Welcome to Friends of the New Forest Airfields Preserving our Aviation Heritage
Welcome to Friends of the New Forest Airfields Preserving our Aviation Heritage
“Who is that handsome man?”. These were Stanley Bookers words when he saw the two mannequins wearing his uniforms on his visit to our centre in July 2023 at the age of 101.
Sqn. Ldr. Stanley Booker MBE Legion D’Honneur RAF (Rtd) who passed away last Sunday on the 26th of January 2025 was indeed a handsome man. FONFA is honoured to display the uniforms of a very resilient and determined man. Resilient, to have survived the horrors of Buchenwald concentration camp he experienced, after his Halifax was shot down over France on 3rd June 1944 and he was betrayed to the Gestapo. Determined, to ensure what happened to him and the other 168 Airman as well as the SOE operatives held in that camp, was recognised and a suitable memorial created.
However as perhaps expected we did not talk of these matters. Instead, we talked about the how much the tropical uniform cost some much less than his standard uniform (£17 from Browns in Gibraltar). We also discussed the differences between the Halifax and Lancaster bomber during WW2. He was a Halifax man, and I agreed the plane deserved as much recognition as its more famous stablemate the Lancaster. The early versions may have had its problems but with new engines and a revised tailplane it was very good. He was proud to have been trained as an observer in the early part of the war and saw no need to change O of the observers badge on his uniform to the later N.
For more information on this remarkable man his achievements and how they were recognised by people including our King please see the link below.
https://secret-ww2.net/news/obituary-life-friend-and-veteran-stanley-booker/
We are excited to announce that ,for the first time,
we will be open EVERY SUNDAY from 6th April to 26th October
10 am to 4 pm (last admission 3:00)
Free Parking
Café – Light Refreshments
Our grateful thanks to the crew of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Avro Lancaster for their low flypast at the beginning of our Service.
More photographs below.
On Saturday 13th July 2024 we had a visit by Nancy Crossen Booth and her Husband Tom from Ohio USA. They were booked to cruise from Southampton and had a day free before the cruise. Nancy is the is the youngest daughter of Lt Colonel Mo Crossen who was deputy group commander of the 367th Fighter Group based at Stoney Cross and then Ibsley before crossing the channel.
Lt Colonel Mo Crossen photo can be seen in our Mee Mees tearoom outside the original MeeMees alongside Colonel Charles Young the Group commander and Air Marshall Leigh Trafford Mallory. Mo was a major at the time. Nancy never knew her father as she was born after Mo left for England and unfortunately Mo was killed in action in October 1944.
The story behind some of the aircraft models in our Heritage Centre, and the pilots that flew them, is fascinating. From time to time we will feature one of these amazing stories of bravery and determination. This month we present the story of the USAAF 405th Fighter Group at RAF Christchurch. The P-47 Thunderbolt models Little Lulu and Touch of Texas represent two of the aircraft flown by the 405th Fighter Group.
The USAAF 405th Fighter Group at Christchurch Airfield v2 (pdf)
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