A Pilgrim's Route: Seven Quiet Airfields That Still Hold 92 Squadron's Story
The great heritage sites draw the crowds, and rightly so. But the story of 92 Squadron is written across a wider map — a scatter of grass fields and concrete runways, several now returned to farmland, where the Gambler Boys served, re-equipped and, on too many occasions, failed to return. For the enthusiast planning a weekend drive, these seven stations reward the effort.
1. Croydon, Greater London
The squadron's earliest connections run through this famous aerodrome, then Britain's principal airport. Today, precious little survives: the listed former terminal building on Purley Way houses a hotel, and a memorial garden stands nearby. A brief stop, but an essential one for understanding the squadron's pre-war world.
2. Digby, Lincolnshire
The station that gave the squadron its enduring 'Gambler Boys' nickname. The airfield remained an active military site long after the war, so access is limited, but the local church and village memorials acknowledge the station's wartime family. Combine with a drive through the Lincolnshire wolds for a proper half-day.
3. Pembrey, Carmarthenshire
A wartime station on the Welsh coast where the squadron served during tense months of coastal patrol. The airfield now welcomes light aviation and motorsport; the surrounding Pembrey Country Park makes this the most family-friendly stop on the route. Look for the heritage boards tracing the site's military past.
4. Colerne, Wiltshire
Perched on a plateau above Bath, Colerne received the squadron in the post-Battle of Britain reshuffle. Much of the technical site survives in MOD use, so visitors should keep to public rights of way, but the churchyard at nearby Box holds graves of airmen worth a respectful detour.
5. Biggin Hill, Kent
Not forgotten, exactly — but easily overlooked by those who assume the heritage centre covers everything. The St George's Chapel of Remembrance, with its roll of honour and shattered remnants of German aircraft, remains one of the most moving rooms in British aviation memory. Check opening times before travelling.
6. Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire
A quieter northern counterpart to Digby, where the squadron spent formative months. The airfield's later life obscured much of its wartime footprint, but the village itself retains strong associations, and the local history group has done admirable work recording them.
7. Eglinton, County Londonderry
For the truly committed pilgrim: the squadron's Northern Irish interlude left its mark on this airfield outside Derry, now the City of Derry Airport. The wartime perimeter track can still be traced from the road, and the city's war memorial offers a fitting place to close the journey.
Planning Your Route
A sensible itinerary splits naturally: Lincolnshire (Digby and Kirton-in-Lindsey) makes one weekend; the southern pairing of Colerne and Biggin Hill another; Wales and Northern Ireland each deserve their own dedicated trip. Always confirm access in advance — several sites remain on working military or civilian aerodromes — and remember that churchyards and village memorials often hold the most personal tributes to squadron personnel.
Travel light, drive courteously through the villages that hosted these airmen, and take the time to stand quietly on what is now merely grass. That, in the end, is what heritage travel of this kind is for.
