In a poignant homage to the valour and sacrifices of wartime service personnel, the Roll of Honour at RAF North Coates has been expertly rejuvenated. This airbase in Lincolnshire had a crucial part to play during the Second World War, with 521 crew members tragically succumbing in action. Due to North Coates Flying Club’s dedication, these servicemen’s names are now prominently exhibited in the club’s museum.
The initial boards, previously located in Cleethorpes Town Hall, have been replicated and positioned at the former RAF base. This helps to preserve the memory of those who served, including individuals from Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, in addition to those from across the UK.
The Roll of Honour, designed with professional calligraphy in traditional RAF colours, spans the period from early 1940 to May 3, 1945, just before the cessation of the war in Europe. The base was fundamental in safeguarding the Humber, with operations often centered on German U-boats and battleships. Sadly, many service personnel were lost during these dangerous missions.
Among those honoured are brothers D.J. Fitzgerald and R.C Fitzgerald, who were killed on August 30, 1944. Brian Stafford, secretary of the North Coates Flying Club, expressed the club’s honour in preserving the boards, and extended an invitation to the public to visit them on Thursdays and weekends.
Furthermore, the museum showcases wartime memorabilia, incorporating items from the navigator Arthur Steel, a local Lincolnshire hero who survived a mission despite his plane’s engine failure. His family has kindly donated his personal items, enriching the historical narrative conserved at the base.
The flying club is set to commemorate these heroes at a war memorial service in the village on November 9, ensuring that their sacrifices continue to be remembered.
This story was adapted by The Lincoln Post from original coverage provided by grimsbytelegraph.co.uk.
