Coquet and Coast Forum
Don't forget to check out our sister site: Amble and District

Go Back   Coquet and Coast Forum > Local History, Genealogy, People and Places > Acklington and Guyzance

 We no longer use activation emails. Please allow 24h after sign up and your account should work
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 07-01-2011, 02:56 AM
brownknees brownknees is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: After a lifetime of globetrotting finally settled in Thailand in 2000
Posts: 76
Default RAF Acklington

Does anyone have photos of the Battle of Britain open days in the 1940s?I went as a schoolboyc 1948 on wards but didnt have a camera then!!
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 11-02-2011, 03:59 PM
rickt rickt is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Amble ,Northumberland
Posts: 83
Default

Have a look at this page :

http://www.neaviationresearch.org.uk.../BoBatHome.htm

in relation to the BOB open days , but clicking on the Home Page will lead you to the site with lots of information and pictures that may be of interest .

I remember going to one of the open days in the early 60's as a kid as I had a relative who worked there .Just a distant memory now !
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 10-12-2011, 03:59 PM
Coquet's Avatar
Coquet Coquet is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Amble
Posts: 3,253
Default

There is also a book by Elizabeth Stewart "R.A.F. Acklington" published 2002, a good number of photos in there including the open days.

Not sure where you could get a copy now.

Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 10-12-2011, 07:09 PM
williamtheyounger williamtheyounger is offline
New Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Posts: 24
Default Acklington RAF Station

You can purchase this book at localbookshelf.co.uk the cost is £8.50p which includes post and package
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 06-03-2012, 09:32 PM
williamtheyounger williamtheyounger is offline
New Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Posts: 24
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by brownknees View Post
Does anyone have photos of the Battle of Britain open days in the 1940s?I went as a schoolboyc 1948 on wards but didnt have a camera then!!
I also remember the open days at the RAF station, it was a short walk up the railway line to get there from north broomhill. I also remember that the RAF had quarters at Druridge Bay, where there were three old world war tanks just in front of the links, which were sometimes used for target practice by the jets at Acklington. They also used floating targets in the sea, where I used to watch them practicing. (was not supposed to be there as the red flag was flying, but I had got there before the flags were raised and I fell asleep on the links). The jets also used targets trailing behind another jet, sometimes they would break the tow rope, and the target would fall to earth. A lot of us would rush to retrieve it, as we took it back to Acklington and got paid.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 30-12-2012, 09:50 PM
Graeme Graeme is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 33
Default

Various photos taken at RAF Acklington (but not by me):

92 Sqdn at the Armament Practice Camp (APC), Acklington, the year before the unit swapped its Gloster Meteor F.8s (two pictured) for the Canadair Sabre F.4:

http://www.92sqdn.brushhouse.co.uk/crew/crew08.html

46 Sqdn at the APC Acklington sometime between March 1955 and June 1956 (when W/Cdr Birchfield was CO of the squadron) - the aircraft barely visible in the background is a Gloster Javelin FAW.1 all-weather fighter. The unit was based at RAF Odiham, Hampshire at this time but had been detached to Acklington for air-to-air firing practice - presumably at the Druridge Bay ranges:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jav_APC.jpg

A thread about the Hurricane and Spitfire "gate guardians" at RAF Acklington in 1965:

http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=54230

A thread on the Airfield Information Exchange forum about Acklington - a few pictures taken of the surviving buildings and open cast mining equipment in the mid-1970s:

http://www.airfieldinformationexchan...230-Acklington

And last one for now, a description of two of the pill boxes between the airfield site and Broomhill - the one with the gun mount on top is somewhat unusual but not totally uncommon:

http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main...ad.php?t=21630

Graeme
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 23-03-2013, 11:58 AM
Coquet's Avatar
Coquet Coquet is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Amble
Posts: 3,253
Default

Graeme you still about?

I'm working on the Acklington Station record book for WW2. there's a description reoccurring for aircraft crew members in hand-written text that looks like 'Operator'

Is this correct? or am I mis-reading it?

here's a section below regarding a crash off Seahouses on the 23rd Jan 1943:
interpreted by me as:

23rd
While carrying out an authorised low flying exercise in the region of Seahouses an aircraft of No. 410 Squadron R.C.A.F Mosquito II No. H.J.919
was seen to nose-dive into the sea about 1m off the Seahouses Coastguard Station at approx. 1500 hrs.
The position of of impact was located by debris, and diving operations commenced. The crew Sgt. G.G.Mills (Pilot) and Sgt. M. Lipton (Operator)
having been reported 'missing believed killed'. Proceedings of a formal investigation having been passed to higher Authority.



here's the actual handwriting with that word highlighted:
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 23.1.43.jpg (40.5 KB, 27 views)
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 23-03-2013, 12:05 PM
Coquet's Avatar
Coquet Coquet is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Amble
Posts: 3,253
Default

I'm struggling with some of this handwriting - 'Acklington Scrawl' I've called it.
and there's 'only' 230 pages of it for 1943

I set 'her indoors' off with 1939-1942: we're going to meet on the 1st January 1943.

(I think she got the short straw but I'm keeping my head down and saying nowt.)
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 23-03-2013, 01:17 PM
Alan J. Alan J. is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Amble
Posts: 344
Default Air crash Seahouses.

Would this not be the wireless operator in a two man aircraft.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 23-03-2013, 03:42 PM
Coquet's Avatar
Coquet Coquet is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Amble
Posts: 3,253
Default Teleprinter

That seem a quite likely explanation Alan. I didn't think of it.

here's an emotive piece of local history; looks like original copy out of the Acklington Station Teleprinter, sent to a few locations on the 2nd Dec 1943 at what looks like 0210 in the morning.
[copyright the National Archives]
Attached Images
File Type: jpg teleprinter.jpg (53.8 KB, 58 views)
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 23-03-2013, 04:21 PM
Alan J. Alan J. is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Amble
Posts: 344
Default Teleprinter message.

2 miles North of Acklington, could this have been the crash onto the Robson family farm being reported This was where the children were killed.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 23-03-2013, 05:10 PM
Coquet's Avatar
Coquet Coquet is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Amble
Posts: 3,253
Default

Yes that's the one, crashed at 2240 on the 1st Dec, the 6 casualties they refer to will be the aircrew, the 5 children not recorded yet.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 23-03-2013, 06:44 PM
hollydog's Avatar
hollydog hollydog is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Amble
Posts: 528
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Coquet View Post
That seem a quite likely explanation Alan. I didn't think of it.

here's an emotive piece of local history; looks like original copy out of the Acklington Station Teleprinter, sent to a few locations on the 2nd Dec 1943 at what looks like 0210 in the morning.
[copyright the National Archives]
Very emotive, adds more detail to our family history, thankyou Coquet
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 23-04-2013, 02:34 PM
leslie leslie is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 224
Default

my Father was at RAF Acklington from 1939 to 1969,
some of his photos are in Bettys book
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 23-04-2013, 06:38 PM
Graeme Graeme is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 33
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Coquet View Post
Graeme you still about?

I'm working on the Acklington Station record book for WW2. there's a description reoccurring for aircraft crew members in hand-written text that looks like 'Operator'

Is this correct? or am I mis-reading it?

here's a section below regarding a crash off Seahouses on the 23rd Jan 1943:
interpreted by me as:

23rd
While carrying out an authorised low flying exercise in the region of Seahouses an aircraft of No. 410 Squadron R.C.A.F Mosquito II No. H.J.919
was seen to nose-dive into the sea about 1m off the Seahouses Coastguard Station at approx. 1500 hrs.
The position of of impact was located by debris, and diving operations commenced. The crew Sgt. G.G.Mills (Pilot) and Sgt. M. Lipton (Operator)
having been reported 'missing believed killed'. Proceedings of a formal investigation having been passed to higher Authority.



here's the actual handwriting with that word highlighted:
Sorry, haven't been around for a while due to domestic things getting in the way!

Pilot was Flight Sgt Garth Gibson MILLS (R113366), RCAF - his radio operator was Sgt Mark LUPTON (1456999), RAFVR - and is listed as an "Observer". Possibly the writer was a new posting and was not used to the official terminology of the time, or had his own style of writing: he has written the aircraft's serial down as H.J.919 but it would have been painted as HJ919 on the fuselage and most of officialdom used the latter format in written reports anyway. Lupton was a radar/radio operator first and foremost, as HJ919 was a Mosquito NF.II - the night-fighter version of the Mk.II, fitted with Airborne Intercept radar.

The official investigation into the crash apparently mentions the aircraft stalling in mid-air whilst performing a tight turn during a low flying mission. A small piece of exhaust was found in May 1996 near the Coast Guard Station.

You might be interested in the following regarding the post-crash search:

File: AIR27/1614
"Wreckage located 2 miles south east of Seahouses by ASR Defiant of No.281 Sqdn. Sgt L Fisher (Sgt Scharf, Air Gunner) were called out to search for a Mosquito from No.410 Sqdn Acklington which had crashed into the sea. They located pieces of wreckage 2 miles SE of Seahouses but there were no survivors.

From diary of Brass Hat (harbour clearance) diver Ken Lucas

26th January
Left for Seahouses for Mosquito. Stayed at Alnwick for the night.

27th January
Arrived Seahouses. Dived for plane. Abandoned. Could not be found."

It wasn't a great month for the Canadians at Acklington - 410 ("Cougar") Sqdn lost another Mosquito NF.II three days later when DZ246 overshot on landing, only just missing the control tower but then crashing into a dispersal hut. The aircraft was wrecked but the only injury was cuts and bruises received by a startled occupant of the hut. Don't have the crew's names.

Graeme
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 28-04-2013, 10:48 AM
Pablo Pablo is offline
New Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Posts: 6
Default R.A.F. Acklington

Hello All,

I am a new member to the forum,I stumbled across it whilst trying to find out some information regarding the Second World War and R.A.F. Acklington.
As a keen collector/researcher of WW2 aviation I recently purchased a gem of a find,an actual R.A.F. Ensign that once flew at Acklington.It was presented to "The Ploo" (Plough) Pub in 1942,I believe the Pub is no longer trading?.It is a great find,not only regarding local history but also because my Grandfather and Grandmother were R.A.F. groundcrew at Acklington during WW2.
The Ensign came in an R.A.F. "valve" box and has a printed label,see included photo`s.Also included in the box is a section of a German Kriegsflagge,I was told that aircraft from Acklington attacked a German ship and disabled it,allowing the Royal Navy to capture the ship.The section of flag is alledged to have been handed over to Acklington as a trophy.
This is the info that I am looking for,I noticed that "Coquet" has copies of the War Diaries for Acklington so I would be very grateful if during your research you could pass on any details of an incident involving aircraft from Acklington attacking a German ship,or reference made to the trophy flag.
The Ensign is currently being framed so the pictures were taken as a before and,when completed,after.It does not normally hang over the bannister!I hope that you find this of interest,the Ensign was destined to be sold to a buyer "down south" until my intervention.

Kind Regards

Paul.010.jpg

001.jpg

012.jpg

005.jpg

006.jpg
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 28-04-2013, 12:06 PM
hollydog's Avatar
hollydog hollydog is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Amble
Posts: 528
Default

Hello Paul and welcome to the forum.
Thankyou for your contribution to our area history, its amazing what is out there!
I am sure Coquet will oblige if he can.

John
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 28-04-2013, 01:19 PM
Pablo Pablo is offline
New Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Posts: 6
Default

Hello John and thank you,

I didnt just join the forum for info,I spent my childhood up at Seahouses and my family kept a small boat in Harrisons Boatyard during the Winter months,so its good to find out about the area.
I remember the old ferry that was beached were the marina now is,also the sunken fishing boat that was tied to the staithes out in the estuary,they always fascinated me!
Could you tell me if those staithes were ever connected to the land?I have seen pictures of how the staithes looked when in operation to load coal at the harbour but wasnt sure about the "stranded" ones.

Paul.
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 28-04-2013, 03:04 PM
hollydog's Avatar
hollydog hollydog is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Amble
Posts: 528
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pablo View Post
Hello John and thank you,

I didnt just join the forum for info,I spent my childhood up at Seahouses and my family kept a small boat in Harrisons Boatyard during the Winter months,so its good to find out about the area.
I remember the old ferry that was beached were the marina now is,also the sunken fishing boat that was tied to the staithes out in the estuary,they always fascinated me!
Could you tell me if those staithes were ever connected to the land?I have seen pictures of how the staithes looked when in operation to load coal at the harbour but wasnt sure about the "stranded" ones.

Paul.
You must be recalling the late seventies/early eighties before the Marina was built. The staithes are now connected by a stone bund built with the marina. Before that they were never directly connected to land, forming the edge of the deeper river channel allowing colliers to lay up and not take up loading space further down river.
The ferry was if I remember rightly, a salvage vessel belonging to Christian Salveson and the old fishing boat was abandoned and left to rot. I recall it appearing as a working boat in the mid seventies in a bit of a state ! with a non-local character as skipper and what seemed like a single cylinder engine with a characteristic slow putt putt sound! Its fishing reg was SN 53 ? ?
There must be an old fisherman on this forum who can enlighten us with the full story as it was the talk of the chip shop at the time!

Last edited by hollydog; 28-04-2013 at 03:07 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 28-04-2013, 08:20 PM
Pablo Pablo is offline
New Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Posts: 6
Default

Yes John,it would of been in the early eighties that we were there,Harrisons Boatyard was a bit grim during the Winter although there was plenty to explore!
Thanks for the info,I can picture the colliers moored up at the staithes now,makes sense!
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 07:45 PM.


Powered by: vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.