Lakenheath

Introduction

Lakenheath was recorded in Domesday as "Lakingahethe", "Lakingaheda" or "Laringahetha". It appears on John Speed's 1610 map as "Lakenheathe".

This fenland village is dominated by a massive USAF airbase. RAF Lakenheath was initially used as a decoy site (Q site) for nearby RAF Feltwell, its role was to help add confusion to enemy aircraft with dummy hangers and living quarters together with model aircraft and flare path runways. Subsequently rebuilt as an aerodrome from late 1940 it opened in June 1941 as a satellite for Mildenhall. By November, the 20th OUT (Operational Training Unit) had arrived with Wellington aircraft. Many of these were subsequently used in missions until departing in May 1942. In April 1942 the 149th Squadron formed here with Stirling planes. They flew many missions from here including the bombing of Turin (north Italy) until the end of 1943 after which time the Stirling planes were no longer used for bombing missions. During 1944 various mine-laying missions were undertaken until the base was closed for upgrading as a heavy-bomber station. Re-opening in 1948 with B29s the base has been occupied for over 40 years by various USAF groups.…

Gallery

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History

The 1844 White's Directory lists 6 beer house keepers:

Robert Allsop.

Robert Brown.

Edward Norton.

Elizabeth Place.

James Rolph.

George Rowe.

The 1855 White's Directory lists 5 beer house keepers:

Francis Brown.

W. Newton Hardy.

Evan Rolph.

James Rolph.

James Whittom.

The 1865 Kelly's Directory lists 2 beer retailers:

Christopher Adcock (also listed as a brewer) beer house.

Robert Harding beer house.

The 1869 Kelly's Directory lists 5 beer retailers:

Christopher Adcock (also listed as a brewer) beer house.

James Coleman (also listed as a farmer).

Robert Harding beer house.

Anthony Horrox.

Francis Rolph.…

Acknowledgements

Some details from "Suffolk Airfields in WW2" by Graham Smith.

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