The post VOTE YES first appeared on Warborough and Shillingford Society.

The post Our next event – we look forward to seeing you! first appeared on Warborough and Shillingford Society.

Julie Ann Godson

will talk on

Scandal in High Society Oxfordshire

Wednesday 18^th June

St Laurence Hall – 7.15pm

Free to members

Guests (or to enrol as a member ) – £5.00

Donation bar

The post Scandal in High Society Oxfordshire – Julie Ann Godson first appeared on Warborough and Shillingford Society.

We are currently liaising with SCAS to provide CPR/AED training.

If you are interested please email wandsociety@gmail.com

Your name will be added to the list and we will contact you when arrangements are finalised.

The post CPR/AED Training first appeared on Warborough and Shillingford Society.

On 11 April 2025 a group of 12 Society members paid a visit to RAF Benson at the invitation of Benson Historical Group. We travelled in three cars and arrived at the Guardhouse clutching our pre-vetted i.d. and were issued with passes.

This museum is not exactly a state secret but they are not allowed to advertise to the public and visits are mostly restricted to personal invitations.

On arriving at the museum it looked a bit underwhelming in size and we thought that our visit would be short and sweet. How wrong we were! Two hours later some of us were still looking at the exhibits. The building was like a Tardis crammed with photos and memorabilia of the base from pre-WW2 to the present day.

The subjects included the compulsory purchase of the farmland in 1937 and subsequent opening in 1939 and further expansion throughout the war.

The first photo reconnaissance flights in conjunction with RAF Mount Farm (Berinsfield) flew on the day after night time bombing raids over Germany using Spitfires and Mosquitos, stripped of their guns but equipped with long range cameras. This was very dangerous work because of the fact that the enemy knew they would be coming. But because they were not carrying guns they could out-fly most of the enemy fighters. A major triumph for the unit was locating the German battleship Bismarck hiding in a fjord near Bergen, Norway, which was
later sunk by the RAF.

Bombers and flight training were also stationed there throughout the war.

After the war, the King’s Flight arrived from 1947, later renamed the Queen’s Flight in 1953. At that time the base also became part of Transport Command training pilots to convert to the Armstrong Whitworth Argosy freighter.
From then until late 1990 the main use of the Station was the
maintenance of the Queen’s Flight.

From 2001 helicopters became the main aircraft based there, initially with Merlins and later the Puma. Six Chinooks transferred from RAF Odiham in 2015. The last three Pumas left the base in March 2025.

The Chinooks are now part of Support Helicopter Force where pilots are trained in support for ground troops and heavy lifting. Some light aircraft Grob trainers are currently based there used by Oxford University Air Squadron along with Thames Valley Police and Air Ambulance, frequent visitors to the skies over our villages, night and day.

Our visit was oversubscribed very quickly so it is proposed to run it again later in the year so watch this space!

The post RAF Benson Museum Visit first appeared on Warborough and Shillingford Society.

On 11 th April 2025 a group of 12 Society members paid a visit to RAF Benson at the invitation of Benson Historical Group. We travelled in three cars and arrived at the Guardhouse clutching our pre-vetted i.d. and were issued with passes.

This museum is not exactly a state secret but they are not allowed to advertise to the public and visits are mostly restricted to personal invitations.

On arriving at the museum it looked a bit underwhelming in size and we thought that our visit would be short and sweet. How wrong we were!

Two hours later some of us were still looking at the exhibits. The building was like a Tardis crammed with photos and memorabilia of the base from pre-WW2 to the present day.

The subjects included the compulsory purchase of the farmland in 1937 and subsequent opening in 1939 and further expansion throughout the war.

The first photo reconnaissance flights in conjunction with RAF Mount Farm (Berinsfield) flew on the day after night time bombing raids over Germany using Spitfires and Mosquitos, stripped of their guns but equipped with long range cameras. This was very dangerous work because of the fact that the enemy knew they would be coming. But because they were not carrying guns they could out-fly most of the they could out-fly most of the enemy fighters. A major triumph for the unit was locating the German battleship Bismarck hiding in a fjord near Bergen, Norway, which was later sunk by the RAF.

Bombers and flight training were also stationed there throughout the war.

After the war, the King’s Flight arrived from 1947, later renamed the Queen’s Flight in 1953. At that time the base also became part of Transport Command training pilots to convert to the Armstrong Whitworth Argosy freighter.

From then until late 1990 the main use of the Station was the maintenance of the Queen’s Flight.

From 2001 helicopters became the main aircraft based there, initially
with Merlins and later the Puma. Six Chinooks transferred from RAF
Odiham in 2015. The last three Pumas left the base in March 2025.

The Chinooks are now part of Support Helicopter Force where pilots are
trained in support for ground troops and heavy lifting. Some light aircraft
Grob trainers are currently based there used by Oxford University Air
Squadron along with Thames Valley Police and Air Ambulance, frequent
visitors to the skies over our villages, night and day.

Our visit was oversubscribed very quickly so it is proposed to run it again
later in the year so watch this space!

The post Visit to RAF Benson first appeared on Warborough and Shillingford Society.

Developers are proposing a massive development of 90 houses right in the heart of our beloved Warborough & Shillingford community. This project would threaten the open spaces we cherish, strain local resources, and disrupt our way of life.

We need your help to fight back. We’re raising funds to hire top barristers and technical experts to present a strong case against this development. Your contribution, no matter the size, will go directly towards protecting our community.

Click “No to 90” below to donate to our campaign: No to 90

Prefer to donate directly? Contact mday49160@gmail.com for alternative ways to support our fight.

Together, we can preserve the character of Warborough & Shillingford and ensure a thriving future for us all.

The post Save Plough Field! Stop the 90 House Development first appeared on Warborough and Shillingford Society.

Tuesday May 21st – St Laurence Hall, Warborough at 7.30pm

Free to members – guests £5.00

The post Julie Ann Godson – 1066 – Oxfordshire and the Norman Conquest first appeared on Warborough and Shillingford Society.

The post Starting to get memories first appeared on Warborough and Shillingford Society.

The post Upper Thames Patrol first appeared on Warborough and Shillingford Society.