One of the great things about this website (that sounds egotistical, but I shall continue) is the amount of feedback I receive from visitors. Most leave memories of their times at the places I visit. Some leave compliments. And very very rarely I get tip-offs about locations. “Steve” left one such comment regarding RAF Bodney and sent a photo of the control tower there. I had a spare morning so decided to visit…
Wikipedia has a ton of info about the place, including an aerial photo showing two hangars. I missed those areas so don’t know if they’re still there.
Control tower
It was windowless, full of pigeons and swallows, didn’t smell..
Underground battle HQ
It was flooded and I didn’t have good shoes with me, so I didn’t go in very far…
Guard/pillbox
This seemed really tall!
Bomb shelter
There was a dead deer in here.
Some random buildings
There were some random buildings scattered around in the forests.
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Mike, sorry I missed your note on this site, just have not looked for the last 3 weeks.
When you are home contact Punhy Powell, Sam Sox or Marc Hamel and ask for my email address and phone number.
When you come over next time perhaps we could meet up and I’ll take you there and hopefully show you around. I am the 352nd FG UK contact, perhaps we#ll meet next time?
Hi, I first “discovered” Bodney in 1970 while looking for old 8th AF bases. I was amazed, standing there on a warm autumn day, how tranquil and atmospheric the place was. It looked as if no one had done much since the last truck rolled out through the gate in 1945.
I still visit when in the area, but I tread lightly It is an important memorial to those who served there, and who played no small part in the largest aerial confrontation in history.
I drove past Bodney on 25th April on my way home from Norwich ,and looked for some info when i got home,and found this site.Iam a member of the B-17 Preservation group(Sally B) and frequently visit Duxford,I have visited a few of the 8th AAF sites ,Deenethorpe,Grafton Underwood,Kings Cliffe and Polebrook and agree with previous comments that they are peaceful ,serene places,a bit different to 65 years ago!
I hope to visit the 100th BG museum at Thorpe Abbotts soon and would be grateful if anyone could suggest any other sites and museums worth visiting nearby.
i work for bowes farms who own bodney contol tower, and work the land around the area, i was looking round it today in my dinner break certainly many stories to be told and history there
Mark,
Can I contact you? I am the contact for the 352nd Fighter Group in England and also my father helped to build the airfield in WWll, his first major project was the Tower that is just about standing. I lived in Great Cressingham until I was 8 1/2 years old, I will be in the area on Saturday morning 21st May.
Can contact me at: waspph@yahoo.co.uk
i m sorry for the delaybill, havent been on here for while, will send you an email. at current steps to bunker are full of soil so couldnt go down had look round woods found foundations with a chimney still standing not sure what that was also possibly toilet block ???? few cubicals in a building near the tower also near what we call pil box at the side of the road did this you to be a petrol pump ? the building with a pit in it i think was the fire station found a few more bunkers near the tar mac pads wear the air craft were tetered down
I would love to know more about my uncle, Pilot officer Courtney John Harper, from Cinco Saltos, Rio Negro Argentina, who volunteered to go to the second world war , I am not sure of his dates but he was born in July, probably 1918. All I know is that he belonged to the 82nd squadron in Bodney, Norfolk, and that he was shot down on a mission to Mazingarbe. Neither his Blenheim plane, nor his body were ever found presumed sunk in the English Channel. but I was informed that his name is commemorated on panel32 of the Runnymede Memorial.
I live in Santiago Chile, and the Harpers in Argentina have not survived, except for a niece of Courtneys. But she has no further information either.
Now with internet I am hoping that there may be some records I could consult….
Hopefully
Meriel
Hi Meriel,
I am more acquainted with the 352nd FG but I do have the RAF interest at Bodney at heart as well. Give me a bit of time and I will try to get some information for you. If you have any more information this would possibly help.