Where is it? – As it turned out, Westhampnett, the one we wanted to get to, was only about six hours by train from the Speke area but nobody, either at the Station Orderly Room or at the railway station in Chester, seemed to know where our particular Westhampnett actually was situated. Dixie and I were sent to a little base in East Anglia. We had a wonderful time there, as it seemed to Dix and I that nobody there had ever met experienced fighter pilots before. Then somebody heard that there was a Westhampnett in Cornwall so we trundled off to Cornwall to another little base. The lonely adjutant at this little station was to give a party (the RAF 365 reasons for a party) and he said, “Chaps, I think I know where Westhampnett is but why not stay for a day or two.” It was obvious to us that the rascal wanted our contributions.
After one whole week upon our search for our Westhampnett, we finally arrived to the Westhampnett near Chichester, Sussex.
Our Westhampnett was a grass field completely surrounded by tall, deciduous trees and there was, also, a hospital which was part of the perimeter. The field was enlarged by tearing down the fences of the farms. Across the southern portion of the field there was a slight rise to a low ridge, and I remember that we would let the Spitfires roll over the grass until they went up this rise and got airborne on their own metal selves. (Pretty lazy, uh?)
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