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Lyneham's
Changing...
We witness the experiences of the transformation of the village
in the words of Mrs E Hilliers, who wrote a very enjoyable
pamphlet "Reminiscences of Lyneham 1900 - 1940"
about the lifestyle within the community before and after
the station's arrival.
"We were horrified, an aerodrome like that just completed
at Hullavington was going to be built here, which would take
most of the village. Officials came, dug holes all over the
fields and decided that there was too much underlying water,
so decided to there would be no aerodrome and went away. We
breathed a sigh of relief. But alas the aerodrome was started
soon after and work recommenced right across our tennis courts,
over our good corn land, many of our fields, field-paths and
lanes.
If we went to play on our tennis courts now we would be in
the centre of the airfield roughly - yes, very roughly if
a plane happened to be using the runway! The Village Green
was used to build 'phoney' Spitfire Hangars on, and one, camouflaged
as a Church, caused such a furore that it had to be altered.
There were no R.A.F. Quarters for several years, and few
off-duty facilities for the airmen, so the W.V.S. (it had
not then received the 'Royal') took over the Village Hall,
and opened a Forces Canteen as an 'off the Station' rendezvous.
The Hall had no electricity - as the village was not allowed
it until after the war. The lighting was some form of cylinder
gas and the only means of boiling water for gallons of tea
and coffee and masses of washing-up was a coal-fired copper
and an oil stove. Our coffee earned itself quite a famous
reputation, even from the American visitors. Maybe the makers
had a hand in it too. Our rations, (strictly for the Forces,
although the civilians, all volunteers, working all through
the evening, were allowed a drink and a sandwich but no hot
snacks) were quite adequate.
A weekly dance was hold on Wednesday evenings. There were
plenty of voluntary helpers forthcoming from all walks of
life. One Commanding Officer's wife refused to relinquish
the washing up to serve in the Hall. "No", she said,
"The men would rather be served by a young pretty face!"
One particular American from Pittsburgh, who thought our
aristocracy wore just wonderful, badly wanted to meat some
of them, so we told him to keep coming and he might be lucky.
We knew he would be, because Lord Lansdowne's two daughters
from Bowood House came quite often to help, and would be quite
willing to meet him. When the introduction was made he just
couldn't believe his luck, and was so surprised because 'they
are just like everybody else'.
Our village policeman P.C. Nunns, looked in every evening
and always saw the evening cashier safely home, unless someone
he know was going with her. He also wandered in during the
Wednesday evening dances as he always did for any dances held
at the Hall. His motto - Prevention is better than cure.
Well, I have passed 'the Coming of the R.A.F' and who can
say how Lyneham Village would have altered if they had not
come, because alter it surely would have done, as have other
places.
One last story, to show that the R.A.F. personnel are not
so bad. The original main entrance to the Station (no trains)
was at the West or Bradenstoke, side and I live on the road
leading down into Lyneham Village. When the 2nd World War
finally ended I could hear terrific celebrations at midnight
on the Station. Then I heard some revellers coming down the
road. As they neared our cottages I heard one say "Come
on, lot's take their gates off and wake them up a bit Now
my step-mother, who lived with me, was very ill and had just
gone off to sleep, so in great trepidation I leaned out of
the window and told them that, and asked if they would be
quiet - then I hold my breath, They almost crept past and
I didn't hear another word! Thanks Lads.
And one last thought. There are now lots more houses and
lots more people in Lyneham Village, and it is up to those
people to get together to love and tend the village and everything
in it to the best of their ability, and to teach their children
to do the same. If they do that, the place will look up and
smile at them and the R.A.F. will follow suit.
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