Welcome to Downham Market Airfield Cairn Memorial Website
The airfield memorial stands as a cherished tribute to the brave individuals who served at RAF Downham Market, a pivotal Royal Air Force Bomber Station from July 1942 to September 1945.
I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who has contributed and continues to give their help and support to this memorial project. Your Support is invaluable and greatly appreciated.
Your generosity will ensure that the sacrifice of our fallen heroes, many of whom were never found, can now be remembered together at the memorial forever.
The memorial, which honours their sacrifice from 1942 to 1945, will stand as a testament to their bravery.
To everyone who has contributed through the GoFundMe page, thank you. Your kindness truly makes a difference, and I sincerely appreciate your generosity.
With this memorial, we are keeping the legacy of those who served and fought for freedom.
"We Will Remember Them"
Photo of the memorial in July 2025 with the plaques installed; however, the lush green grass on the memorial embankments was killed off, not sure how. I am now replacing the grass that looks tired with a more permanent solution.
Ongoing maintenance work to improve the memorial is being carried out from November 2025 through to mid-May 2026, in time for the official unveiling and blessing ceremony on Sunday, 31 May 2026.
Please feel free to visit the memorial any time, and if you have any other questions.
Important Notice
Due to essential improvements to the memorial embankments from 11/12/2025 to 16/12/2025, the memorial plaques have been covered to protect them during the work. Sorry for any inconvenience.
The photo below, taken on 10/12/2025, shows that the maintenance of the airfield memorial is proceeding well.
15 December 2025 Memorial Maintenance Update
The plan is to have the earth embankment completely returfed. I am currently seeking a company to provide a quote for Turf and installation. Work is still ongoing at the memorial. If you visit the memorial, all plaques are now available for viewing. A black membrane covers the embankment to suppress weeds before turfing. Any chance of artificial grass is now not feasible, as it is unsuitable. See photo below of the memorial as of 3 PM on 15/12/2025.
**Update 31/12/2025:**
The membrane, as shown in the photo, has been torn from the embankments. Unfortunately, there is no local assistance available to reinstall the membrane, so the memorial currently looks quite untidy. I will begin work on the memorial soon to recover and correct the changes to the inner embankment. I apologise to anyone who wishes to visit the memorial during this time, as it is undergoing vital embankment and surrounding area modifications. Everything should look much better soon.
A big thank you to Mark Eves of Bexwell Kitchens for sending photos of the memorial in its current state, with the missing membrane. I appreciate Mark's kindness in keeping me informed, as I am unable to visit the memorial until early January 2026.
Happy New Year to everyone who has supported the Downham Market Airfield Cairn memorial to date!
**Update 10/01/2026:**
With the bitterly cold weather recently affecting the UK, I have been unable to visit the Downham Market Airfield memorial Cairn to continue vital maintenance work. As soon as the weather improves, I will be there to carry out the Maintenance work—a big shout-out to Nicholas Bennett, for your kind donation via the memorial GoFundMe page.
**Update 14/01/2026:**
Visited the memorial today to continue with the maintenance work, and there is still a lot to do to get the memorial ready in time for May 2026. Sadly, over the Christmas period, the memorial sustained damage from someone intent on disrupting the development and maintenance of the airfield cairn memorial.
The engraving infills on plaques 6 and 7 have disappeared. After consulting the plaque manufacturer, I was informed that the plaques are individually and professionally coated with a weatherproof finish, according to the plaque manufacturer, who, under strict guidelines on where the plaques would be installed, conducted necessary protective tests for the memorial plaques to be installed outside, open to all weather conditions, at a former Bomber Airfield.
The Plaque company stands by its belief that the plaques may have been tampered with. And cannot see how the protective layer and infill have disappeared so quickly! The plaques have only been in place since July 2025, and they believe this type of issue does not occur so soon after installation. Given that there is no other damage to the other plaques, it seems odd.
Thankfully, the plaque company will step in to rescue the damaged plaques and repair them on-site, as they cannot be removed for in-house repair.
I cannot begin to understand how or why this has happened to the memorial, but let me make it clear that I will not play the blame-and-shame game in which someone is targeting the memorial. (Though I believe this is the case).
All I can do now is press on and hope for a positive outcome in completing the project to create a fitting memorial to all who served at RAF Downham Market. Thank you. Chris Coverdale.
**Update 17/01/2026:**
More Stonework construction to be carried out at the memorial front edge today, and possibly some earth movement in preparation for the new look to the three inner embankments. This embankment work is possible thanks to donations to the memorial GoFundMe page (with handling Fees); however, without handling fees, you can now donate via the new memorial bank account by bank transfer. Thank you for your support and donations. Work at the memorial will continue through January / February 2026, weather permitting. Please direct all enquiries to Chris Coverdale via the memorial contact page.
**Update 17/01/2026:**
Hello to everyone following and supporting the developments with the airfield cairn memorial. The next maintenance visit is due very soon, and I aim to re-dress and install the right-side front flint stones. With both sides completed by the maintenance visit. The memorial's inner embankment will be next to get right. The damage to Plaques 6/7 is planned to be fully repaired sometime in February 2026. There is still much to do, and much of this work can only be completed with better dryer weather.
A current photo of the maintenance work being carried out on the airfield cairn memorial. Sadly, the once beautiful green grass embankments have now gone and will soon be changed to a more fitting look to allow low maintenance once completed. As mentioned above, the next visit will see the right side like the left-hand side with the Flintstone side. The list of Maintenance work still to be carried out is long, but with good weather and support from your donations, it is all possible before 31 May 2026. Chris Coverdale.
