About the Author
Vince Povey - RAF Blakehill Farm Historian
My name is Vincent Paul Povey. I once lived in the village of Leigh (pronounced ‘lye’) near Swindon in the rural county of Wiltshire UK.
My home once overlooked the fields and hedgerows that were once part of the major WWII airfield known as ‘RAF Blakehill’
My ex wife, Georgina and I inherited the property in 2004 following life changing events for her family. Her mother, aunt and uncle grew up in the house along with her grandparents and stories of the “sky being black with aircraft” over the house during the build up to D Day was something that she always remembers being told as a youngster.
During a five year period of poor health the airfields’ modern role of a nature reserve offered a safe place for me to visit and convalesce. It became more and more important to me that I should give something back.
One night I wrote “Anything Anywhere”, a poem dedicated to the memory of the airfield and a tribute to the RCAF Husky Squadron. This went onto be crudely pinned to the visitor board on the site and has been photographed dozens of times by visitors.
Photo Credit "Warthog" June 2018
I have worked hard to form relationships with stakeholders of the nature reserve and the local museum, and this is turn has allowed me to learn more and more of the airfields history, undertaking historical tours during Wildlife Trust open days and developing something of a caretaker role for the site.
I am the part time Warden for the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust who now own the Nature Reserve at Blakehill. I get to visit parts of the complex not normally open to the public.
My efforts in celebrating and preserving the memory of this one RAF site for future generations are nothing compared to the sacrifices made by the land-owners, soldiers, airmen, nurses and ground crews alike, who helped enable allied victory in WWII.
This has been, and will continue to be, my peacetime mission.
“At the going down of the sun, and in the morning; We will remember them.”
Vincent Povey December 2015