Welcome to this web site created to tell the heritage of Fairlop Plain situated within the London Borough of Redbridge, only 6 miles (9 kms) north east of the London 2012 Olympic Games Stadium.

Thanksgiving for the 80th VJ Day Commemoration

On 17th August 2025, a Thanksgiving Service for the 80th VJ commemoration was held at All Saints Church Goodmayes, run by Reverend Christiana Asinugo. Present were the Mayor of Redbridge Cllr Beverley Brewer, Leader of the Council Cllr Kam Rai, Denise Speight Founder of Veterans of War and the Royal Air Force Regiment. 

David Martin of Fairlop Heritage Group said: I am privileged to speak about my Uncle Arthur Powell, a Japanese Prisoner of War from 1942 to 1945.

Arthur enlisted into the 4th Battalion of the Royal Norfolk Regiment and sailed to Singapore. 
The battalion were given a sector to defend the island. The company counter attacked positions on a golf course which had been captured by the Japanese. During the skirmish Arthur was shot in the thigh and taken to Singapore General Hospital. He was fortunate, as the remainder of his platoon were either killed or wounded taken to another hospital.
Here the Japanese bayoneted most doctors, bayoneted most nurses and bayoneted most prisoners.
Arthur went to Kanchanaburi in Thailand to build a bridge – in reality two bridges as the first, a wooden one was destroyed by American bombing and replaced by an iron bridge, also bombed by the Americans, which according to Arthur, came from Java.
The POW camp adjacent to the bridge, liable to bombing, and the Americans could not be expected to know the camp was in close proximity to their target. During the bombing the prisoners made an escape, away from the bridge.
Over half of the prisoners working on the bridge died from starvation, disease, and mistreatment.
Arthur, discovered by the Japanese to be a singer, named him Al Johnson a mispronunciation of Al Jolson. After hard days work on the railway he could be summoned at any time to entertain the Japanese. and girlfriends. He took every opportunity to steal food for those in hospital.
During his captivity he received 2 postcards from home, the last one posted in January 1945 and did not reach him until 3 September 1945, a day after the Japanese surrender. 
Arthur learned the war had ended after hearing bagpipes.

Whilst we tend to concentrate on the horror prisoners endured, we should also remember their families, especially their wives. Arthur received support from his family, above all love from his wife Ellen and survived freedom, without support soldiers are afforded today.

Friday 10 November 2023 a Remembrance Ceremony at
John Bramston Primary School

Saturday 11 November 2013 Remembrance at Fairlop Waters
in the presence of our Honoured Guest
Group Captain Deflaux French Air and Space Force

From the Ice age, Iron Age, Roman settlements, an ancient Royal forest, Fairlop Oak, Fairlop Fair, RAF military history in two World Wars, the creation of Fairlop Waters, to one Olympic flame carried across Fairlop Lake on a power boat driven by Mike Phillips, towards a second flame on the far bank in 2012.

A kaleidoscope of significant events within this unique site. It will appeal to people of all ages with a variety of interests and includes teachers education packs for KS1 & KS2.

In the summer of 1953, my first visit to Fairlop. An open space with the deteriorating residue of a fighter station all around, concrete runways rippling to the horizon, tank traps, gun pits and derelict Miskin hangars.

Nearby were model aircraft being flown on control wires and a man, thought to be German, whose dog understood commands in both English and German.  In the distance, cars and motorbikes were heard racing up another unseen runway.

To a ten year old this was magical.
I should have taken more notice, should have taken photographs.  Regretfully I did neither, especially as I did not possess a camera. Hopefully, dogged determination and research have made up for this.

Some pundits consider that RAF Station Fairlop is not worthy of recognition as it was not operational during the Battle of Britain. In relevant publications, Fairlop rarely gets a mention, and because it was designated a satellite of Hornchurch, it does not have a crest in the RAF Church in St Clement Dane, London.