A BOMB dump explosion which claimed the lives of ten airmen during the Second World War was remembered in an annual ceremony in Great Steeping on Thursday.
Members of the No 207 Squadron RAF Association and friends gathered at the RAF Spilsby Memorial in Great Steeping. Photo www.stevegould.co.uk
The day marked 64 years since the 1944 explosion as members of the No 207 Squadron RAF Association and friends gathered at the RAF Spilsby Memorial in the village.
A commemoration of all those who served at the airfield and the laying of a wreath in memory of the ten groundcrew airmen killed took place.
They were all general duties airmen, undertaking duties as armourers and armourers assistants: John Archer, Alfred Barrett, Walter Clews, Trevor Davidson, Thomas Fleming, Frank Haworth, Idris Jones, Edward Rouiller, Edward Rourke and Thomas Wright.
The Airfield Memorial on the site of RAF Spilsby also carries an inscription referring to the accident in the bomb dump.
According to the RAF Spilsby Operational Record Book there was a terrific explosion, apparently in the vicinity of the bomb dump at 7.55pm.
The Station Commander, Fire Party and Medical Service attended the incident and found a 1,000lb bomb had exploded.
It was a miracle the entire personnel were not all killed as the majority were within 20 yards of the incident.
The injured personnel were taken to Station Sick Quarters under dangerous circumstances as there were five 1,000lb delayed action bombs in the vicinity of the fusing shed.
l RAF records confirm six RAF Spilsby station airmen were killed and six injured and four airmen of 207 Squadron killed and one injured.
In addition to the ten airmen killed, the RAF Spilsby injured are named as AC1 W Brent, AC2 F Walls, Cpl A Vigus, AC1 W Caldwell, LAC R Wylie, and Sgt K D Cooper.
