• AiXAdmin

    RAF Firbeck Memorial Fund Appeal 

    by
    AiXAdmin
    Published on 19-06-2011 13:19

    RAF Firbeck Memorial Fund Appeal
    Noel Ryan & Chris Percy



    Tucked away in the south-east corner of South Yorkshire, a short distance south of the former pit village of Maltby and near the historic Roche Abbey, lies the little, unassuming disused airfield of RAF Firbeck. Opened before World War 2, it was the private airfield for the nearby Firbeck Hall, a large residential Country Club for the very well-heeled in society. Requisitioned in WW2, the airfield was the home to Army Co-Op Squadrons but also doubled up as a Relief Landing Ground for RAF Hucknall and latterly (1944 onwards) was under the administration of 21 Group (Training), which saw a limited amount of gliding take place until closure in 1948.

    The principal resident Squadrons, 613 (Lysanders), 654 (Auster I) and 659 (formed here with Auster IIIs) were largely used for local duties with nearby Army and Home Guard units. However, with the invasion of mainland Europe, 645 Sqn and 659 Sqn were moved out and closely followed the advancing Allied forces acting as air observation for artillery units, winning two DFCs in the process.
    Post-War, the airfield was rapidly run down and the very temporary accommodation and technical site removed and the landing ground was returned to agriculture. A few relics remain scattered around: a pair of unsually designed air raid shelters in a local wood and the NCOs mess in the grounds of Firbeck Hall Farm (the Nissen hut watch office was moved there and now forms an extension to the Mess). In the 1980s, these huts formed the exhibition halls of the South Yorkshire Aviation Preservation Society's museum. The majority of this collection formed the nucleus of Aeroventure, now at former RAF Doncaster.

    A recent visit by Noel Ryan and myself saw the idea of a simple memorial germinate. A perfect location was found at the junction of three public footpaths on the concrete base of one of Firbeck's small blister hangars. On the same day, contact was made with the landowner who was immediately enthusiastic. Over the weeks, a concerted effort to raise local awareness, including a leaflet drop in the village, which has resulted in very positive local feedback. Various Local Authority and Parish Councillors have also expressed a very positive attitude towards the project too – useful for the planning application process! Already, support has been pledged by the 613 Sqn Association and the village pub is to hold an auction. A dedicated bank account is in the process of being set up with the Co-Operative Bank (Community DirectPlus Account) (delayed due to the number of applicants for other community projects!); once open, a Pay Pal link will be organised for on-line donations via the Firbeck Memorial Fund Appeal web site (see below for details) and other on-line donation opportunities, including AiX. An announcement will be made on the forum once the Pay Pal link is established.

    So far, the project has identified a suitable manufacturer for the stainless steel laser-engraved plaque, measuring 14” x 12”) and the cairn itself is to be of concrete core construction clad in locally-sourced, dressed limestone.
    And this is where ARG comes in – so far as we know, this is the first ARG-endorsed memorial project of its kind. As such, we very much hope that ARG members will find a little something to help support the memorial fund – every little helps! For the time being, pledges and donations can be made by cheque made payable to the FIRBECK AIRFIELD MEMORIAL FUND to the address below. Announcements and updates will be made regularly on the forum and hopefully, we can have an e-newsletter for similar purposes.

    The proposed dedication date is the 25th August, 2011 but for the time being this is, to a certain degree, flexible.

    Please support us in this venture to help remember a little airfield with an interesting history and ensure it is not forgotten! Thank you!

    Noel Ryan & Chris Percy

    Contact Details and Donations
    Web: www.firbeckmemorial.co.uk
    E-mail: firbeckmemorial@gmail.com

    Cheques made payable to the

    FIRBECK AIRFIELD MEMORIAL FUND to

    Firbeck Airfield Memorial Fund
    c/o Chris Percy
    206 Heavygate Road
    Crookes
    Sheffield
    S10 1PJ
    South Yorkshire

    Please include reply contact details (including e-mail) so receipt acknowledgements can be made.

    England’s Newest National Nature Reserve Cleared for Take-off 


    An Article By Kerry Netherway, Natural England

    SEVENTY years ago Skipwith Common would have resonated to the sound of heavy bombers taking to the sky. Now birdsong and the native-breed sheep and cattle grazing the heath are all that disturb the peace and tranquillity of England’s newest National Nature Reserve (NNR).

    Man and nature have lived side by side on Skipwith Common for at least the last 6000 years, shaping the landscape, wildlife and access of the common we all enjoy today. The previous inhabitants have left many tell-tale signs that allow us to interpret and reflect on the past.

    Left to right: Charlie Forbes-Adams (owner of Eskrick Park Estate); Lynn Crowe (Lead Board Member for Yorkshire & Humber, Natural England) and Peter Nottage (Regional Director for Yorkshire & Humber, Natural England). Photo: via K. Netherway, Natural England.


    Riccall airfield was built on Skipwith Common in 1942. It was home to 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit, which trained crews to fly missions in Handley Page Halifax heavy bombers. The men who trained here served at Dishforth, Driffield, Leconfield, Linton on Ouse and Elvington airfields. Together these men took part in 61,577 sorties to play their part in ending the war. Many of them never returned - 221 personnel lost their lives during active service.


    Spitfire Vb BM597 of HFC, Duxford, flown by Flt. Lt. Charlie Brown turning in for the fly-past. Photo: via K. Netherway, Natural England.


    At the end of World War II, the airfield was abandoned. Some of the buildings were demolished and some were left standing. Parts of the runways and taxiways, as well as the foundations of the storage hangars and bomb fusing sheds, can still be seen today. The site of the control tower has now been returned to farmland, and the remains of the technical site blossoms with foxgloves and honeysuckle in summer. Although nature is slowly beginning to reclaim the airfield and its artefacts, the plants and animals found there are influenced by its very presence. Grass snakes, adders and common lizards bask during warm summer days in the defunct bomb stores, retreating into the brickworks to hibernate at winter’s first bite. As the concrete surfaces weathered and cracked, chalk-loving plants found a toehold in the heath’s acid soil, enhancing the site’s rich diversity. Mosses and lichens have colonised the runways, while birch and willow scrub have forced through the concrete to support an abundance of insects. You can find out more about the site and its status as a National Nature Reserve at www.naturalengland.org.uk.

    It had always struck Craig Ralston, Natural England’s Senior Reserve Manager that this was a special place shaped by its unique history, a living memorial to those that built, serviced and served from RAF Riccall. They provided an opportunity for new species to arrive at Skipwith Common and created a home to many rare and special plants and animals. The hard surfaces now form the basis of easy access routes allowing people of all ages and abilities to visit and enjoy this haven. When Craig received a copy of an email from local historian and conservation volunteer, Mary Sykes, an idea took shape. Mary praised Natural England and Common owners, Escrick Park Estate, for their management of the site, but her comments on the Common’s memorial aspect really struck a chord with Craig. Working with the Estate and nearby Yorkshire Air Museum, Elvington (home to the Allied Air Forces Memorial), a project was drawn up to create a more public and ‘traditional’ memorial to those stationed at RAF Riccall.



    The memorial on Skipwith Common, this is a cast of the Women’s Air Services Memorial Propellor at Elvington. Photo: Chris Percy.

    To mark the public launch of Skipwith Common NNR, and in memory of the men and women stationed there, a special dedication took place on May 14th 2010. This also started a weekend of activities organised by Natural England to highlight the importance of this special place and to build on local community links to the Common. A cast of a Wellington bomber propeller, recovered from the Yorkshire coast, was kindly donated by the Yorkshire Air Museum and sits at the western edge of the bomb dump. The ceremony was well attended and the main dedication was given by the Chaplain of Yorkshire Air Museum, Reverend Taff Morgan . The climax of this dedication was the moment Spitfire Mk. V BM597 (G-MKVB of the Historic Fighter Collection, Duxford, flown by Flt. Lt. Charlie Brown) made a slow low level pass along the route of the old taxiway before rolling into the sky in an evocative salute over the new memorial and assembled crowd, including local school children. The children were given a short, informal presentation by Airfield Research Group members Noel Ryan and Chris Percy.

    “It certainly made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up” said Craig. “The number of local people who have stopped me to talk about the event and the memorial, either because they were there on the day, saw it in the press or on TV or have subsequently seen the memorial on the Common clearly suggest we have done something we can all be proud of and in some way have played our part in shaping its next little bit of history. It fits so perfectly with what NNRs are all about: being jewels in the crown of the British countryside. Not just wildlife-rich places, but also supporting and safeguarding unique landscapes, special geology, archaeology and places where people can have an opportunity to engage with these features. Skipwith certainly fulfils all of these and in many ways, this is just the beginning of the story”

    Charlie Forbes-Adam, owner of the 8000ha Escrick Park Estate, which includes the common, added "Skipwith Common has been very special to me since I was a small boy and I am delighted that it is receiving the status it deserves. The common is an oasis of biodiversity in the arable lands of Selby District and is a magical, almost primordial, place. We all hugely appreciate the resources Natural England has allocated to the common in recent years."

    Close up of the memorial inscription. Photo: Chris Percy.
    The Common is enjoyed by the many visitors who come from far and wide, and there is a ‘Friends of Skipwith Common’ group who carry out practical conservation and run a programme of events for those who want to learn more about the site. The programme runs all year round and include archaeological events, broader interest walks, practical conservation tasks and family days.
    Find out more at www.friendsofskipwithcommon.org.uk.

    Turweston Watch Office 

    Published on 19-02-2011 21:06


    The Watch Office at the former RAF Turweston airfield has clearly seen better days when seen in June 2010. The building to drawing “Watch Office for Bomber Satellite and OTU Stations 13726-41” had most of its windows boarded up and was covered in tarpaulins. The area were the tower stands is a residential area for mobile homes and chalets, the tower remains in it’s fenced off enclave but for how much longer?
    Watch Office at Turweston in June 2010.

    Noel J Ryan

    Elvington Aerial Views 

    Published on 19-02-2011 18:29


    RAF Elvington, to the southeast of York, opened as a 4 Group bomber airfield in 1942, receiving its first unit, 77 Squadron, in October of that year. Elvington was a fairly standard duration only bomber airfield with three intersecting hard runways, the main runway (08-26) was 2000 yards and the subsidiary’s (02-20 & 14-32) 1400 yards. Two T2 hangars were provided with a B1 hangar erected the following year, 38 “frying pan” dispersals were also constructed. The technical site was to the southeast and dispersed living accommodation was located either side of the B1228 into Elvington village.

    Elvington became associated with the free French when 346 and 347 Squadrons formed at airfield in May and June 1944 respectively.
    The two free French squadrons departed Elvington in October 1945; the airfield was then used briefly by 14 Maintenance Unit for bomb storage before being put on care and maintenance.


    In 1953 Elvington was selected as one of several airfields made available to the USAF as reserve airfields. In the following year Evington’s footprint was to change significantly as US engineer organisations extended the main runway to 1.92 miles, this was also strengthened. New taxi ways and a huge aircraft apron were also constructed. The role of Elvington was to have been a deployment base for Strategic Air Command (SAC) nuclear bombers in times of tension. Ultimately no SAC bombers were ever deployed to Elvington and it saw its remaining RAF life as a reserve airfield being used as a relief landing ground.



    Richard Flagg

    Getting Avro Lincolns into T2’s 


    In Airfield Review 125 the article by Paul Francis entitled “Very Heavy Bomber Stations” makes reference to Lakenheaths B1 hangar having tracks to drag a Lincoln in sideways.

    Due to the larger wingspan of the Lincoln, 120 ft (36.58 m) compared to the Lancaster, 102 ft (31.09 m) there was no way of getting the aircraft into a T2 hangar, at least not in the conventional way.

    An interesting experiment took place at RAF Kelstern, Lincolnshire, in early 1945. Tram tracks which had been taken up from Grimsby were transported to Kelstern and laid into the T2 hangar on the technical site at the western side of the airfield. A special trolley arrived and was placed on the tram tracks, shortly after one of the Lincoln prototypes was flown in, this was gently mounted onto the trolley, and the aircraft was then dragged into the hangar sideways! It did work but was clearly an expensive and time consuming process.

    What is interesting is the tram tracks can still be seen at Kelstern, the hangar itself has gone but the base remains and a few feet of track can be seen disappearing inside it.


    The base of the T2 hangar used in the trial – Noel J Ryan




    The surviving piece of tram track used to drag the Lincoln sideways into the hangar - Noel J Ryan


    Noel Ryan
    Page 1 of 7 12345 ... LastLast