RAF Wilmslow

[Jamesb]

There is already a website dedicated to RAF Wilmslow here http://www.wilmslow.org.uk/wilmslow/...mslow-raf.html, but I thought I would start a new thread and see what else we can drag up. The station opened on 11th april 1940 as a recruit training centre and closed on 30th November 1959, remaining on care and maintenance until 1963. The website is full of personal anecdotes and recollections and makes for an interesting read.

For my part, I have attached a composite aerial view taken sometime in the early 1970's (thanks to the twinmaps website) after the camp had been demolished, but still showing the road layout. Also attached is the modern day aerial view, which shows how all traces of the site have been obliterated beneath the 'Summerfields' housing estate. Reference points are the railway lines running along the left hand side and the housing (married quarters??) to the top right, beneath the word 'Macclesfield'.

James

RAF Wilmslow1.jpg

RAF Wilmslow modern.jpg

[sbird]

The houses on Tudor Road Lincoln road were something to do with the RAF camp. A friend of mine lived in one for some years and as far as he was aware they had been allocated to the married staff from the camp. The camp had been totally demolished at this time and all that remained were piles of rubble although the original road layout was still in place. No photos unfortunately.

[Jamesb]

Hi, yes that was my understanding to. Married quarter's (for the permanent camp staff?). Are they the last standing buildings of Raf Wilmslow?

James

[sbird]

As far as I am aware yes. The last time I was there was in the early 1980s, and everything on the camp had been demolished, although the main gates were still in place and recognisable as the gates that can be see in the photograph of the camp entrance on the RAF Wilmslow web page. There also used to be a red and white road sign at the junction of Manchester Road and Dean Row Road indicating that RAF Wilmslow was there, although this too has gone now.
The houses were as far as my friend knew married quarters allocated to the permanent staff (NCOS) from the camp.
The only other thing I know about it is that an aunt (now deceased) served in the WAAF during the war and was posted to Wilmslow to take a course on RAF law.

[Miley]

As far as I am aware yes. The last time I was there was in the early 1980s, and everything on the camp had been demolished, although the main gates were still in place and recognisable as the gates that can be see in the photograph of the camp entrance on the RAF Wilmslow web page. There also used to be a red and white road sign at the junction of Manchester Road and Dean Row Road indicating that RAF Wilmslow was there, although this too has gone now.
The houses were as far as my friend knew married quarters allocated to the permanent staff (NCOS) from the camp.
The only other thing I know about it is that an aunt (now deceased) served in the WAAF during the war and was posted to Wilmslow to take a course on RAF law.

I'm sure there are RAF houses in Carlton ave, off sefton drive, on stannelands road. The Garage at the top of the hill (deanway trading estate) I was told in the war was an ambulance factory. There was a large coop depot on dean road, I think has become welland road now. An old man told us in the 70's that during the war it was a Tank depot. Unsubstatiated but an interesting start. On theaerial views I'm sure they show a link road to 61MU, there are odd bits still left, off Hall road/ the green area, in the 70's I could walk all the way through.

[sbird]

I remember the co-op depot on Dean Road and also remember hearing that it had been used for tanks, although whether for construction/storage of whatever I don't know. There was also rumour that a Churchill tank was buried there but how true that is I have no idea.

[mbriscoe]

I am sure you are aware but you can get 1970 and 2000 aerial imagery of Cheshire on the Tithe Map website. 1970 can often be early enough to see traces of wartime sites that have now been lost.

http://maps.cheshire.gov.uk/tithemaps/

Similarly for Lancashire you can get WWII aerial imagery on the Lancashire Council MARIO website - unfortunately this does not include those parts of Lancashire colonised by Manchester, Liverpool etc.

[Carnaby]

1955 status for this site: No.4 School of Recruit Training, No.31 School of WRAF Training, RAF Hospital.

Training buildings:

Lecture rooms in 8 'B' type huts (Pupil capacity 400)
3 Padgate hangars (150 x 100 ft) as drill sheds and gymnasium

Equipment stores in 2 Hinaidi Hangars and brick hut.
TB Armoury, pyro and SAA stores
MT Section TB - 7 open and 3 closed bays and workshop with inspection pit.

Hospital

'B' type hutting. Beds for 56 RAF and 56 WRAF
MI rooms, surgery and treatment rooms
5 Dental surgeries
Infectious diseases hospital, separate 'B' type hut and SECO annexe containing 6 wards

Admin:

SHQ, office accommodation, Reception centre, Trade selection and Attestation offices in 'B' type hutting. TB telephone exchange. Open rifle range

Quarters:

Single: 40 officers, 44 SNCOs, 1,809 airmen
Married: 27 officers, 0 NCOs, 82 airmen
WRAF: 39 officers, 32 SNCOs, 1,265 airwomen
Princess Mary's RAF Nursing Service: 24 WRAF officers

Messing 50 + 54 + 848. +(WRAF officers and SNCOs with RAF), + 764 airwomen
Catering for 100 + 60 + 1,000 + 1,000 airwomen

Cinema, gym, badminton court, NAAFFI, CA Institute, churches, playing fields.

Standby: 60 kW for hospital. 18 kW for sewage

What are Padgate hangars, and CA Institute ?

[PETERTHEEATER]

'CA" refers to Church Army who provided recreational facilities as an alternative to the NAAFI.

Padgate Hangars implies that the structures were copies of those erected at Padgate probably purpose built for drill training.