Wartime airfield plaque to be unveiled at village's VE Day event

Although May 8 marks the end of the Second World War in Europe, the former Royal Flying Corps station at Leadenham existed from 1916 to 1919.

Jane Olney from Leadenham Village Hall committee explained that there used to be a plaque remembering the First World War airfield installed by North Kesteven District council on Pottergate Road, overlooking the village, but it fell into disrepair and was removed.

She said: “We thought, as a committee, we would still remember it.”

With funding from the village hall committee and the Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust, they not only restored the old plaque, but also installed a new granite memorial plaque to remember its existence and pinpointing the location of the airfield beside Pottergate Road and Long Lane.

"We thought we would unveil it officially on the same day as our VE Day event,” she said.

The deputy commandant of RAF College Cranwell, Group Captain ‘Harry’ Harrison, local MP Dr Caroline Johnson and Rev Sara Davies, Priest in Charge of the Loveden Central group of parishes, have been invited to attend the unveiling at 4.30pm on Thursday (May 8) when there will be speeches and a toast.

Jane said: “We do have a military history organisation that meets in the village hall every month and a couple of people have been getting background information for this.”

VE Day celebrations will kick off at 6pm outside the village hall with old fashioned games on the field, a bar and barbecue. The church bells will ring at 6.30pm as part of a national peal of bells and the village beacon will be lit at 9.30pm as part of a nationwide light of peace event.