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Old Caravan Field Near Benson?

My husband was at RAF Benson in 1969. We got married in November, but could not find any accommodation around the airfield. In desperation we rented a tiny caravan in a farmer's field south of the airfield. There was no running water and the one outside tap tended to freeze in winter. The few caravans were managed by an elderly couple - the old lady I remember vividly, as she had long straggly grey hair and always wore the same outfit: big baggy sweater over a kilt over blue jeans and wellingtons! To get to Benson you came out of the caravan field, turned left and at the end of this lane was a pub, on the main road. In the other direction, turning right out of the caravan field, the lane led to a main road where you caught the bus into Wallingford (I worked at the Institute of Hydrology for a few months).
We went back to Benson recently - took photos outside The Shepher'd Hut and drove past the airfield, now with armed guards at the gates ! But the pub on the main road south of the airfield was gone, and we failed to find the field where the caravans used to be - (we were on our way to Heathrow so time was short) nice to see the area isn't covered with new subdivisions though!
Can anyone tell me anything about the old people who managed the caravans, or the name of the field or lane where they sat. Also the name of the pub that was demolished?
Thanks from Canada!

Written by Jeanette Clarke. To send Jeanette Clarke a private message, click here.

A memory of Benson in Oxfordshire shared on Friday, 12th October 2007.

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