Page 24 - Dennis Ovenden

No. 50 was the sole resident at Lindholme until June 1941, when a new Canadian-manned
bomber squadron, No. 408 Squadron RCAF was raised there. This squadron was equipped with
Hampdens and, once having found its feet, it was moved to Syerston to begin operations in July.
The following month, Lindholme was one of a number of No.5 Group stations handed over to
No.1 Group, as a result of which No.5 Group moved its No.50 Squadron to RAF Swinderby. From
RAF Syerston, No.1 Group moved in two of the Polish squadrons under its charge – Nos.304 and
305 – both flying Vickers Wellingtons. These two squadrons, having been operational since April,
continued their contribution to Bomber Command's offensive from the new station throughout the
following winter. In May 1942, No.304 Squadron was detached to assist RAF Coastal Command
but the detachment soon became an assignment and did not return to RAF Bomber Command.
Two months later No. 305 squadron was transferred to RAF Hemswell to concentrate
Polish-manned bomber squadrons on one station.

During the first two years of war, a bomb store had been constructed on the far side of the A614
as had a taxi spur with three frying pan dispersals. A perimeter track and over 30 frying pan type
dispersals had also been built during this period. By 1942 Lindholme was due for upgrading and
the construction of concrete runways was put in hand. However, extension of the airfield was
somewhat restricted by the Hatfield Moor Drain on the eastern boundary but more land was
acquired to the north necessitating the closure of two roads, one to the hamlet of Lindholme.
Because of these physical restrictions, only two runways were built, 14–32 and 04–22, both of
which were extended to 1,400 yards and 2,000 yards respectively. A new bomb store was
fashioned on land to the north of the station, which resulted in obstruction of seven dispersals.
Two others were lost due to the construction of a new perimeter track. Even so, the station ended
up with 41 frying pan type dispersals and one loop type. A few additional camp sites were added
to the south of the main area giving the station maximum accommodation for
2,192 men and 365 females.

Heavy Conversion Unit

Re-opened for flying in late October 1942, No.1656 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) moved in with a
few Avro Lancasters and Avro Manchesters from RAF Breighton to serve No. 1 Group's
conversion to the former type. Now an operational training base, over the next two years
Lindholme was host to other units with an instructional mission. Both Lancaster and Handley Page
Halifax crews were converted here to type with No.1667 HCU being established on the airfield in
June 1943, moving out to RAF Faldingworth in October. In November the same year, No.1
rd
Lancaster Finishing School was activated using existing flights with a similar mission. On the 3
November 1944, the station became No.71 Base under the new No. 7 training Group. Meanwhile,
No.1656 HCU remained at Lindholme until November 1945 when many Bomber Command units
were disbanded. During the war, a total of 76 bombers were lost on operations flying from this
airfield: 40 Hampdens, 35 Wellingtons and a single Lancaster. Post war the site, which occupies
128 acres, re-opened as a prison in 1985. Many of the original buildings and hangars from the
RAF station are still in use as prison accommodation, offices and workshops, although these have
been augmented by new buildings.