Pubs that were airmen's off-duty refuges in World War 2

This is marginally on-topic…

J Boyle asked about on-base drinking/eating setups in the UK. I can’t help with UK bases, but 159 Sqn (Liberators) at Salbani, then nearby Digri, both in West Bengal, India (WNW of Calcutta) are probably typical of any RAF station far from home. Officers were separated from others, there was a Sergeants Mess, and there must have been a spot or spots for others.

The main differences from back in the UK are: 1) no women, 2) most of the rockgut alcohol was more dangerous than the Japanese, and 3) the local villages were dirt poor, with no such amenities such as pubs.

From wireless operator/air gunner Bill Kirkness’ memoir, dating to 1943 at Salbani:

Nights were spent in the Sergeants’ Mess, which had been made attractive by the members and resembled the interior of an old English pub. Bar stools were the stout cardboard containers in which the bomb fins were delivered. Apart from the bar with its somewhat bizarre range of drinks, the only other amenities were a shove halfpenny board, a dart board but no darts, and a portable gramophone with one record, an old twelve inch of the Nutcracker suite which usually created howls of derision whenever anyone dared to put it on the turntable. Gramophone needles were no problem, as thorns from the bushes nearby served perfectly.

Here are three poor-quality photos of the 159 Sqn Sgts Mess from Christmas 1942, at Salbani. Over time the place was modified and a record library grew. Pianos were found, as well — it was an essential instrument in those days. You can see a gramophone to the right of the chairs in the first photo:

And here are two photos of the Officers Mess, probably at Digri, after 159 moved there from Salbani (less than 15 miles away) in late 1943. Again, the quality of the photos is marginal. W/Cdr John P. “Hoppy” Hopkins — 159’s C.O. from approx. Dec. 1943 to July 1944 — is closest to the camera in the left-hand photo, below. We’re talking rural India, a long way from real civilization, so things are still primitive — but the officers are separated from the others:

Don Lomas, a F/Sgt wireless operator/air gunner, played a mean piano. He was sometimes invited to play the piano in the Officers Mess, where he was paid in alcohol. His diary records a few hungover days following such musical evenings. Don had this to say about those times:

We couldn’t afford to drink such a lot; a flight sergeant’s pay wasn’t very much, but when I played piano, the others bought me drinks. Even in the Officers Mess. I didn’t go there so often, but when they had a bit of a bash, as we used to call it, in the Officers Mess, another chap and I used to play. I had an accordion with me, and I’ve forgotten his name now, but he could play the accordion.

And so he used to take that, play the accordion, and I would play the piano. A combination. We used to sing ordinary popular songs, and air force versions of songs, as well. Good fun. Yes, it was a great thing, really. There was so little to do.

An excerpt from his Feb 1944 diary (shortly before he was shot down on the 29th…he survived a dreadful ordeal in Rangoon Jail) records a night playing in the Officers Mess, and the results the following day:

Finally, here’s Don in 1996 — still a popular piano player in his area (Mytholmroyd and Hebden Bridge, W. Yorks). This is at his home:

Some years ago now the publishers of Flypast magazine published a lovely little book on aviation themed pubs cant find mine at the moment but it really is worth getting

ng if you can find one BRIAN C D

I remember that book, but I think it was more about aviation themed pubs rather than those used by WW2 Aircrew, for instance, ‘The Flying Fortress’ at Rougham was a farmhouse during the war, but opened as a pub / restaurant in 1988. Nevertheless, it was an excellent little book & I also have a copy somewhere, time to search the loft, I think! Brian, I’ll let you know if I find it.

Back to WW2 & The Bell at Halton Holgate was a popular haunt for aircrews from nearby RAF Spilsby & I believe the Bell Inn at Tong in Staffordshire was used by personnel from RAF Cosford.

Regards, Rich.

John, there was a sergeants mess which of course included a mess room and a bar. Some places had a similar corporals mess, but the airmen had a mess room for meals and a separate NAAFI bar.

The Crown Inn at Little Walden (http://www.thecrownlittlewalden.co.uk/) has photos on its walls of RAF Little Walden/Hadstock from when the USAAF were there. Food and beer usually quite good and still retains much of its rustic charms.

A question about wartime RAF bases in the UK.

We know they had officers’ mess…where the officers ate/drank.
Did the NCO and or ORs have a on-base bar or club?

Today I passed The Pheasant pub a couple of miles from the site of RAF Membury, was this pub an airmen’s refuge?

Betty’s bar, York.

I had tea and scones there a few years ago. The signed mirror is still present.

https://www.bettys.co.uk/tea-rooms/locations/york

Cees

I spoke to a 578 sqn Flight Engineer who said the ordinary ranks could never get in Betty’s as it was always full. They used to frequent the Willow cafe just round the corner in Coney Street. It was still there until it closed last year. Being a Chinese resurarant for the last forty years.

I think the Canadians drank in the Black Swan on Peasholme green and the free French in the Kings Arms on Kings Staith in York.

My Grandfather was the landlord of the Black Swan in Wetwang during the war. They got crews from nearby Driffield in there. (My dad did once told me that they got Cheshire in there, but he was nine at the time).

No problem Gerry

With the old vicarage in Oving things have certainly changed for the better, now known as St Andrews house and on the market for £1.85million!!

Hi Pigsear,
Yes, that must be correct. Thank you.
It ties in perfectly with the rest of the story.
Basically, for a few weeks during and just after the Battle of Britain the Sergeants had to stay in the old vickerage at Oving. They lived very poorly here, sleeping on straw bedding with just one blanket.
The owner of the Hotel felt sorry for them and used to let them sleep overnight for nothing, one at a time.
Gerry

I often stop at the Black Tiles in Martlesham Heath, Suffolk on my cycle home from work. Located at the end of what was the runway.

There is a framed written piece about the pub and it’s close links with the airfield on the wall and a drawing of a C-46 on approach to the runway as it flies over the pub but otherwise it’s quite recently renovated so no original history remains.

It’s a nice pub for a pint of Adnams and the food is pretty good too!

ETA
http://www.blacktiles.co.uk/about/

Hi all,

I have a pub related query that one of you may be able to answer.
I knew an air gunner that flew during the Battle of Britain.
He had served at Tangmere and recalled that they used a pub that was very close to the Aerodrome named ‘The Tangmere Arms’.
Despite searching for records of this pub I haven’t been able to find anything to confirm its existence.
Can anyone confirm that there was a pub located next to the airfield named The Tangmere Arms.
Cheers in advance
Gerry

I suspect the location in question was the ‘Tangmere Hotel’ which was demolished during the runway extensions , rather confusingly this was situated to the South of Tangmere village and much closer to Oving. An old parish map from the mid 1800’s places the pub near to where the present day footpath from Oving to Tangmere starts on the SW corner of the old peri-track.

The Trap at Broomhill 1 mile from RAF Acklington.

Some years ago now the publishers of Flypast magazine published a lovely little book on aviation themed pubs cant find mine at the moment but it really is worth getting

ng if you can find one BRIAN C D

The chequers in Fowlmere It’s sign has red and white cheque on one side and blue and white on the other to remember the usaf 339th and the RAF 19 squadron

At RAF Hartford Bridge/Blackbushe

The Ely just to the East on the A30. Later used by the US Navy for visiting aircrew in the 50’s.
The Anchor Inn on Vigo lane. Back in the 50’s/60’s still had graffiti carvings from WW2 Boston crews, removed in a refit!
The Cricketers on Cricket Hill. The Cricket pitch has not been used since WW2 when it was occupied by barrack huts. The pub remained open and was a popular billet.
The Crown and Cushion just to the south, now my local.
Amazingly all these are still going!

the Woolpack at North Weald before it was bombed out in the BoB

Hi all,

I have a pub related query that one of you may be able to answer.
I knew an air gunner that flew during the Battle of Britain.
He had served at Tangmere and recalled that they used a pub that was very close to the Aerodrome named ‘The Tangmere Arms’.
Despite searching for records of this pub I haven’t been able to find anything to confirm its existence.
Can anyone confirm that there was a pub located next to the airfield named The Tangmere Arms.
Cheers in advance
Gerry

Hi Bomberboy,

You’re absolutely right – sadly the previous memorial was stolen 10 years or so ago hence the security fence round the present one.

Thanks Mothminor.
Sometimes you remember things, but have nothing to show what you mean and so you start to think, have I dreamped it up?
FFS though, what is it with people?
Stealing a memorial!
Sadly it is not the first and no one can say it will be the last, as there are and always will be, people with out any sense of honour or scruples other than when it is directly in front of their own ‘bubble’, yet they’ll be the first to shout when something of ‘theirs’ is compromised and defaced.

As a regular haunt of mine in the late 70’s/early 80’s, there used to be a different memorial there. I’m sure it used to be much smaller and was ‘polished metal’, but it was still mounted up in the air.
I certainly don’t remember it having some kind of fencing around it!

Hi Bomberboy,

You’re absolutely right – sadly the previous memorial was stolen 10 years or so ago hence the security fence round the present one.

Got quite a surprise recently when we found the place we had booked into for a family occasion was beside a pub used by 303 Squadron personnel while at Northolt! The Orchard in Ruislip. Nice little memorial in the garden and a framed, signed painting indoors.

As a regular haunt of mine in the late 70’s/early 80’s, there used to be a different memorial there. I’m sure it used to be much smaller and was ‘polished metal’, but it was still mounted up in the air.
I certainly don’t remember it having some kind of fencing around it!