Book for sale at Newark Air Museum shop tells the story of Nottinghamshire’s part in the story of the Royal Air Force and its predecessor
A self-published author has published a book about Nottinghamshire’s part in the story of the Royal Air Force and its predecessor.
Colin Savill, a part-time author and Newark Air Museum trustee has released the book which is available for sale at the Newark Air Museum Shop.
The book includes a foreword by author Ken Ellis and lists all the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force units that were based in over third places in the county.
Nottinghamshire is said to have played its part in the RAF story for over a hundred years, from the days of the Royal Flying Corps of World War One through the formation of the Royal Air Force, its 1930s pre-war expansion and World War Two, the Cold War and into the 21st century.
Not all places were airfields but are integral to the story.
The book follows the story behind the defence of the country, especially in World War One, the air offensive by Bomber Command and the USA’s part in D-Day and Operation Market Garden in World War Two were, in part, events that took place from RAF bases in Nottinghamshire.
Training of both air and ground personnel began at places in the county during World War One and continued into the 1990s.
Mr Savill said: “Many of these places have now disappeared to be replaced by housing, industry or returned to agriculture, some have left traces of their existence that can still be found but sadly many have not.
“One or two still have aircraft flying from them but only one remains as an RAF station.
“Men and women of the air forces of the British Isles, Empire and Commonwealth, USA, Poland and other nations have all trod the soil of the county; some still remain in the more than 70 Commonwealth War Graves sites, churchyards and cemeteries; many names are recorded on memorials to individual aircraft crashes within the county.”
The book costs £12 and the Newark Air Museum Shop is open from 10am to 3.40pm every day on the run-up to Christmas.
The museum and shop will be closed on December 24, 25, 26 and January 1.
