All policies are administered by Lumley Auto Ltd and are underwritten by:

 AXA Insurance UK Plc
 - Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
 - Tyre Insurance
 - MOT Insurance
 - Total Loss Protection

 AXA Assistance
 - Key Protection

 Autohome Ltd
 - National Roadside Assistance

The History of a Bomber Squadron - Article Published on 21 October 2005

East Kirkby was a typical quiet South Lincolnshire farming village, population on a good day, 200 souls in 1939. Then along came Adolph and the War!!! It is about ten miles from RAF Coningsby, a pre-war base that has housed the RAF, since the dawn of aviation.

The first change for East Kirkby came because of its proximity to Coningsby. Adolph and his mate Herman decided to put the RAF out of business, he bombed our bases. The easy way to protect such a large target was to give them another nearby. What better than a dummy airfield? All you need is a big open space and some help from the film industry. East Kirkby had lots of open space. Early in 1940 some guys arrived from the RAF, set up a dummy flare path, placed some cardboard aeroplanes around it, built a few mock wood and canvas hangers, plus quite a few very real anti-aircraft guns! Apparently the joke in the area goes, "Within a few months the Germans were dropping wooden bombs to match the wooden buildings!!!" I don't know, but there was a true story about another dummy airfield near Holt in North Norfolk. The crew of a German bomber, after parachuting, were being marched back to the coast by the pilot. The local village policeman spotted them and shouted, "Halt, About Turn, Quick March." He marched them back to Holt police station. Back to East Kirkby!

It turned out that Adolph, had quite a good army. We sent our finest to help the French. Adolph and his boys showed us just how out of date our finest were. Dunkirk, Rotten Trick!!! Now the only way we had of getting our own back was by the RAF using it's obsolete bombers. These comprised mostly of Hudsons, Ansons, and Wellingtons. None were a match for the German fighters, and they could not get high enough to avoid German anti-aircraft fire. In any case we didn't have nearly enough of them, nor did we have enough bases. Somebody remembered those nice flat open fields of this part of South Lincolnshire. Pretty soon the village pub, the Red Lion, was ordering up thousands of bottles of Guinness for all the Irish construction workers that had appeared in the village.

The new airfield was given two 1,400 yard runways in 'A' configuration, plus a 2000yard main runway crossing the 'A'. It was completed and handed over to the RAF in August 1943. The Red Lion changed its order for Guinness to several thousand gallons of English Bitter! The Station was now the property of 5 Group, who posted in, much to their disgust, 57 Squadron. They had been on one of those comfortable pre-war fields with centrally heated billets and messes, now they had to put up with Nissan huts heated by cast iron pot bellied stoves. Besides, winter was coming on. Most unreasonable!

The arrival of 57 Squadron on the 27th August 1943 must have been a very noisy occasion; they were equipped with the latest Lancasters. Four big Merlins made quite a din. The quiet after their arrival didn't last long. On the afternoon of the 30th fourteen crews were briefed by candlelight, power hadn't been connected, and were told to go to Monchengladbach. On that occasion all returned safely. On the 3rd/4th September the 14 were once more in the air, this time, despite the fact that Herman had said, "If any bombs drop on Berlin, you may call me Swinehunt!" they were going to Berlin! Adolph was not amused. He rang Herman and said one word, "Swinehunt!" 57 was not so lucky on this trip though, one failed to return. 57 Squadron strength continued to increase, 22 aircraft took part in the Hanover raid. On their return they found themselves joined in the circuit by a German night fighter. The returning aircraft were given the order to disperse and the runway lights switched off. It was too late for 'S' sugar. Two crew escaped by parachute. Aircraft strength continued to rise, so did casualties. Early in 1944 it was decided that 57 Squadron had grown just too big and a new squadron was formed from 57 squadron's 'C' flight to be known as 630 Squadron. 630 and 57 Squadrons were to serve from East Kirkby for the rest of the war.

Life did have its funnier moments, one such incident occurred at Christmas. 57's officers served the traditional Christmas dinner to the other ranks, then returned to their own mess to settle down before a nice log fire. One bet a particularly luscious WAAF intelligence officer that she would not dare to throw an innocuous looking brown paper bag on the fire. Gullible Girl! She did, it was filled with the contents of several very-pistol cartridges!

East Kirkby was also the base from which Wing Commander Guy Gibson of Dam Buster fame flew for the last time. He was officially grounded but, whilst on a visit to the station, persuaded Squadron Leader Wyness, 57's 'B' flight commander, to take him along on a raid. Having enjoyed the trip he returned a few nights later, this time he talked Squadron Leader Miller flying 630's N-NAN to take him on a raid to Paris. They failed to return.

All wars come to an end, the last raid flown by crews from East Kirkby occurred on the 26th of April 1945. It was a trip to Kiel, all crews returned safely. With no more targets to drop bombs on, East Kirkby aircraft were briefed to fly back released prisoners of war from Germany. Many had been crews from East Kirkby in the first place. Shortly after VE day 630 Squadron was the first to be disbanded. In its short history it had flown 2.453 sorties including all sixteen raids in the so-called battle of Berlin. Not counting mines dropped, it had dropped 10,347 tons of bombs at a cost of 70 Lancaster's lost, and won more than 70 decorations for bravery.

57 Squadron flew on. They were now employed flying men back from Italy on leave. Eventually the Lancasters were replaced by Lincolns. The Squadron was effectively disbanded on the 27th of November 1946 and East Kirkby was mothballed. During the war 57 Squadron had, in its various aircraft, Blenheims, Wellingtons and Lancasters flown 5000 sorties for the loss of 172 aircraft. They had collectively received nearly 200 awards for gallantry. They were later re-formed to fly Victor Tankers, their last mission being to refuel the Vulcan, that carried out the longest bombing mission ever, when it bombed Stanley Airport during the Falklands War.

The station was used by RAF Coningsby as a diversion strip for a while. The Mosquitoes of 139 squadron becoming regular visitors. But in October 1946 the Coningsby runway was found to be breaking up, and the station was closed to have the runway re-laid. 139 moved in to East Kirkby until the work was complete. On the 14th of March 1947 No 231 Operational conversion unit was formed at the now rebuilt Coningsby. They were to use both Oxfords and Ansons operating nominally from Coningsby but actually from East Kirkby. By the 3rd of February 1948 East Kirkby runways fell foul of the usual complaint, runway break-up. Within a fortnight it was closed.

The station was for a short time re-opened for USAF use during the fifties and the cold war. After the Americans left the 63rd, 61st and 64th Air Rescue Squadrons used the base until 1955 when it was finally closed down. Crop-spraying companies moved in, three operating from the site at one time. In addition a flying club took over one of the old hangars. Much of the field however returned to farming.

In 1984 the Lincolnshire Aviation Trust was looking for a new home. They took over the area next to the old ATC building. Since then they, and the 57 and 630 Squadron Societies with the help of the Panton brothers, local farmers whose elder brother was killed on a raid over Germany have been operating the site as a museum. The hangar now houses an almost airworthy Lancaster, should anything happen to the City of Lincoln, part of the Historic Flight, then this aircraft would probably be its successor. Exhibits of bits and pieces brought back from various crash investigation sites, a lot of historic airfield vehicles, the nose and cockpit section of a Canberra B2 for visiting kids to climb about in, plus acres of wartime photo displays. Outside, the ATC building has been renovated and set up as though a raid was in progress. The station chapel has one wall lined completely with the names of the dead of 630 Squadron the other with the names of those who died while serving with 57 Squadron. They also have a unique small museum commemorating the men who escaped from Germany and those who risked their lives to help them. Other buildings are made up of a small hangar which houses a partly rebuilt Hamden, the only one in existence, and the usual displays of civil life during the blitz, plus a NAFFI canteen which still serves 'Char and a Wad', and even knows what 'half a Cow and a Cat' is.

A small museum, which is fast getting an international reputation, and a must for a visit if you are ever in South Lincolnshire. The museum, with the exception of visits inside the Lancaster, and the upper floors of the ATC building, are completely wheelchair accessible, for those in need, there is a disabled loo on site. Ex Lancaster crews will get an especially warm welcome.