Grimsby flying sites
GRIMSBY see also LITTLE COATES FARM
GRIMSBY: Temporary Landing Ground - see seperate entry for WALTHAM
GRIMSBY: Military aerodrome
(Previously known as WALTHAM from the 1930s - see seperate entry)
Note: This picture was obtained from Google Earth ©
Military users: RAF Bomber Command 1 Group
100 & 550 Sqdns (Avro Lancasters)
142 Sqdn (Vickers Wellingtons)
Location: Just W of Holton le Clay and SE of Waltham villages, W of A16 & 9nm S of Grimsby
Period of operation: Military: 1941 to 1946
Runways: 18/36 1829x46 hard 06/24 1280x46 hard
12/30 1006x46 hard
NOTES: In the 1939 Reading Aero Club airfield guide GRIMSBY is listed as a civil aerodrome - as opposed to listing WALTHAM. Were they referring to this site? - I think they probably were.
A VERY SMALL ISSUE?
Why was runway 12/30 a fair bit shorter than the standard 1280m length for landing? This said I suppose all runways were used for landing for various exercises when the aircraft were well below AUW limits?
AN ASPECT OF WW2
The vicissitudes of war are legendary of course and so it was for 100 Squadron especially because any kind of promotion seemed to signal the demise of other aircrew members shortly before! Equally unsettling, certainly for those of us born after WW2, are the many tales of aircrew members being convinced that they would not be coming back and saying so, or leaving signs to this effect. And indeed, they did not return - but, still clambered aboard their aircraft to knowingly sacrifice their lives in the hope that the war would be won in our favour. An outcome by no means guaranteed until at least the middle of 1943.
GRIMSBY: Private airstrip (Aka LIMBER HILL)
Operated by: Mr J E M Patrick
Location: ?
Period of operation: Probably 1981 to 1996?
Runway: 04/22 500x20 grass
NOTES: As can be seen, clearly next to nothing known. If anybody can kindly offer advice, this will be most welcome.
In 2021 Mr Graham Frost, a great friend of this 'Guide', tells us that the Reims Cessna F172P Skyhawk, G-BING, was based here? Registered to Mr J E M Patrick with an address in LImber Hill from 01.09.81 to 07.10.1996. To date, (July 2022), no evidence of where the airstrip was situated has been found. Perhaps somebody can kindly solve this?
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