Bomber Command

click Wars for local details of the Boer War, WW1, WW2, & The Cold War

The Site

The headquarters and officers houses were built on the north side of the Walters Ash to Bradenham Road and are in the parish of Lacey Green, their children attending Lacey Green School

90 acres compulsory purchase from the Bradenham Estate for the headquarters and officers houses and some land on the west side of Walters Ash.

The servicemen and women lived on the east side of Walters Ash, where a NAFFI, church, school and playing fields were also constructed. Land was acquired for this :-

3rd May 1940. Mrs Ishbel Ridgley sold eleven and a half acres of Speen Farm. (east side of Walters Ash). click Ishbel MacDonald for Ishbel.

Land for school (site 3) from Mrs Emma Grace. click James & Emma Grace f or more about Emma.

September 1941. Land for sports field site 4 from C W Raffety, estate agents for Walters Ash Farm.

Hallmark April 1968. Bomber Command and Fighter Command were merged as Strike Command and a year later incorporated both Signals and Coastal Commands.

Hallmark April 1975. 1975 Strike Command becomes the Headquarters of U.K. Air Forces. Click Celebrations for other such events.

Hallmark April 1985. 1985 RAF Main Gates, Strike Command Research by Miles Marshall.

Hallmark February 1987. The New RAF Operations Centre. (An exhibition giving the history of this RAF Command Centre from its inception.)

click RAF Local Residents for details of these men and women.

2008. Press report by Oliver Evans September 2008

A New Spitfire model at RAF High Wycombe was officially unveiled in memory of a Battle of Britain pilot who lived in south Buckinghamshire.

The fighter plane replica was opened as a ‘gate guardian’ at the entrance to the Walters Ash, Wycombe base by the RAF’s most senior officer Air Chief Marshal Sir Clive Loader.

It bears the insignia of the aircraft flown by Squadron Leader Donald Osborne Finlay, who fought in the Battle of Britain.

Mr. Finlay, who died in 1970, lived in Lacey Green and Prestwood during his distinguished RAF career. After being shot down near Canterbury in August 1940 Squadron Leader Finlay led 41 Squadron as Commanding Officer in the Battle of Britain.

He competed in the hurdles at the 1936 Olympics and was captain of the Great Britain team at the 1948 London games. In attendance at Thursday’s event were his sister Nancy Warren, 90 and his daughters Lisa Tomlin and Mandy Finlay-Dekowski.

Mrs Tomlin said: “It is amazing – I am very proud.” Mrs Finlay-Dekowski said: “I am extremely honoured.” The replica was given to the base – the headquarters of the RAF – by the defence firm BAE Systems. Last year a Hurricane aircraft replica was unveiled at the other side of the entrance to the base, off New Road.

Sir Clive said: “In the RAF’s 90th year it is particularly apposite that BAE Systems chose to present a Spitfire, to match the existing Hurricane, thereby completing the set of iconic – Battle of Britain fighters that provide such fitting guardians to the premier headquarters of the Royal Air Force.”

Kevin Taylor, managing director of BAE Systems air mission support and services, said: “The Spitfire is one example of our. Shared heritage and this replica is a great illustration of the partnering between the armed forces’ and industry.”

The replica spitfire at the entrance to Bomber Command is a memorial to Don Finlay. click RAF Local Residents for Don's illustrious service career (click Don & Joanne Finlay for more about Don)

A replica hurricane at the entrance to Bomber Command is