617 Squadron RAF – Post-1945

View 1 - Taken by Morris Felton 01 Jun 2013

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View 2 - Taken by Morris Felton 01 Jun 2013

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View 3 - Taken by Morris Felton 01 Jun 2013

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Marble. 617 Sqd. - Taken by R.Darby, Woodhall Spa, Lincs. 05 Apr 2014

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Free Standing made of stone - Taken by David Jones 07 Mar 2016

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Free Standing - Taken by Dave Jones 07 Mar 2016

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Free Standing - Taken by Dave Jones 07 Mar 2016

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Free Standing - Taken by Lorraine Jones 07 Mar 2016

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The memorial in its setting - Taken by Adrian S. Pye 05 Jun 2018

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Designer & makers - Taken by Robert Walton 08 Feb 2025

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RAF 617 Squadron Memorial - Taken by Robert Walton 08 Feb 2025

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Gulf & Iraq inscriptions - Taken by Robert Walton 08 Feb 2025

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Reference WMO/170043

Address:

Royal Square Gardens

Station Road

Woodhall Spa

LN10 6QL

England

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Status: On original site

Type: Freestanding

Location: External

Setting: Within a garden/park/churchyard/enclosure/Marketplace

Description: Other monolith

Materials:

Stone Granite

Lettering: Incised

Conflicts:

Post-1945 War or Conflict

About the memorial: Memorial dedicated to members of the 617 Squadron lost serving with the squadron post-1945. Black granite pyramid, designed to echo the wing-form of two aircraft flown post-war by the squadron – the Vulcan and Tornado. The memorial features the 617 Squadron crest and is inscribed with a dedication and post-battle honours. The polished side faces of the pyramid are engraved with inset red lightning flashes, the symbol carried today on the squadron’s Tornado aircraft.

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Comments:

 Designer of monument humbled by memorial event
 
Woodhall Spa 617 Squadron Memorial 
Horncastle News 09:26Wednesday 29 May 2013
The designer of the 617 Squadron memorial unveiled in Woodhall Spa has spoken of her pride at seeing the finished monument in its place.
Sylvia Waugh, from Grimsby, was handpicked by the 617 Squadron Association in 2007 after winning a competition for the design of a new monument to the squadron in Woodhall Spa.
Six years later, Sylvia’s design was unveiled on the 70th anniversary weekend of the famous Dambusters raid.
The competition was organised for final year students by the University of Lincoln where Sylvia was completing a course in Contemporary Decorative Crafts.
“As the designer of the monument I felt absolutely humbled,” Sylvia said.
“It was such a proud moment. I hadn’t actually seen the memorial in person until it was unveiled.
“What struck me the most was how the light caught it and how it looked at different times during the day.”
The design of the monument echoes the wing form of the Vulcan and the Tornado - both flown post-world war by the 617 Squadron. It also features a striking red lighting bolt which is used on the squadron’s crest. 
Although specialising in glass-making, Sylvia is also a calligrapher and helped design the font on the monument.
“It’s so important to remember those who have given their lives,” said Sylvia.
“One thing that was nice to see from a designer’s point of view was that when the wreath was laid at the base of the monument you could still see all of the inscription.”
The three-metre high monument is made from black granite and stands proudly next to the Dambusters memorial in Woodhall Spa’s Royal Square.

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LETTER: Why the need for another memorial in Woodhall Spa? 
Horncastle News
Published on 12/05/2013 10:15 
Since 1987, Woodhall Spa’s Royal Square has been the site of the superb “Dambuster’s Monument” and is now getting another memorial within a few yards. 
While these ensure that human sacrifice is never forgotten, the local history of the site should also be remembered, for these memorials dramatically alter the original idea behind the Square. 
The popularly named “Dambusters memorial” commemorate all of 617 Squadron’s major campaigns between 1943-45, but its shape tells of only one, the famous Dams raid, which of course took place from RAF Scampton long before the squadron was transferred to Woodhall Spa. 
Following the August 17-18 1943 bombing of the Royal Hotel and Winter Garden on the site, the hotel’s owners presented, to the urban District Council, the devastated but central site so that ‘ a space could be created for the benefit of the public’. 
This became a lovely public park which I well remember, but from 1987 it has been neither easy nor appropriate to relax there as if in a park, with a huge breached dam staring you in the face bearing the words ‘They died for your Freedom’. 
For decades I have watched as the understandable urge to commemorate the Second World War has become a local industry with ‘40’ weekends, re-enactments and mass war tourism. 
Before all this, Woodhall Spa was quite magical, commemorating its own War dead on the unassuming cross at the crossroads, and remembering all of 617 Squadron’s exploits in the Squadron Bar at the Petwood Hotel, which became the Squadron’s Officer’s Mess from January 1944. 
For these reasons, I prefer to remember the magnitude and folly of war at one remove from the current commemoration industry, which locally is now somewhat ‘in our faces’, all year, every year.
Edward Mayor
Sandy Lane, Woodhall Spa

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New Dambusters memorial is unveiled in Woodhall Spa
 
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Two of the last surviving original Dambusters have given their seal of approval to a new 617 Squadron memorial.
Pilot Les Munro, 94, and bomb aimer George ‘Johnny’ Johnson, 91, said the black granite sculpture in Woodhall Spa was very fitting.
1.	 
Veterans Johnny Johnson and Les Munro in front of the new memorial
The tribute is to all post 1945 air and ground crew from 617 who gave their lives for their country and it sits alongside the squadron’s Second World War memorial in Royal Square.
Its shape symbolises the Vulcan and Tornado aircraft flown by the squadron in the years after the war.

Mr Munro, who had travelled from New Zealand for the anniversary commemorations, said: “I was very impressed with the new memorial.
“It looks much better than we anticipated.
“We had seen the drawings and the finished article has turned out really well.”
Mr Johnson, who lives in the West Country, said: “I like the new memorial.
“It’s very in keeping with the squadron as it today.”
Wreaths were laid during the ceremony and a Lancaster bomber flew overhead, followed by two Tornados bearing special Dambusters 70 tail art.
The new memorial was designed by local artist Sylvia Waugh and carved by stonemasons Steve and Leon Andrews from Heighington.

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Inscription:

Face 1 lower triangle: IN/ MEMORY/ ALL MEMBERS OF/ 617/ SQUADRON/ ROYAL AIR FORCE/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ SINCE 1945/ IN SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY/ WE WILL REMEMBER THEM Face 3 of the outer, highest triangle: GULF 1991/ IRAQ 2003

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