Chicksands: US airman sad over UK base closure

A former US airman has said he is sad about the closure of the UK military base where he found lifelong love.

John Nichols was stationed at RAF Chicksands, Bedfordshire, between 1958 and 1960.

The airman said he had never been to England before and other than films knew very little about the country.

"The only thing I knew about England was from watching old films... Fog with trench coats on," he recalled.

The then 19-year-old lived on the base for about two and a half years working as an air policeman.

"It was very basic, you had a bed, a footlocker, a standing locker and it was ruddy cold," he said.

Mr Nichols, originally from California, was responsible for guarding the gates to the base and carrying out patrols.

He also ran the base theatre where servicemen could watch films.

"The place was always jam packed when we had Coyote and Roadrunner cartoons on... Soon as the cartoons were over everybody would leave unless the film was very good."

In 1960 Mr Nichols, 85, met his future wife Rosamund.

They met during a dance at the Angel pub in Bedford and married in November of that year.

"I saw her in the dance, had only spoken to her for a few words, but she made a hell of an impression because I've been here 63 years," he said.

His future father-in-law was not so impressed, Mrs Nichols recalls.

"My father couldn't believe it, he said 'I ain't ever having any girl of mine going out with yanks'. I think I was just defiant."

In December it was revealed MOD Chicksands is due for disposal by the end of 2030.

The former airman said he was "sad because it means people will lose jobs".

"But it's already come down to hardly anything compared to what it was when I was there, it was a good functioning base."

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