Friends of the Odd Bods hope to continue many of the activities of the original Odd Bods U.K. Association as we recognise the important contribution of our airmen and the interest that the wider community is showing in their legacy.
Tuesday, 6 October 2015
Welcome
Friends of the Odd Bods hope to continue many of the activities of the original Odd Bods U.K. Association as we recognise the important contribution of our airmen and the interest that the wider community is showing in their legacy.
If Carlsberg made museums they would be like this……
If
you drive north from the lofty spires of Lincoln Cathedral, following the arrow
straight route of the roman legions along the Fosse Way you will happen upon
the village of Scampton in the midst of the leafy glades of Lincolnshire.
Close
your eyes and you could easily believe that it is seventy or so years ago, for
nothing much has changed to disrupt the life or look of this picture-postcard
village.
Like
many travellers before me, I called in to the village pub, but had it been
seventy years ago I would have been sharing my pint with Guy
Gibson and his intrepid airmen for RAF Scampton is the home of 617 squadron,
the Dambusters!
Today
the signpost announces the pub as the Dambuster’s Inn, which is filled with
photographs and paintings of the pilots, their aircraft and other memorabilia
of the famous squadron.
The
entrance porch houses a sober and lasting memorial to those who returned and
those who were not so lucky, but it isn’t until you step inside that the warmth
of a roaring open fire greets you and a welcoming pint of ‘Hoppy Hopgood’ eases
you back into those glory days and daydreams of the aircrews that went before.
You
can rest your pint on the tyre of a Lancaster whist you take in the many
photographs, drawings and the medals awarded to the squadron personnel.
Or
savour a home cooked meal whilst taking in the numerous aircraft models that
hang from the ceiling.
Maybe
even read the visitors book, which is actually the wall of the pub, personally
inscribed with the witty quips and signatures of the returning veterans.
There’s
a lot to see and take in, I’m told that even the ladies powder room has some
interesting décor, but I couldn’t sneak in for a look as I hadn’t dressed for
the occasion.
It
took me half a gallon of ale and a full helping of roast beef and Yorkshire
pudding to make sure that I had captured the full ambience, but sacrifices have
to be made in the pursuit of investigative journalism.
“If
Carlsberg made museums they would be like this……” so a mission is already in
ops-planning for a low-level return, for the other half gallon that is.
A big thank you to member, Bryan Wilcockson, for writing this story.
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