Bawtry Hall
BAWTRY HALL: Civil Landing Ground
Operated by: In 1933 the contact was: “The Aerodrome Warden, G Long, South Lodge, Bawtry Hall”
Period of operation: 1930s only?
Runway: Max. run: 320 grass
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
Note: The second item was published in the Liverpool Echo on the 20th October 1931.
In those days it would generally be frowned upon for a Prime Minister to risk flying in a light aircraft. Let alone with his daughter in another. Ramsay MacDonald (Labour) actually had two spells as Prime Minister, firstly from January to November 1924, then from June 1929 to 1935. This period including the 'Great Depression'.
Note: The article concerning the crash was published in the Leeds Mercury on the 5th December 1932.
NOTES: According to info published by the Airfield Research Group this was an AA (Automobile Association) approved Landing Ground and fuel was available. It is also mentioned that the site had one hangar.
Alan Cobham’s No.1 Tour used a venue in/near Bawtry on the 9th June 1933. But, did they use this Landing Ground?
WW2 HISTORY
There appears quite a bit of confusion in certain circles regarding the role of BAWTRY HALL in WW2 as a bomber base and for many years later. It appears that RAF Bomber Command had a HQ based here but the nearest airfield was actually RAF BIRCOTES, virtually next door. These sites are on a County boundary so whereas BAWTRY HALL is in (YORKSHIRE) in a region now known as South Yorkshire, RAF BIRCOTES is in NOTTINGHAMSHIRE.
During WW2, from 1941, RAF BAWTRY HALL was the HQ for 1 Group Bomber Command and was responsible for the bomber bases at BINBROOK, ELSHAM WOLDS, GRIMSBY, INGHAM, KELSTERN, KIRMINGTON, LUDFORD MAGNA and WICKENBY. But not apparently RAF BIRCOTES! If this is correct it seems to beggar belief but is quite consistent with the often barmy way the RAF top brass organised their operations during WW2. I expect the excuse was that BIRCOTES was too close for comfort and secrets could be leaked out – but this happened anyway.
However, it appears that I Group HQ had several communications aircraft based at RAF BIRCOTES.
Later on during the ‘Cold War’ and until 1984 it became the HQ for Strike Command and one of the last, if not the last major operation co-ordinated here was the bombing of Port Stanley in the Falklands Isles by Avro Vulcans based at RAF WADDINGTON.
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