Local names for airfields

PNK wrote:

Prompted by the Kirkwall thread, I recall reading in a number of books references to "local" names for airfields. Assuming these are not the ones used in official documents, does anyone have any examples abd are they worth recording?

"The Aerodrome" Well thats what all the locals call it in the films. Sorry Peter, couldn't
resist.

Hugo.

RAF Middleton St George was known as 'Goosepool' by the Canadians in WW2. I don't know if this was ever on and official documents? I doubt it. There is a book about the airfield called Goosepool (which I've never purchase due to being £30), and on the local news a few months back was a story about the airfield and the report started something like, "Durham Tees valley airfield formally RAF Goosepool in WW2". Middleton St George wasn't even mentioned.

I read somewhere or someone told me (and don't know how true this is) that it was known as Goosepool because Canadian Geese used to stay on a pond just across from the airfield every year. However there are 2 farms also near the airfield called High Goosepool Farm and Low Goosepool Farm. So its more likely that the fields the airfield is built on was farmed by one of the farms so the area was probably known as Goosepool long before the Canadians arrived.

Stevo

Framlingham or Parham is a good example as is Lavenham or Alpheton.

Beccles and Ellough

Then you get airfields where they have been re-named as well as known as two different names;

Peterborough Business Airport / Peterborough Conington / Conington / Glatton

Fradley for RAF Lichfield - simply because it's at the village of that name.

Wardle for Calveley, Borras for Wrexham, Prees Heath for Tilstock. An air taxi firm based at Durham Tees Valley use Goosepool as a radio callsign prefix!

One of our local airfields is Worminghall, though some refer to it as Oakley. Another is Haddenham, also known as Thame. As is the Haddenham train station which is in Haddenham village. But it's signposted as Thame and Haddenham parkway. Thame is over two miles away!!!

My Grandmother worked at Mendlesham Airfield in the War and always remarked that it was not actually in Mendlesham where she lived. It is about 5 miles away. i believe the name of the actual location was so similar to another place that they decided not to use it

As too Halfpenny green 1941 changed too Bobbington 1943 ish. as pilots were confused by another airstrip Baginton.and dust from foundrys was the cause of this.in case a crash happened.
some planes did crash near me in war. ansons a Halifax brieley Hill 1943.1 dead. at nighttime too.
a Lancaster Bloxwitch on main Road. spits walsall alex kershaw flown.anson in wolverhamton .
terry