Herald - Issue 423

Page 20 • The HERALD • 12th May 2022 v SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES v New Forest Scaffolding All aspects of scaffolding undertaken • Extensions • Chimneys • Re-Roofing • New Builds etc For a friendly, local, reliable service and a free quotation Telephone: 07734 476855 www.newforestscaffolding.co.uk Full Liability Insurance Lychette Cottage, Roughdown, Blackfield SO45 1XG WILLIS DECORATING & JOINERY SERVICES Est Since 1986 Interior & Exterior Painting & Decorating Wallpaper Hanging Hand-painted Kitchens & Spray Finishes Wardrobes, Bookcases, Radiator Covers Call David on 023 8084 9800 or 07946 048261 E: david.willis24@btinternet.com DECORATING Interior and Exterior Established 1985 07867 528307 mark.blake.decorating@gmail.com J Webber Gas and Heating Services Installations, Alterations, Breakdowns and Maintenance Tel: 07825 018023 Email: webberjim77@gmail.com During the Second World War, the local area was a hive of aviation activity with air elds and bases such as RAF Beaulieu and Calshot. But there were also smaller air elds that would play a huge part in the Allied victory. Two of those air elds were RAF Lymington and RAF Needs Oar Point. If you walk past them today you might not even realise what they once were, as they now appear to be rather nondescript elds. But during WW2 both were temporary Advanced Landing Grounds constructed in preparation for D-Day and the Allied invasion of Europe. ey didn’t have many buildings or concrete runways, but instead used steel planks laid onto the grass for aircra to land and take o from. Despite this rather basic, yet e ective construction, both air elds were extremely busy. For example, RAF Needs Oar Point was constructed on elds to the south of Bucklers Hard and became home to 4 squadrons of Hawker Typhoons supported by 900 ground crew. It’s said that the ghter bombers were taking o every 45 seconds during the spring and summer of 1944. RAF Lymington was situated in elds to the east of Walhampton School and was used by the USAAF 50th Fighter Group. ey arrived from Florida in April 1944 and would y missions over France in P-47 underbolts. a few months when the air eld was active. He wrote this poem which you can see displayed next to one of the elds on a commemoration board. Forest Fields by Michael Renyard Pause when you see these fields of green, Where once a thousand men were seen. Some flying off to war, To see these fields of green no more. Some to stay, to pave the way, For you to stand on these fields of green. Remember them as you stand so free, Gazing o’er the grass and to the sea, Where once a thousand men were seen. They gave for us these fields of green. How These Local ‘Fields of Green’ Played a Huge Role in WW2 by Marc Heighway, local history enthusiast Airmen of 266 Squadron at Needs Oar Point in May 1944 Needs Oar Point in 2022 Sadly, there’s very little evidence le of the two air elds to this day. Needs Oar Point was returned to agricultural use in 1945 and Lymington eventually closed in 1946. A hangar remains at Lymington and has been re-roofed this century as the eld has occasionally been used as a private airstrip. But aside from that, both are now simply elds of green grass with stunning views of the Isle of Wight. ese would have been the same views those men had before they ew o into the distance and over the Channel, not knowing if they would ever return… and some never did. I’d like to leave the last words to Michael Renyard. He was a small boy living next to RAF Needs Oar Point during WW2. In fact, he still lives in the same cottage to this day, which was used to accommodate pilots for RAF Beaulieu Airfield History Exhibition Go and explore the history of RAF Beaulieu from the Second World War to present day at the RAF Beaulieu Airfield History Exhibition in June. e exhibition will take place at East Boldre Village Hall and will be open over the Jubilee bank holiday weekend from 10am to 4pm on Thursday 2nd, Friday 3rd, Saturday 4th, and Sunday 5th June. On display will be never seen before photos, lm footage, and panels with some surprising stories and history. You can also view physical artefacts from the New Forest’s wartime history as well as the opportunity to watch a narrated ight sim y through of Beaulieu Air eld as it would have been in 1943. Other exhibitors on local wartime history will also be there, plus some of the late Alan Brown’s work on the 12 New Forest Air elds which are being restored in his memory. ere will be a very small nominal entrance fee on the door, with proceeds from the exhibition going towards the regeneration of East Boldre Village Hall which is on the site of the World War 1 air eld across the road from RAF Beaulieu. If you have any stories or memories from Beaulieu Air eld that you would like to submit, or for more information, please visit: www.rafbeaulieu.co.uk or email Marc: mheighway@hotmail.com