Pubs Frequented by RAF Pilots in WW2

Great contributions to the effort. I can’t thank you all enough. I am especially grateful for the photos. Does anyone have others?

were any of the pubs in Amesbury frequented by RAF pilots in WW2 with Boscombe Down, Netheravon, Upavon, Old Sarum, Middle Wallop and Thruxton all nearby?

From the ” Roger Freeman collection”.
“Two airmen of the 406th Fighter Group enjoy a visit to a French cafe near Louplande. The sign on the cafe railing reads “Welcome here friends, we have not collaborated.” Roundels of the British Royal Air Force, French Air Force (Armée de l’Air) and the US Army Air Force star have been painted in order to the right of the crewmen”.

A couple of pictures I took at The Eagle in Cambridge, about three years ago (Not BoB I know)

Good to hear from you sir and thank you for your service ! Still gets foggy around here !

Dammit, yes!! Meant to include it. December ’40 – left rather late with Yvonne (WAAF) – took her home in thick fog – got lost on the way back to Northolt and had to sleep the night in the car. Woken am by passing school kids.

http://forum.keypublishing.com/asset.php?fid=232813&uid=18943&d=1422970895

The Orchard in Ruislip as frequented by Northolt personnel, which displays a rather nice scale Spitfire in the front garden

Old Jail at Biggin Hill – 609’s mascot, William de Goat, came from there – donated by ‘Biddy’ the Belgian landlady to Vicki Ortmans.

The Eagle in Woodford Green was used by pilots from North Weald, don’t know if it still exists. Photo below shows two sgt pilots of 249 Squadron, Waghorn and Smyth, on 1 Nov 1940.

I had been researching the Battle of Britain, and came across Kath Preston’s book ‘The Inn of the Few,” about her time as the publican of the White Hart in Brasted and the Biggin Hill pilots. That sparked my interest so I started going back to the other accounts I read and marking down pub names and researching them. While researching the Ferry Inn mentioned in Bob Stanford Tuck’s “Fly for Your Life” I came across the 2004 thread. I recorded and verified as many of those pubs as I could and added them to my research in the Google Map. That thread being old to add onto, I created a new one.

I can only assume that it’s the same place – no proof.

How does your thread tie in with the 2004 one?

Tim

In his book “Clouds of Fear”, Flt Lt Roger Hall DFC 152Sqdn mentions the squadron pilots frequenting The Sunray at Osmington near Weymouth when they were based at RAF Warmwell in September 1940. At the same time NCOs and other ranks from Warmwell were often seen in The Frampton Arms at Moreton Station which was barely a mile away from the airfield.

In 2007 I was very lucky to meet the late Nick Berryman at the Tangmere Museum when he signed a copy of his book “In the Nick of time” for me. In part the book tells of Nick’s time at RAF Warmwell on 276 sqdn on air-sea rescue duties and he mentions visits to The Crown Hotel in Weymouth.

Given a bit of spare time I’m sure I can name a few more licenced establishments used by the air and ground crews based at Warmwell.

OK, added quite a few this morning. They are mostly Bomber Command haunts. Still working on validating a few others. Thanks everyone, keep them coming!

Updated pub map

In addition to the Dolphin in Chi, we (No 1, Tangmere) often used The Unicorn. Shall never forget the night (in 1945, when with CFE) I overstayed with a girl friend and found myself locked in!! Managed to break out over the back yard wall. Could have been embarrassing?

And when at Wittering in late ’40, we often went down to The Haycock – and a Stamford pub whose name I can’t recall.

Tim

Thanks Tim, I’ll add those to the map. I had tentatively marked the “Dolphin and Anchor” in Chichester as the “Dolphin” I had read about. Is this the same one you remember?

Great story about the Unicorn!

The Prospect Inn at Minster, just outside Manston’s perimetre was patronised by aircrew during the war and by the USAF in the fiftiers. An art-deco Grade II listed building from the mid-30s now incorporated into the Holiday Inn Express.

Cross Keys at Kings Cliffe, was used by Crews from near By RAF Kings Cliffe or Station 367

The Chequers at Fowlmere used to have a lot of RAF[Duxford) and Fowlmere (USAF) photographs on the walls but I believe there have been changes recently.

the pub sign had blue and white chequers on one side 19 Sqn and Red & White on the other side 339 Fighter Group sadly pub still closed !

http://www.airfieldarchaeology.co.uk/fowlmere-the-chequers.html

In addition to the Dolphin in Chi, we (No 1, Tangmere) often used The Unicorn. Shall never forget the night (in 1945, when with CFE) I overstayed with a girl friend and found myself locked in!! Managed to break out over the back yard wall. Could have been embarrassing?

And when at Wittering in late ’40, we often went down to The Haycock – and a Stamford pub whose name I can’t recall.

Tim

Here’s one:

The Royal Renaissance Hotel on the seafront at Skegness

Moggy

Howard I can’t think how I forgot to mention the “The White Hart”. We stayed there just after my father passed away in order to attend the 101 annual Memorial Service that is held next door in the church of St Mary and St Peter. Following the wreath laying and parade we had a lovely afternoon tea in the village hall and then all went outside for a flypast by the BBMF Lancaster. Not a dry eye was to be seen.

East Lindsey District Council has a new memorials leaflet that supplements this aviation booklet – PDF file link and this mentions the public houses in the district. I’m struggling to find a weblink.

I believe that BCAR also has a trail for the district.