King's Cliffe Airfield Museum opens at Rockingham Holiday Park near Wansford

A museum showcasing the history of an abandoned airfield has opened.

Teacher Mike Murray first had the idea for a museum in tribute to King’s Cliffe Airfield in 2013, and after 11 years it is finally a reality.

Over the years the 49-year-old had been gathering artefacts which he stored in the garage of his King’s Cliffe home and spent many hours researching the history of the airfield, so when he was offered a building at Rockingham Forest Holiday Park near Wansford he already had the makings of a museum.

The rest of the items, like pin boards and display cabinets, were donated or bought for a small cost from Facebook Marketplace.

For as long as he can remember, Mike has always had an interest in military airfields.

He said: “I grew up in Suffolk surrounded by airfields and used to go off on bike rides looking for them.

“Like most boys growing up in the 1980s I had a thing for Second World War and at the weekends there would always be a war film showing, you would be told about it in school and there would still be veterans who served in the war.”

The airfield itself, located between King’s Cliffe and Wansford, is just a short walk away from the museum.

Mike, who moved to the area in 2012 said: “It is important that people know about the airfield, and more so the people who once were here.

“People from all around the world came to a tiny and quiet part of Northamptonshire.

“For an awful lot of people this was the last place they were before they died.

“It’s important that it's not forgotten.”

King’s Cliffe Airfield was built towards the start of the Second World War and housed the 266 Rhodesia Squadron and their Spitfire aircraft.

In August 1943 it was transferred to the American 20th Fighter Group, which escorted US bombers in P-38 Lightnings and P-51 Mustangs, and remained at the airfield until October 1945.

“It would have been an absolute hub of noise and activity, particularly when the Americans were here,” said Mike.

A number of artefacts which were dug up from the airfield give a glimpse into the past, including gin and beer bottles, tins, razors, theatre programmes, bovril containers and ammunition.

There are also uniforms, gloves used by an airman and model planes, which are replicas of aircraft once stationed at the site.

For Mike, a key part of the museum is telling the story of those who lived and served at the airfield.

This includes the story of Sgt Mac Cole of the 50 Squadron Lancasters, based at RAF Skellingthorpe in Lincolnshire, whose aircraft was badly damaged on July 30, 1943.

He faced the dilemma of trying to land or getting the crew to bail out, and decided to attempt to bring the plane down at RAF Wittering. Instead he ended up on the runway at RAF King’s Cliffe, which at the time was empty, but ploughed across the railway line and into the fields. Apart from the tail gunner, the crew all survived without any serious injuries.

Another crash took place near the airfield a year later, killing a crew of the Lancaster 550 Squadron.

A memorial event is being held at the entrance to Wansford Pasture on August 14 with a minute silence at 5.02pm, marking the exact time of the crash on the 80th anniversary.

Mike said: “We don’t know what they were fighting for, because they can’t tell us that, but we can understand their stories.”

As well as reflecting on the tragedies, the museum also tells the stories of the romances and the friendly connections between the RAF and the communities in King’s Cliffe and Wansford.

An official opening was held on July 21, which drew in hundreds of people and included a display of military vehicles.

The museum has already caught the attention of people living as far as New Zealand and America, who had relatives once stationed at the airfield.

For more information, including opening times and talks, visit King's Cliffe Airfield Museum on Facebook.