Page 15 - Linton Link

The final photo stop for the group on Day Two, after precisely 100 km, was the entrance to the Yorkshire Museum and Allied Air Forces’ Memorial at the former RAF Elvington, where the old-and-not-so-bold regaled to anyone who would listen (no-one really) stories of first solo flights flown in the predecessor of the Tucano – the venerable Jet Provost.
‘pinged’ him sideways (luckily with no approaching traffic) and onto the opposite grass verge. Putting his previous MTB skills to good effect, Kinno managed to stay out of the ditch and safely re-join the peloton with nothing more than a slight rise to an already elevated heartrate.
DAY TWO
On another beautiful, but chilly morning, the Team set off from Tockwith (formerly known as RAF Marston Moor after RAF Tockwith caused confusion with RAF Topcliffe!). A notable former Station Commander was Gp Capt Leonard Cheshire VC OM DSO** DFC who, following the death of Wg Cdr Guy Gibson VC DSO* DFC*, volunteered to command 617 Sqn. The route encompassed RAF Rufforth (below) where No 1663 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) trained Halifax crews from Mar 1943 to May 1945.
Notable airfields around the route included RAF Acaster Malbis, RAF Braham Moor (Tadcaster), the memorial in Kirkby Wharfe, RAF Riccall and, a former Linton Relief Landing Ground and Tucano base, RAF Church Fenton. Two of the greatest WWI aces Major ‘Mick’ Mannock VC DSO** MC* and Maj Billy Bishop VC DSO* MC DFC were former
COs of 85 Sqn – the last being one of the cyclists, Sqn Ldr Andy Paul, who commanded the squadron at RAF Church Fenton until its disbandment in Aug 11. A commemorative sign, complete with Spitfire (below), is shown at the roadside near to the entrance to what is now Leeds East Airport!
Here, the USAF built a new 10 150 ft runway, which was the longest in the north of England, and a 49 acre rectangular hardstanding, as well as a new Control Tower to Elvington into a “Basic Operation Platform” which would have operated as a Strategic Air Command (SAC) dispersal airfield. After spending £4 million the airfield never became operational as a SAC base and was abandoned by the USAF in 1958.
Prior to some gentle cycling through the busy streets of York, for the last 15 km, one final stop at Dunnington Lodge took place. Here on the night of 3-4 Mar 1945, a Luftwaffe Junkers Ju88 made a low-level attack near Elvington before clipping a tree and the corner of Dunnington Lodge before crashing onto the road; all four Luftwaffe crew were killed in the crash. A team of RAF gunners manning a machine gun post at Elvington airfield may have been responsible in damaging this aircraft prior to it crashing. Three occupants of the house were also seriously injured and died over the coming hours. This was the last German aircraft to crash on British soil during WWII. The bodies of the four Luftwaffe crew were initially buried at Fulford Cemetery, York but were later re- interred at Cannock Chase Cemetery, Staffordshire.
DAY THREE
At this point, burgeoning illness did for both Pinball and Giz meaning that Creasey and Marshy would, for once, *have to do some work on the front and Matt would have to stop kipping in the back of the van and actually drive (*plant tongue firmly in cheek). Using the significant horsepower of the half-and-half to commence the day’s 108 km activity from altitude, the start point was Garrowby Hill on the edge of the Yorkshire Wolds where a memorial to the crew of Halifax DK192 had been erected.
On 7 Feb 1944 the crew of this 1663 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft took off from Rufforth airfield to undertake a training flight. Whilst flying in low cloud the aircraft flew into the top of Garrowby Hill, to the west of Stamford Bridge, crossed a road and caught fire. Sadly, the crew died as a result of the crash. A milk lorry happened to be travelling up the road at the time and the aircraft struck this lorry, killing the driver. One of the crew was able to escape from the burning aircraft and ran for help; he was taken to York Hospital but sadly died soon after. A member of this aircraft’s regular crew was in hospital at the time and, as a result of the accident, lost all his fellow crewmembers. However, he would later complete his training and be posted to an operational squadron.
Notable airfields along the day’s route included RAF Full Sutton – which, until 1963, was home to the Thor ICBMs of 102 Sqn – RAF Pocklington, from which Wellington and Halifax bombers launched raids on Germany from 1941 onwards, RAF Melbourne, RNAS Howden and RAF Holme-on-Spalding Moor.
SPRING 2019
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