Comments on: Rougham Airfield – Suffolk

By: s dale

s dale — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:17:00 +0000

as a very small child i lived on the eldo farm, once part of the air base. my father and grandfather grew up there also. Im extremely sad to see most of it demolished and i have a great interest in the history of both the farm and the airbase. I visited both regulary even after i moved away at 3 years old.
Id be most grateful if anyone has any pre-industrial estate photos of the base or farm.

By: col hayward

col hayward — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:57:55 +0000

Thought the strip was called Great Barton.When I was a kid I used to stay at Highfields where was aunt was working/caretaking. The farm was owned by a Mr Crack. I have vivid memories of being on the crossbar of my grandfather’s bike next to the strip and seeing one of the Yank bombers coming in with one wheel up-it cartwheeled a couple of times but didn’t burn (luckily). There was a dispersal next to the farm and the mechanics used to sling bits of u/s US equipment over the fence sometimes.Also remember having lollies and chewing gum from the airmen who used to give us all kinds of luxury bits like tins of ham.It’s a wonder I ended up in Oz rather than the States.I hope that they keep the tower as a memorial- I think a lot of planes never came back from that strip.
CH

By: Stephen Clark

Stephen Clark — Sat, 24 May 2008 22:05:08 +0000

I am an instructor with the Air Training Corps and am running a project with the cadets on UK aviation archaeology.

If any of you can send any information on any UK aviation site I would be most thankful. Likewise any photographs, drawings, maps, plans.

thanks

Stephen Clark CI 2211 ATC

Mobile 07715 749484

By: Bernard Wills

Bernard Wills — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 20:44:25 +0000

As a boy of 10 to 11 when I lived in Bury from 1954 to 55 I used to cycle the runways and the not-long-abandoned buildings, dreaming at that age of the deeds done not long before. I have, to this day, a live (but emptied) .50 cannon shell picked up at the edge of a unway, and that was not fired in anger overGermany on a mission. How I still dream of those days and marvel at my fascination, even at that age, for the wonder of those wartime endeavours.

By: Andy Hill

Andy Hill — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 00:47:39 +0000

I was just there (Sept 2007) and there are also a couple of Nissen huts in the bush by the Grain Stores as you enter the Rougham Industrial Park. They were used by the Photo Recon section to develop film etc., and the wood from the door lintels labelling what room did what are on display in the control tower/museum upstairs.

Sadly, only one of the T2 hangars remains – the second one being demolished by the Council in, I think, 2004. I imagine that made perfect sense to somebody – but that ‘somebody’ would’ve been an enemy of History.

By: Gemma Long

Gemma Long — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 13:33:31 +0000

brilliant website – history no matter how old is a gift to us – it makes me feel like a small child again in a huge and wonderful world!

By: texaspetey

texaspetey — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 11:31:24 +0000

You missed out the huge bomb crater that is in the woods near some of the bomb storage bays. it is huge – no wonder the hall is a ruin today!

By: aaron collinson

aaron collinson — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 16:52:57 +0000

i also have a load of pictures of stow marries 1st w w air base.