RAF Metheringham

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During 1942, around 600 acres (2.4 km²) of farmland and woods were cleared to create a new airfield for 5 Group, Bomber Command. Situated between the villages of Metheringham and Martin, the airfield opened in October 1943. Although far from complete, it was soon home to 106 Sqn . Despite having only a week to settle in, the Squadron was operational in time for the opening of the Battle of Berlin, and RAF Metheringham went to war on 18th November 1943. The war in Europe was over 22 months later, and having flown over 200 operations and suffering losses of 57 Lancasters which failed to return from operations, the Squadron then prepared to depart for the war in the Far East as part of 'Tiger Force'. With the end of the war in the Far East in September 1945, the Squadron disbanded some 6 months later. Of no further use to the RAF, the airfield was closed in the spring of 1946 and once again returned to agriculture.

Opened: 1943

Closed: 1946

Airfield code: MN

Squadrons based here:

106 Sqn :: Nov 1943 - Feb 1946
110 Sqn :: Nov 1943 -
467 Sqn RAAF :: Jun 1945 - Oct 1945
189 Sqn :: Oct 1945 -

1690 Bomber Defence Flight ::

Bomber station originally assigned to 5 Gp.

The class 'A' standard airfield was built during 1942 and 1943, located largely in the Parish of Martin The runways were to the standard specification with the main 02-20 runway at 2000 yds and 13-31 and 07-25 at 1,400 yds.

One of the standard T2 hangars was placed on the technical site, which was alongside the B1189 near Linwood Grange, between runway heads 02 and 07, and the other off the east perimeter track between runway heads 25 and 31. A B1 hangar lay north of runway head 13 near Barff Farm. The bomb store was situated around Blackthorn Holt and other woodland between runway heads 13 and 20. The camp sites were built directly south around the B1189 and consisted of one mess, one communal, one WAAF, four domestic and a sick quarters. Accommodation was scaled for 1685 males and 345 females.

Metheringham was one of the handful of RAF bases to be equipped with FIDO for fog dispersal.

106 and 110 Sqns were the initial residents at Metheringham moving in in Nov 1943. By the end of hostilities 106 Sqn had lost 65 Lancaster in operations flown from the airfield. After VE-Day, 467 Sqn RAAF arrived to train with 106 Sqn for operations in the Far East. The end of the war overtook this plan and 467 Sqn disbanded at the start of Oct 1945. 189 Sqn took its place but this too was soon stood down. 106 Squadron endured until Feb 1946 when it too disbanded. RAF Metheringham was closed to flying shortly thereafter.

Although the airfield site remained fairly intact until the 1950s, hangars and most of the domestic buildings were demolished by 1970. The airfield was sold off for farming in 1961/62 with some hardstandings removed. Parts of runways 07-25 and 13-31 were pressed into service to to reinstate two minor roads subsumed into the airfield. Several technical site buildings remain in use for commercial purposes.

Today, there are still signs of this once active airfield. On the Communual Site, where many original buildings remain, the former ration store has been restored and now houses a fascinating exhibition of photographs and memorabilia recalling life on an operational Second World War airfield. Close by are the remains of the concrete runways and perimeter tracks, and the recently erected memorial to 106 Squadron. RAF Metheringham Airfield Visitor Centre is based at the airfield site in the former ration store.

There is a book available entitled In the Middle of Nowhere: The History of RAF Metheringham (Richard Bailey, 1999). A detailed account of the history of RAF Metheringham and 106 Sqn during World War II.