North Luffenham

Jim O'Connor

As I mentioned in a previous letter, our caravan was really close to the operational part of the North Luffenham airfield, so one day a couple of weeks before our baby (Christine) was due, an aircraft from 426 Transport Squadron from Dorval, Quebec was parked close-by. So we went out by it and took a few pictures.

I had been with 426 Squadron from August 1947 until transferred to Station Trenton in January 1950, and I knew every person on the squadron. In November 1951 I flew from Canada to England in the aircraft pictured here. We flew from Dorval, Quebec to Goose Bay, Labrador, from Goose Bay to Lagjes in the Azores, then from the Azores to North Luffenham to arrive on June 15th 1951 - the exact same day as the Air Base at North Luffenham was officially handed over to the RCAF by the RAF. Virginia arrived at Liverpool by sea aboard the Empress of Canada II, on January 18th 1952 and our daughter Christine arrived at the Stamford, Lincolnshire Infirmary in the town of Stamford on 15 June 1952. That day was the same day as 439 Squadron flew into the base at North Luffenham, having flown on a Leapfrog Mission across the Atlantic from Canada. Both Christine and I made timely arrivals so far as the events of RCAF History are concerned!