RAF Marham veteran John Stanton.

Many thousands of servicemen and women have served at RAF Marham since it opened in 1916. Annabelle Dickson spoke to veterans of the West Norfolk base to find why they are backing the Eastern Daily Press Make it Marham campaign.

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It is the servicemen and women who have defended Queen and country from the runways and hangars of RAF Marham who know most of 
all what RAF Marham has offered 
in the past and can offer in the future.

While the those still on the Ministry of Defence payroll must stay silent on their views, many veterans of the base have added their support to the campaign, and in some cases are petitioning hard to save the base.

One such veteran is Barney Howlett, who was a technician at RAF 
Marham for three years from 1968. He repaired radios on the Victor tankers.

Mr Howlett, who retired from the RAF as a chief technician, said that he felt even more strongly about saving RAF Marham as his last posting was at RAF Coltishall which was closed in 2006.

The 75-year-old from Drayton and his wife Pam have already collected 289 signatures for the Make it Marham petition.

He said: “I felt that I had got to everything to keep Marham because of the economic benefits it brings to the area. I was stationed there for three years so I am well aware of it and what it does.

He said that when he went online to add his name to the petition, he realised he could print out petitions. He took one to church last Sunday and was so inspired by the 65 signiatures he collected he decided to drop petitions at all his local shops.

“The more signatures we could get, the better,” he said.

But, he said that as well as the economic benefits to the area, there were also military arguments for keeping the base at RAF Marham.

“They’ve got the BAE workshop at Marham and that would cost them a lot of money if they did move it up to Lossiemouth.

“We are also much closer to the Middle East. They do not have to refuel.”

John Stanton, who retired as a flight lieutenant, spent much of his RAF career at Marham.

When he returned to RAF Marham after his first tour, he bought a house in Downham Market and he has lived there ever since. He retired in 1992.

He was serving at the base when the Tornadoes arrived in the 1980s.

“There is so much going for it”, he said. “I was at Marham when they decided to put the Tornadoes there. They were going up to Lincolnshire when they realised that RAF Marham was 30 miles closer to the ‘Iron Curtain’. Everything came to Marham then.

“It is years since I’ve been to RAF Lossiemouth, but I do not think the place is big enough to handle a full fleet of Tornadoes.”

Dick Russell, who retired as a squadron leader, had a posting to RAF Marham during his 41 year career in the RAF, he agreed that the military arguments for keeping RAF Marham open are sound.

He has lived in Denver for 40 years.

“I cannot for the life of me see why they would close Marham, apart from the fuss that the Scots are making”, he said.

“I do not think you can keep a base based on the local economy. It must be for the services to decide where.”

“RAF Marham has married quarters, hangars and runways. As far as I know most of the servicing is carried out at Marham.

“I do not see there is a contest.”

Del Padbury, who also retired as a squadron leader, served at RAF Marham twice during his RAF career, which spanned from 1960 to July 1988.

“I always found Marham to be an extremely pleasant base to be posted to”, he said.

“It is quite a famous airbase and it always has been. The support services were always excellent.

“Marham has always been a very happy base. It is a significant part of the north west of Norfolk.”

He said he believed that if it were not for the role the Tornadoes are playing in Afghanistan, it may have been the Harriers spared in the cuts.

But he said that between RAF Marham and RAF Lossiemouth, Marham was by far the better base.

“I have sympathy for the people of Lossiemouth, but in these hard economic times the government has to decide what goes and what stays”, he added.