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Memorial details

Memorial type
Obelisk
District
East Cambridgeshire
Town
Ely
County
Cambridgeshire
Country
England
Commemoration
Second World War (1939-1945), Regimental Memorials
Ceremony
  • Unveiled
    Date: 21st May 1989
    Attended by: Bishop of Ely
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
3441

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Current location

Roadside site of former RAF Witchford. Located outside on private land.
Lancaster Way,Witchford Road
Ely
East Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
CB6 3NW
England

OS Grid Ref: TL 51320 78340
Denomination: Undefined

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Description
Rough hewn obelisk with slate inscription tablet fixed to front. Title and motto in gilt. Plain metal panel on reverse gives squadron history. Squadron crest above the inscription.
Inscription
(FRONT FACE): NO 115 SQUADRON/ BOMBER COMMAND/ ROYAL AIR FORCE/ IN HONOUR AND/ MEMORY OF/ THOSE WHO/ SERVED DURING/ THE SECOND/ WORLD WAR/1939 1945/ERECTED BY/ MEMBERS OF/ NO 115 SQUADRON/ ASSOCIATION AND/ DEDICATED ON THE/ 21ST OF MAY 1989 BY/ THE BISHOP OF ELY/ During World War two/the Squadron was/based at RAF Stations/Marham,Mildenhall/East Wretham,Little/Snoring and here at Witchford. This memorial/is sited on what was once/the runway from which/Lancaster aircraft/took off on bombing operations./PER ARDUA AD ASTRA (REAR FACE): BRIEF SQUADRON HISTORY/ 115 SQUADRON/ (FROM THE BOMBER COMMAND WAR DIARIES)/ SERVICE/ IN GROUP FROM THE OUTBREAK UNTIL THE END OF THE WAR. FLEW/ WELLINGTONS AND LANCASTERS FROM MARHAM, MILDENHALL, EAST WRETHAM,/ LITTLE SNORING AND WITCHFORD/ DETACHED TO COASTAL COMMAND FOR ONE SHORT PERIOD IN APRIL 1940/ OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE/ RAIDS FLOW/ WELLINGTONS - 332 BOMBING, 54 MINELAYING, 4 LEAFLET/ LANCASTERS - 261 BOMBING, 27 MINELAYING/ TOTAL - 593 BOMBING, 81 MINELAYING, 4 LEAFLET = 678 RAIDS/ SORTIES AND LOSSES/ WELLINGTONS - 3,075 SORTIES, 98 AIRCRAFT LOST (3.2 PER CENT)/ LANCASTERS - 4,678 SORTIES, 110 AIRCRAFT LOST (2.4 PER CENT)/ TOTAL - 7,753 SORTIES, 208 AIRCRAFT LSOT (2.7 PER CENT)/ 22 LANCASTERS WEER DESTROYED IN CRASHES/ POINTS OF INTEREST/ 115 SQUADRON HAD ONE OF THE FINEST RECORDS OF OPERATIONAL SERVICE/ IN BOMBER COMMAND/ AN ORIGINAL SQUADRON ON THE OUTBREAK WAR AND, EXCEPT FOR ONE/ VERY SHORT PERIOD OF DETACHMENT TO COASTAL COMMAND, SERVED CONTINUOUSLY UNTIL THE END OF THE WAR./ CARRIED OUT THE FIRST GEE TRIALS IN AUGUST 1941./ CARRIED OUT THE THIRD HIGHEST NUMBER OF BOMBING RAIDS IN BOMBER/ COMMAND HEAVY SQUADRONS AND THE MOST IN 3 GROUP./ FLEW THE SECOND HIGHEST NUMBER OF SORTIES IN BOMBER COMMAND./ PROBABLY DROPPED THE SECOND GREATEST TONNAGE OF BOMBS, APPROXIMATELY/ 23,000 TONS, IN BOMBER COMMAND. DROPPED MORE BOMBS THAN/ ANY OTHER SQUADRON IN 3 GROUP (FULL INSCRIPTION TOO LONG TO TRANSCRIBE. SEE FILE FOR REMAINING LINES)
Inscription legible?
yes
Commemorations
  • Second World War (1939-1945)
    Total names on memorial: 0
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 0
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Undefined
    Order of information: Undefined
  • Regimental Memorials
    Total names on memorial: 0
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 0
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Undefined
    Order of information: Undefined
Components
  • Plaque
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Metal
  • Tablet
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Slate
  • Obelisk
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone
Listing information
Condition
Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Sponsorship
Private
Details: Sponsored by Members of 115 Squadron Association
Responsibility
115 Squadron Association

This record comprises all information held by IWM’s War Memorials Register for this memorial. Where we hold a names list for the memorial, this information will be displayed on the memorial record. Please check back as we are adding more names to the database.

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This means you may reuse it for non-commercial purposes only and must attribute it to us using the following statement:

© WMR-3441

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