KELSTERN
Located only four miles from both Binbrook and Ludford Magna airfields on the Lincolnshire Wolds, Kelstern was a half a mile north-east of a First World War night landing ground established in 1917 near Mill Farm. Intended as a refuge for No.33 Squadron Zeppelin hunters running low on fuel, it was little used, the RAF departing in March 1919, yet it was to return to the fold 24 years later.
In total, some 400 acres of farmland was acquired and in July 1942 construction commenced on a £810,000 contract to build an airfield to Class A standard. The minor road from Binbrook to South Ellington running across the centre of the site was closed. Three intersecting concrete runways were the main 06-24 at 2,000 yards and the subsidiaries, O1-19 and 13-31, both 1,400 yards each. The 36 hardstandings were all the loop type. A T2 hangar was placed on the technical site on the north-west side of the airfield between the 13 and 06 runway heads, a second T2 between runway heads 01 and 31 and a third on the north side between 19 and 24. The bomb store was off the south-east side of the airfield, where the camp sites were dispersed in fields to the north-west. The buildings largely the work of George Wimpey & Co.Ltd and provided for 1,585 males and 346 females.
Opened as a sub-base for Binbrook, No. 625 Squadron formed at the station as of October l, 1943, its nucleus being C Flight of No.100 Squadron, which arrived from Grimsby. The first sorties were flown on the night of October 18/19 and Kelstern was to remain No. 625's home through all but five raids of its operational period. During these 17.5 months, 88 operations were undertaken and 66 Lancaster's failed to return. A year after its arrival at Kelstern, No. 625 Squadron gave birth to a re-formed No. 170 Squadron but after flying its first raid on the night of October 19/20, 1944, the new squadron moved out to Dunholme Lodge two days later. In April 1945, No.1 Group shifted a number of units and found room at Scampton for No.625 Squadron, which took its Lancaster's there on the 5th of that month. It appears probable that the close proximity of other airfields and the risk of collisions through the overlapping circuits was behind this move as thereafter no other flying units were based at Kelstern. A total of 70 Lancaster's failed to return or were lost in crashes during operations from the airfield.
The holding party withdrew in the summer of 1945 and the property returned or was sold to the landowners in 1965-66. The country roads across the airfield which had been closed were reopened and eventually much of the concrete was broken up and removed. The hangars were sold and dismantled. A memorial to No.625 Squadron is to be seen at the junction of two roads near the village.
