Welcome to the RAF Downham Market Airfield Cairn Memorial Website. Dedicated to honouring all the men and women who served and died at RAF Downham Market during 1942-1945.
The photo above shows the Memorial nearing completion November 2024 and will be completed and unveiled in the spring of 2025 Thanks to the various Business who so kindly agreed to Sponsor the Memorial and to so many wonderfully friends of the memorial that have donated to support the Memorial. We are pleased to announce the RAF Downham Market Airfield Cairn Memorial will be finally completed in the Spring 2025. We had hoped that it would have been sooner but due to many unforeseen setbacks it has taken just a little more time than hoped, poor weather conditions and figuring out issues with the plaques did not help.
I would like to thank Albanwise Farming Ltd for their continuing support and patience with this project.
About Us
Chris Coverdale
Author and Researcher
CHRIS YOU NEED TO SATY THIS
Like me with all things No 3 Group Bomber Command, Chris is dedicate much the same with No 8 Group Path Finder, His Squadron is without Question No.635 Squadron Pathfinders, and he has published in limited print run (Self Publishing back in 2014 The book Pathfinders 635 Squadron the definitive history 1944-1945-with forward by PFF Legend Wing Commander S. 'Tubby' Baker DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar. Chris was mentored by Pathfinder Legend Squadron Leader Howard William Lees former 8 Group Staff Officer & Senior Photograph Officer/ inventor of the Master and Slave camera used to improve night photograph of aerial bombing.
Through Howard, Chris got to meet many of the Key Pathfinders.
One of the many meeting that Howard Organised for Chris was in 1999, by special appointment he actually spent a Day with Ly Bennett , Ly pronounced Lee. The Wife of Pathfinder Air Vice Marshal Donald Clifford Tyndall CB,CBE, DSO, FRAeS. and learnt first hand all about her Husband and his Pathfinder years.
This meeting would later lead to Chris meeting with Noreen Strickland Cooper the daughter of Pathfinder Bennett and a good understanding of his Passion to write a new book on her Father developed. Using never before family photos, private files, the book given a pictorial history titled Celebrating Bennett The Man 1910-1986, Self Published.
Thankfully, Both of Chris's books will be Published by Mention the war publications during 2025.
It is a real pleasure to know Chris as a true Friend and fellow Author, Historian, and to Understand his amazing passion for the Path Finder Force & RAF Downham Market.
Steve (Smudger) Smith
Author and Researcher
My connection with No. 623 and No. 218 (Gold Coast) Squadron spans over 35 years, and I have had the privilege of serving as the association historian and archivist for nearly 20 of those years. During this time, I've been fortunate to meet and become friends with many air and ground crew members, including notable figures such as Geoff Rothwell DFC, Ian Ryall DFC & Bar, and John Overton DFC, among others. It wasn't just the aircrew; humble "Erks" and cooks also played their part, each with their own story to tell. Everyone agreed that the squadron's exploits deserved to be documented. With access to logbooks, photographs, and personal diaries, I promised them I would try to publish a squadron history, which had been sadly lacking.
My first book on the squadron, titled St Vith to Victory, was published in 2014 and explores the fascinating history of the squadron from 1936 to 1945. Due to the wealth of material I received, I went on to publish three additional books: A Stirling Effort (covering Short Stirling operations from RAF Downham Market), Short on Luck (the history of 623 Squadron), and Courage Was Not Enough (the history of No. 218 Squadron from 1936 to 1942). I first met Chris Coverdale in 2010 when his efforts to preserve the airfield locker and changing rooms as a lasting memorial caught the attention of the 218 (Gold Coast) Squadron Association. Eager to assist in any way, I reached out to Chris, and we have been firm friends ever since. Fortunately, we both share a passion for preserving history, especially regarding R.A.F. Downham Market. Together, we have nearly sixty years of combined knowledge and have amassed a significant collection of documentation and photographs over that time.
This collaboration has led to the creation of a new memorial that honours every crew who failed to return from operations from this airfield. Our goal is straightforward, to honour those who served. We aim to achieve this through our webpage, a memorial book, and future podcasts. We hope to dispel many myths, correct misinformation currently in circulation, and provide an accurate history—warts and all—of life and operations at R.A.F. Downham Market.