I to have been puzzled by the lack of information on Heigham Holmes airfield and looking through my library has not revealed much so far.
We do know that the airfield existed, as proven by that excellent 1944 RAF
PR photo shown previously, and the reference to it being a secret airfield used by SOE Lysanders to ferry agents to occupied Europe between 1940 and 1944. Ref
www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk NHER 25538.
John Farley makes an interesting suggestion that it might have been used for training pilots in SOE operations, good point, but I have reason to believe that a field at Somersham, to the North of Tempsford, was used for this purpose. I do note that a certain Flt Lt Farley was instrumental in setting up the original SOE Flight Operation; any relation John?
Looking at 161 Squadron ORB in the National Archives does not show any reference to Heigham Holmes but neither does it show any Lysander operations to Holland, of which there were quite a few, the records appear to have been conveniently lost or destroyed.
Our knowledge of the SOE flights stem mainly from the valiant acts of those directly involved, there is plenty to read and enjoy about the daring deeds of French section and also most other country sections but very little reference to the Dutch section.
After the War our Government put an embargo of 60 years on matters relating to the Dutch SOE fiasco that was effectively delivering all Dutch agents into the hands of Herr Giskes of the German Abwehr,I recommend reading 'Between Silk and Cyanide ' by Leo Marks to get a good appreciation of that story .
The Dutch I understand have an embargo until 2042 on the subject.
My gut feeling is that anyone connected with the Dutch section SOE flights would have been officially denied access to records and discouraged from writing about the details ,upwards of 50 gallant agents went on a one way trip and never to return,or indeed to survive the war .
All of this leads me to conclude that Heigham Holmes was possibly a satellite airfield to RAF Tempsford for Lysanders enroute to Holland, rather like RAF Tangmere was for Lysanders enroute to France.
Similarly the ORB (Operations Record Book) for 138 Squadron is also incomplete .
The history of RAF Heigham Holmes has yet to be discovered and will take some finding, all that I would hope is that should a definite link be established with the SOE Dutch section then a suitable Memorial be erected to those brave souls who lost their lives .