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North Weald Airfield outside London is simply one amazing historic
airfield. The airfield played an important part during the Battle of Britain,
but most interestingly (from a Norwegian point of view) is that the Norwegian
331 and 332 squadrons were operating from the airfield for as long as two whole
years during World War Two. A trip to this historic airfield in Essex is
mandatory for aviation enthusiasts like Warbirdsmagazine.com and others!
”Stay as long as you’d like”
”Norwegians uh? Aviation enthusiasts you say? Wait two seconds and Ill drive you
across the airfield”.
The British man is polite and helpful as he takes time from his own break to
drive us around the airfield. The guards in the fairly «new» control tower at
North Weald have seen people like us many times before. Aviation enthusiasts who
most likely would have sold their right arm for a trip around the airfield in a
Spitfire. If they get many visitors all the way from Norway is not known to us.
Not likely though.
”We’ve had some problems with aviation enthusiasts in the past you see,
they get too close to the airplanes and things get a bit carried away» says the
Englishman while he drives us in the direction of an old hanger from the Battle
of Britain days. Still with visible damage after bombing raids by German bombers
during those dramatic months of 1940.
The guard drives us around the entire airfield while he tells stories and
points in interesting directions. He tells about a Dakota that is still parked
on the field after a movie-shoot sometime in the past. Kennet Aviation is also
present at the airfield with its newly restored Supermarine Seafire and Hangar
11's collection of beautiful warbirds are also there, all owned by Peter
Teichman
”Right chaps, here’s ’The Squadron’, have a tea and stay as long as you’d
like”.
He's stopped in front of an old Nissen hut from the days of world war
two. It's restored and made into a little Cafe for pilots and others with an
interest in aviation and history.
This was the place where Norwegian fighter pilots lived and died during the two
years they were stationed here. They flew their missions over the channel and
into France, and gave escort to heavy bombers destined for the European
continent. It was at North Weald Jan Eirik Løfsgaard took off with his Spitfire
and never came back – last seen hanging lifeless in his parachute straps
somewhere over the channel. It was from North Weald he took off, the pilot who
first lost his life in world war two. It was also here a Norwegian guard on duty
shot 332 squadron's mascot «Mads» because he didn't answer back when the guard
called out to him. He was a goat, and didn`t smell good anyway.
The history of North Weald
North Weald Airfield came to life as far back as 1916, only 13 years after the
Wright brothers first flight. The airfield was used as a defence against the
gigantic Zeppelin bomber attacks against London during the first world war.
History tells us about a pilot who was having dinner with his wife in the
village of Epping close by North Weald. The air-raid siren was heard and the
pilot jumped on his motorbike and headed to North Weald and his aircraft that
was parked there. He took off, shot down a Zeppelin bomber, landed his
aircraft and went back to his dinner!
Between the two wars, it was less activity at North Weald, but with the
declearation of war in 1939, the place were once again seeding with activity.
This time as a base for RAF Hurricance squadrons.
North Weald was attacked several times during the Battle of Britain. It was
defineately a front-line fighter airfield at the time. Some says the scream of
a WAAF can still be heard around the airfield at nights, she was decapitated
by a German bomb.
After the Battle of Britain was over, the American Eagle squadron
operated from North Weald, equipped with Spitfires. The Eagle squadron
consisted of American voluenteers since the USA had not yet joined the war. A
couple of years later, North Weald got aquinted with Norwegians for the first
time when 331 squadron landed their Spitfires on the airfield. 332 squadron
followed shortly thereafter. Through two years they would have North Weald as
their home base. They would from then on be smack in the middle of the
fighting. They flew during the Dieppe raid and D-Day and they would later be
transferred over the channel to fighter bases in France and Belgium after D-Day.
The Norwegian pilots made a good and lasting impression on the locals
around North Weald. They fitted well into the surroundings and defineately made
the pubs in Epping and North Weald Basset make a good profit! Many of them
would however not return to Norway ever again.
Svein Heglund and Ottar Malm at North Weald during the war.
Visitors studying a "Norwegian" Spifire.
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A trip to North Weald
With these historic happenings in mind, Warbirdsmagazine.com went to England
and Essex to take a look around the area where so many Norwegians had been
before us. In darker times of history.
Memorial just outside North Weald Airfield.
We checked in at the Thatched House in Epping. Thatched House is a well
known place for most people with an interest in this specific part of
Norwegian history. It was the hotel and the pub many Norwegian pilots were to
be found when they had a day off. Many pints with good english ale have been
downed by thirsty Norwegian pilots there. Unfortunately, the pub on the first
floor had been converted into an Italian restaurant but the hotel rooms
themselves probably hadn't change much since 1943.
Thanks to Google Earth we had a good idea just where the airfield was
located and we walked in the direction we thought was right. We entered Epping
forest which basically seperates Epping village and the airfield itself. 10
minutes later, after ending our little meeting with Epping forest we spotted a
few houses on our right side. The sign on the red brick-wall said «Norway
House». Yes indeed! The old officers mess! 200 meters down the street from the
officers mess theres a beatiful memorial for all the pilots who served at
North Weald during the war. A momentum in rock have been put there by the
Norwegian pilots as a thank you to the english population for their
hospitality and friendship.
Preserved Nissen Hut inside the airfield area.
A short stop to catch our breath by the memorial and we strolled over
to an old pub close by the airport called Kings Head. The pub is about 400
years old and in such a big perspective, it's not that long ago the Norwegian
pilots were sitting there having their pints of beer, laughing, cracking jokes
and discussing tactics in the air. It was time to leave Kings Head, but we
would be back.
A couple of days later and we're back around the same familiar
surroundings of North Weald and this time hopefully with a visit to the
airfield itself. We ended up at «The Squadron». North Weald has changed since
the days of war. Longer runways, and the old hangars are long gone except for
one. North Weald have absolutely been an airfield of happenings since the war.
The only thing recognizable at first glance are the trees surrounding parts of
the airfield. We purchased a traditional english mug of tea at «The Squadron»
and had a nice relaxing time.
North Weald is absolutely still alive but for awhile the airfield was
in serious danger of being changed forever due to politicians interested in
housing. Fortenately, this plan has now seemed to be put on ice due to an
overwhelming response in favour of North Weald from the public.
This one of the places where they kept the Spitfires.
The Norwegian pilots who survived the war and joined the squadrons for
their trip over the channel after D-Day always spoke highly about North Weald.
Compared to what they had to deal with in Belgium and France it was close to
heaven.
North Wealds history is a rich one, for Norwegians as much as
Englishmen. It was here Norways modern air force was born. Anyone interested
in aviation or history (or both!) should stop by North Weald.
Pictures: Via Svein Heglund's bok "Høk over Høk", Oddmund Ljone's bok "Tally
Ho" og Tor Idar Larsen
(C) Tor Idar Larsen 2007
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