Victory in Europe Event at RAF Spilsby
On Saturday 16th August 2025, in the 80th year since the Victory in Europe and the end of WWII, over 120 people gathered at the RAF Spilsby airfield memorial for a poignant ceremony to commemorate the men and women from the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and Allied Nations who served with 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron, 207 Squadron and as part of the station personnel at RAF Spilsby. The service also included the rededication of the memorial in commemoration of the refurbishment, completed in 2024.
Following a message of welcome by Chairman Paul Valleley, Canon Peter Coates presided over the service organised by the Friends of RAF Spilsby. The service included personal moments; David Newall read extracts from letters written home by his father Flight Engineer Les Newall whilst eighty eight year old Ray Williams touched the hearts of those listening when he spoke of the loss of his father Arthur Haydn Davis, when he was a boy growing up in Swansea.
As part of the rededication Ruth Ryan, in her reading, ‘the meaning of a memorial’ spoke movingly of the loss of her relative Kenneth Sansom. Concluding ‘Even though Kenneth, Ronald and Henry are buried in Holland, Lyle in Cambridge and Dave, Douglas, Leslie and Trevor have no known graves, the carved inscriptions on this memorial panel “Remember me for I was here” is so fitting, for although they are no longer here in body, they are forever here in spirit.’
Following the Act of Thanksgiving, the playing of the Last Post and the Silence, wreaths were laid by Squadron Leader Chris Bicknell and Warrant Officer Stu Clarke representing 207 Squadron. Other wreaths were placed by Walter Downes for 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron Association, John Cotton RAFA Armourers Branch, Royal British Legion Spilsby Chair Suzanne Scott for the women who had served at RAF Spilsby and Mayor Liz Day and Cllr Terry Taylor representing Spilsby Town Council.
In his concluding message, event organiser Kevin Mapley thanked those gathered who had shared in turning another page in the story of this wartime airfield. He gave testament to the dedication of the volunteers of the Friends of RAF Spilsby who had cared for the memorial site since the disbandment of 207 Squadron RAF Association in 2013.
The final order of the day was for the Standards of the RAFA Armourers Branch, Royal British Legion Spilsby, Royal British Legion Hose & Harby and the Union Flag of Hose & Harby, to march off to the playing of the RAF March-Past.
‘The Armed Man - A Mass for Peace: Benedictus’ by Karl Jenkins was the opening music to the service. Google it and play this beautiful and moving piece of music for a moment of personal remembrance.
Kevin Mapley
Friends of RAF Spilsby
Photography courtesy of the Friends of RAF Spilsby
