Harpswell
HARPSWELL: Military aerodrome (Later to become RAF HEMSWELL in 1937)
Note: This picture was obtained from Google Earth ©. The second picture is by the author and taken through perspex.
Military users: RFC/RAF (Royal Flying Corps / Royal Air Force
Night Landing Ground for 33 [Home Defence] Sqdn
(Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2, F.E.2. Later Bristol Fighters and later still Avro 504s.)
RAF Night Training Squadron Station
Location: Just NE of Harpswell village on the A631, E of the B1398 and about 7nm E of Gainsborough town centre
Period of operation: 1916 to 1919
Site area: 152 acres 869 x 732
NOTES: HARPSWELL is as good as any to illustrate that the period of operation for any airfield is invariably far less than the period involved in initially constructing and later de-commissioning the site. Relinquishment was initially requested in November 1919 but confirmed in January 1920…speedy stuff in those days!
No.33 Squadron was employed, mostly, to counter the 'Zeppelin' threat. 'Zeppelin' being the generic term for German airships. Not all being built by Zeppelin. It appears that 33 Squadron tried several airship interceptions, but none were shot down. In fact, very few were.
Perhaps needless to say, trying to find an airship at night over such a vast area, without any radio communications, let alone radar, was a thankless task at best. But such was the anxiety shown by the British public at that time, the RFC (later the RAF), had to be shown to be doing something. The amount of damage done by bombs dropped from German airships was negligible.
But, as we now know, the fear generated, (by the unknown), is not rational. Plus of course, the press and nowadays the media, love to ramp this up.
All the more remarkable it would appear, compared to the stoicism and resilience of the British public when the 'Blitz' attacks occurred some twenty or so years later. Which makes one wonder just why the German people would be thought to crumble when RAF Bomber Command launched its offensive? They did not of course even when the devastation wreaked became many, many times worse than the 'Blitz' campaign on the UK.
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