Proud Military Heritage
IN SOUTH KESTEVEN
South West Lincolnshire has played a remarkable role in Britain’s military and aviation history – from the pioneering days of World War I, through a dramatic chapter of World War II with the allied military build up to D-Day and Operation Market Garden, and into the Cold War era.
Known as part of “Bomber County,” this landscape has witnessed courage, sacrifice and innovation that helped shape the course of global conflict.
Legacy of Flight
Soldiers from the Sky
Airborne Trails
Four-legged Forces
A Legacy of Flight
South Kesteven’s airfields once hummed with the sound of aircraft that changed the world.
The Heritage of Flight publication celebrates this proud tradition – recording historic airfield sites, inspiring the imagination, and reminding us of the debt owed to the men and women from around the globe who served here.
Watch the moving short film, at the bottom of this page – titled South Kesteven Aviation Heritage 2015, that recalls the eve of D-Day US Pathfinder mission – together with the tragic story of a mid-air training collision near Grantham that claimed the lives of seven American decorated veterans and Major Jerry, a Dalmatian dog who became a beloved squadron mascot.
Soldiers from the Sky: The Airborne Story
Thanks to National Lottery players through support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, South Kesteven District Council has uncovered a lesser-known chapter in Lincolnshire’s military history – the story of the Soldiers from the Sky.
This project reveals how elite Airborne Forces from Britain, the United States, and Poland trained in the district and flew from local airfields to take part in two defining missions of World War II: D-Day in Normandy and Operation Market Garden (Arnhem).
Following the Airborne Trails
Walk in the footsteps of heroes.
The Soldiers from the Sky Heritage Trails guide visitors through airfields, villages, and countryside once alive with Airborne activity. These include:
- RAF Fulbeck, Folkingham, Barkston Heath, North Witham and Saltby – all airbases of the US 9th Troop Carrier Command.
- Fulbeck Manor and The Hare and Hounds – linked to British 1st Airborne Division.
- St Vincent’s Church, Caythorpe, and The Angel & Royal Hotel, Grantham – both with wartime heritage.
- Easton Walled Gardens – linked to British paratroopers who held the bridge at Arnhem.
The trails bring to life the human stories behind the war diaries – tales of courage, camaraderie, and sacrifice woven through the landscape.
Remembering the Four-Legged Forces
Among them were Major Jerry, the Dalmatian who perished with his pilot during a training mission, now remembered at Sudbrook Moor Golf Course, and Smokey, a sheepdog rescued from a bombed London home who became a mascot for Polish troops – honoured today at Stamford School.
The Soldiers from the Sky Project
The Soldiers from the Sky initiative has, for the first time, pieced together the complete story of Airborne Forces in South Kesteven.
It has created a website with educational resources, held commemorative events, organised walks and talks – and the planting of 2,400 maroon Airborne Tulip Memorial bulbs.
Find links to troop wartime accommodation still welcoming visitors today, story boards illustrating the heritage and be guided by a mobile app.
Teachers and families can download the KS2 education pack, part of the Poppies on Pebbles Remembrance programme encouraging art, poetry, and reflection.
Plan your visit, follow a trail, and uncover the back stories to a remarkable chapter in Airborne history.
Discover more about South Kesteven’s Airborne Legacy:
Military History
2019 saw the 75th anniversary commemorations of two momentous airborne allied milestones, the D-Day invasion of Normandy in June 1944 and the September offensive to capture key Dutch bridges, known simply as Arnhem.
Both have left lasting legacies within South Kesteven.
Our Heritage of Flight publication records airfield sites, inspires imagination and encourages people to ponder the history on our doorstep – reflecting abiding memories from another era and the huge debt of gratitude owed to service personnel from across the globe who served here in South Kesteven.
Watch our video harking back to the eve of D-Day – and the mid-air training collision over Lincolnshire that killed seven combat decorated veterans and Major Jerry, the pilot’s Dalmatian dog and canine forces celebrity.
From the blog
A new trail and website – Soldiers from the Sky!
Lincolnshire has long been known as 'Bomber County', reflecting its use by the RAF as the home base of multiple Bomber Command units during the Second World War. However, that is only part of the story of the county's airborne history. Following months of dedicated...
South Kesteven’s Surprising Heritage Sites – A blog series, part two: Twyford Woods!
In the second of our surprising heritage series, we are exploring the crucial role that an airfield close to the village of North Witham played in the Allied victory of World War Two. Today visitors to Twyford Woods enjoy exploring miles of woodland paths, making the...
