Bexwell Aerodrome

The tiny parish of Bexwell was transformed during World War II as an airfield was built just across from the A1122 (the road from Downham Market to Swaffham), and the hamlet expanded almost overnight to become the impromptu town that was required to operate 'RAF Downham Market'.

Enthusiast and historian of the airfield and Bexwell during those war years is Andy Moore. He is well-known for giving talks locally in which he paints vivid pictures with stories that bring alive the activities of those years. He does so not merely with facts about the airfield, but with insights into the lives of men and women who, for a short period, made Bexwell their home during these momentous times. As well as being committed to gathering those stories (he describes himself as a 'magpie' in this respect), he feels strongly that the ancient Saxon church of Bexwell would have been a place of calm and solace in those war years.

Early in 2024, Fraser Reich (Bexwell churchwarden) asked Andy if he would like to do a series of video recordings for posterity, so that people beyond the locals could learn from Andy's enthusiasm and gain an insight into this unique period in our hamlet's history. Accordingly, we present here those videos- initially following a chronology of that period, but fanning out as – well basically- as Andy felt inspired to tell stories about various aspects of those war years here in Bexwell.

But don't take our word for it... here is what Colin Bell, DFC, said of Andy's videos in early June 2024: “Andy Moore is a brilliant historian and nobody knows more about Downham Market (Bexwell) airfield and the squadrons that operated from there than he does. Recording this knowledge, as he has done, is a priceless gift to the RAF and the public in general. I speak as a former World War 2 Mosquito pilot who was stationed there in 1944/45. Congratulations Andy. We are all greatly indebted to you."