No 6 Group (Bomber Command) - Leeming Traditional Cache
No 6 Group (Bomber Command) - Leeming
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size:
 (small)
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This is a series of caches based on Second World War airfields around North Yorkshire. They are all accessible by car and it is possible to do them all in one hit but it will involve a drive of some 160 miles.
They are all stand alone caches and can be done in any order. To complete the series you will need the co-ordinates of the final cache, Lest We Forget. These are contained one digit at a time, randomly, in the other caches.
During the Second World War No 6 Group (Royal Canadian Air Force) Bomber Command was based in North Yorkshire. Equipped with the Wellington, Halifax and Lancaster bomber aircraft, the Canadians remained at these bases until after the end of the war. The impact of the RCAF had a lasting effect on the local villages and many have erected memorials which are proudly displayed and carefully maintained. Nearly 25,000 Canadian servicemen and women were based here in North Yorkshire.
Five of the airfields are still operational, one as an international airport and the others, having been returned to the RAF, are used for military purposes. (You will not be required to enter any military premises). The remainder have been left derelict and have either returned to nature or are used for agricultural or light industry. Many reminders of the War, be it old buildings or pieces of runway, still remain to this day at all of them.
Yorkshire Air Services formed a flying club at Leeming in 1938 but the airfield was acquired by the MoD and became an operational air base in 1940. It played a significant role in the War by seeing the debut of the first four-engined bombers and also being the original centre for the Canadian Air Force when they arrived.
It was from Leeming that crews took part in the famous attacks on the German battle-cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau berthed in Brest harbour, France.
When the Canadians left in 1946, Leeming reverted back to RAF use and housed numerous training units. In the 1980’s it was radically overhauled and became home to the RAF Tornado Defence Squadrons and No 100 Squadron with their Hawk target towing aircraft. It remains the major RAF station in Yorkshire.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Qbqtr gehpxf naq ernpu sbe gur fxvrf!
Treasures
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