scoley's father and uncle were amongst those who had to relocate when, West Moor Farm where Peter and his wife Zena now reside, was used as part of the airfields 'domestic site. When Peter and Zena took over the present farm in 1967, they found that there were some of the old RAF buildings still standing, the Gymnasium/Church, Squash Court, Emergency Generator station, an air-raid shelter and the old Rations Store.
Peter and Zena had the idea of constructing some kind of memorial to the members of RAF Metheringharn and the 106 Squadron that had flown Lancasters from there from 1943, when the airfield became operational until 1946 when the squadron was disbanded and the airfield closed down.
Unfortunately Peter and Zena did not have the means or ability to fulfill their dream until 1992 when they contacted the North Kesteven Dist. Council whose representatives visited the farm .On seeing the remaining RAF buildings still in reasonable condition, the council decided to help them, as a result the Metheringham Airfield Visitors Centre was constructed in one of the rooms of the old Ration Store and opened to the public in 1993.
In late 1993 with more and more exhibits being given, donated or loaned to the Centre and the increasing number of visitors attending, Peter and Zena and the few local helpers they had, were finding it difficult to cope. An inaugural meeting at the Centre was advertised in the local media and as a result the "Friends of Metheringham Airfield" was formed with a working committee and around 40 members who paid a £5 membership fee which entitled them to the privilege of painting, cleaning and manning the Centre etc.!
A local musician and artist, John Pye, constructed a memorial in front of the Centre in the form of a plinth with a Merlin engine on the top, built from bricks etc, (including the engine !) reclaimed from the old airfield site. He incorporated the propeller screw and one blade from a 106 Sqn Lancaster that had been returned from a crash site in Holland. John also built another memorial to the 106 Sqn on a part of the old perimeter track that still remains, about half a mile from the Centre, again using reclaimed material from the old RAF buildings
Since those early days other rooms of the old Ration Store have been brought into use, one being named The Dutch Room in honour of the Dutch people with whom the Centre has a great friendship, especially the people of Rottevalle where another prop blade from a crashed 106 Sqn Lancaster forms part of a memorial to the Sqn in a local school, the Dutch people have made a great contribution with various artifacts donated to the museum. In the Dutch Room, is a map produced by Dick Breedijk of Haarlem, Holland, showing the crash sites of 106 Sqn planes and a reference book which gives all the details of each crash, i.e. the original target, cause of crash fate of the crew and also photographs of the graves or memorials to those crew members who did not survive the crash.
A Memorial garden was constructed at the end of the old Ration Store, under the guidance of Peggy Wright, a local resident who lived nearby during the war and remembers the airfield being built. The garden is in a quiet area of the site where visitors, especially families or friends of the 106 Son members that did not survive the war, may spend a quiet moment remembering their lost loved ones. A bench seat has been donated to the garden in memory of Flt. Lt. Jack Netherwood, by members of his old crew, also in the garden is a sundial donated by poetess Olive Walker as a memorial, trees or shrubs may be planted by relatives or friends of those who were lost with a memorial plaque by each one.
Every year the Centre plays host for a day to the surviving members of RAF Metheringham and 106 Sqn who return to the area from all parts of the world for their annual reunion. This 106 Sqn reunion is still ongoing although their numbers are dwindling with the passing years.
The Visitors Centre contains many artifacts recovered from crash sites, uniforms and various other bits and pieces of Lancaster and memorabilia appertaining to 106 Sqn, RAF Metheringham and Bomber Cmd. Many of the exploits of 106 Sqn are explained in photographs and storyboards in the Centre. .
Entrance to the Visitors Centre is FREE, although donations are gratefully accepted towards the maintaining of the Centre as a fitting memorial to the members of 106 Sqn and RAF Metheringham who gave their all for our benefit. There is a shop at the Centre with many reasonably priced souvenirs, books, videos and prints etc on sale, also available are soft d@ and ice cream.
New members of The Friends of Metheringham Airfield are always welcome, the annual membership fee is £7.50 for single membership or £10 for family membership, this entitles you to free entrance to the various lectures etc that are held at the Centre each month. The Centre presents special Open Days each year.
The Visitors Centre is open to the public from Easter until October, Saturdays and Sundays, 12 noon until 5pm and Wednesdays 12 noon until 4pm. Special group visits such as school children, can be arranged for other times providing sufficient notice is given.
Donations or loan of any memorabilia photographs or stories appertaining to RAF Metheringham or the local area during WW II would be very much appreciated by the Museum.
The Visitors Centre is situated on West Moor Farm and can be reached by the entrance on the B1189 opposite the junction with the B1191.
First published: MACLA Newsletter No.6 - Spring 2002
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