RAF Coltishall Memorial Rooms at Neatishead
As the preparations for the closure of the station gathered pace in 2006 the Community Relations Officer and historian, Mick Jennings MBE, laid plans for the extensive Station History Room to be dismantled. However, he and the then Station Commander were keen that the general public would still have access to the collection to ensure the proud history of this famous and much respected RAF Station would be preserved and remembered.
Images courtesy of John Welton MBE
Set in rooms kindly provided by the RAF Air Defence Radar Museum at the former RAF Neatishead, the RAF Coltishall Memorial Rooms tell the story of 66 years of eventful history from the stations birth in 1939 as a bomber station, its actual use as a fighter station right up until flying ceased in 2006 leading to the eventual closure in 2007.
Images courtesy of John Welton MBE
The RAF Coltishall Collection contains photographs, documents, plans and artefacts which graphically describe the World War II years, when well known aces such as Douglas Bader, Robert Stanford-Tuck, John “Cats Eyes” Cunningham and many more played their part in the war effort in the air. The contribution of Polish airmen both during the war and shortly after when the station was a wholly Polish unit is outlined and the transition to peace, the advent of the early jet era, the arrival of the fast jets in the form of Javelins and Lightnings is shown. The long association with the Jaguar aircraft finishes the story. The latter display includes the Jaguars successful deployments during the first Gulf War and in the Balkan Conflict as well as the routine and frequent exercise deployments that were a feature of Jaguar Sqn life.
Images courtesy of John Welton MBE
In addition to the public displays, the RAF Coltishall Rooms have an archive of documents, photographs, artefacts and drawings that provide a continually growing record of life and events on the station.
Images courtesy of John Welton MBE
The RAF Coltishall Memorial Rooms is staffed by volunteers from The Spirit of Coltishall Association – an organisation formed to commemorate RAF Coltishall and to keep friendships active after the station closed.
For further information about opening days and times, please visit the RAF Air Defence Radar Museum website:
For more information about the Spirit of Coltishall Association visit:
How to get there:
Follow the brown tourist signs from the A1062 at Horning 30 minutes north of Norwich.
The curator of the RAF Coltishall Memorial Rooms is John Welton MBE
Email: jswelton@hotmail.com