Kipper Patrol , livre ebook

Pneuma Springs Publishing - Louise Wilkinson

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145 pages

English

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Thornaby, 1930, saw the formation of 608 squadron Auxiliary Air Force. Remembered by some veterans as "the kipper patrol," their job as part of Coastal Command, involved protecting shipping convoys, looking for submarines and defending the northern supply routes. Although their role was never seen as glamorous and never received national glory, nonetheless, they played a significant part in the defence of the United Kingdom. This book tells the story of young pilots such as Geoffrey Ambler, Geoffrey Shaw, William Appleby-Brown and Peter Vaux, and airmen such as Albert Guy, Harold Coppick and Syd Buckle, and considers how their lives were dramatically changed with the onset of the Second World War, which saw them cease to be part-timers and become full time members of the Royal Air Force. The Kipper Patrol serves as an insight into the history of this squadron, as well as the history of Thornaby Aerodrome itself. It uses as its basis, a series of interviews with veterans from the squadron and presents their memories of squadron life, along with many of their personal photographs. The book provides an insight into relationships between officers and other ranks within a military organisation and shows how these relationships changed over time.The Kipper Patrol provides a long awaited history of a squadron remembered by many local people, and recognised by both the Airman Memorial and the replica Spitfire. It serves as a lasting memory to both the squadron and the aerodrome, and in particular, to the many veterans who so willingly gave up their time to share their memories.Book reviews online @ www.publishedbestsellers.com

Sujets

Histoire

Military history

Informations

Publié par	Pneuma Springs Publishing
Date de parution	01 février 2009
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781782281917
Langue	English
Poids de l'ouvrage	1 Mo

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0242€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

The
KIPPER PATROL

The History of 608 (NR) Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force and Thornaby Aerodrome 1930-1957

Louise Wilkinson
First Published 2009 Published by Pneuma Springs Publishing
The Kipper Patrol Copyright © 2009 Louise Wilkinson
Kindle eISBN: 9781782280200 ePub eISBN 9781782281917 PDF eBook eISBN 9781782281047 Paperback ISBN: 9781905809455
Pneuma Springs Publishing E: admin@pneumasprings.co.uk
W: www.pneumasprings.co.uk
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Published in the United Kingdom. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. Contents and/or cover may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the publisher.
For my Dad, Frank Wilkinson, who never lived to see this finished, but who would have been so proud. I love you.

And for the young, Amy, Alice, Josh, Daniel, Mikey and Neve. I am so proud of you all. Be happy.
Contents

Acknowledgements
List of Illustrations
Introduction
The Local Area
The 1930s
Officer Recruitment
Recruiting Other Ranks
A Selection of Veterans Photographs
The War Years at the Aerodrome
War-Time Duties for 608 Squadron
A Selection of Veterans Photographs
1946-1957 – Reformed at Thornaby
Officers and Airmen
A Selection of Veterans Photographs
The End of It All
A Selection of Veterans Photographs
Remembering Thornaby Aerodrome…
Conclusion

Appendices
Appendix 1— Squadrons Serving at RAF Thornaby on Tees
Appendix 2— Research Information on 608 Squadron AAF
Appendix 3— Ground Plan of Thornaby Aerodrome
Appendix 4— Ground Plan of Buildings at Thornaby Aero.
Appendix 5— Delaney’s Donkey

Bibliography
Index
Acknowledgements

608 Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force were formed on 17 th March 1930, and whilst this book will put forward their history, it is very difficult to separate their history from the history of Thornaby Aerodrome itself, since the two are intrinsically linked and grew up together. Since 608 Squadron was the local Auxiliary squadron its base, for most of its existence was Thornaby Aerodrome, although the squadron did move to other areas of the country, in particular Wick in Scotland and then overseas during World War Two. Thus it is apparent that the two histories overlap in such a way that the story of the two should be told together in one book.
I should also mention that I didn’t want to write a book about aircraft, although the different aircraft did play a vital role within both the squadron and the aerodrome. I wanted to write a book about the men and the day to day life of the aerodrome, which is based upon interviews that I have conducted with many veterans from the squadron and their families. The photographs and memories that they have shared with me I now feel privileged to share with you.
As a local history teacher, I was fascinated by the idea that less than a hundred years ago, there was an aerodrome at Thornaby, with men flying in and out, and personnel using local amenities and helping the area economically. I was also interested in the idea that the main squadron to be based at Thornaby throughout the period 1930-1957 was an auxiliary squadron. Effectively this meant that it was a reserve or part-time squadron, a squadron made up of local men who joined the Auxiliary Air Force as a way to work with and fly planes in their spare time. This was interesting because it meant that the men who joined the squadron had made a conscious decision to be a part of the AAF and had an interest in being a member of a voluntary organisation where men from different backgrounds mixed together in the work place.
Many of the men who I have interviewed said that “the auxiliary air force was a ‘gentleman’s’ flying club” made up of young men from wealthy backgrounds who used the organisation as a way to allow them to fly. Was this true? Perhaps not, but it was an interesting area to research and that is how my interest in 608 Squadron and Thornaby Aerodrome began.
After reading widely on mid-20 th century Britain, covering topics such as, the history of the Royal Air Force, local air-fields, local history, class issues, social history of the mid-20 th century and inter-war policy on rearmament, my ideas were shaped and reshaped by the information that I read. Yet factual information on the formation, development and history of 608 Squadron and Thornaby Aerodrome was very limited. I visited the National Archives at Kew in London on several occasions as I searched for information to answer my growing questions. The operational record books of Thornaby Aerodrome and of 608 Squadron contained day-by-day accounts of the running of the station and the squadron, the staff, the planes, the missions flown, the accidents and the deaths. This factual information helped me to piece together what life would have been like on an RAF Station. Finally the documents held at the National Archives helped me to understand how and why the Auxiliary Air Force was created, what its role was, and why the decision was taken to disband it in 1957.
Through Sandra Harper, the schools press officer, I put out press releases asking for anyone who served in 608 Squadron, or who had been stationed at Thornaby Aerodrome, who would be prepared to talk about their experiences, to contact me. I was amazed at the response. Men and women, both young and old contacted me, and so I embarked on a series of interviews which have helped me to write my thesis, submitted in September 2008, which has a working title of “Gentleman’s flying club to technical meritocracy – 608 Squadron and the Auxiliary Air Force 1930-1957.” This book is the result of my research and a promise that I made to the veterans who have helped me to learn about both the squadron and the station, without their support, neither would have been possible.
There are several people who deserve personal thanks:
John Pollock, one of the veterans of 608 Squadron worked for many hours helping me find photographs and information on other veterans from the squadron. I am now proud to call him my friend.
The staff and pupils of Grangefield School, Stockton on Tees, for their understanding and interest during my six years of study and research. In particular I must mention my friends, Helen Beadnall who helped to keep me sane when I was “a woman on the edge” and Stuart Arthur who gave up his time to research the backgrounds of a couple of the more elusive 1930s officers from 608 Squadron.
Special thanks go to the school librarian Lol O’Donnell who helped me so much typing up and re-organising my thesis bibliography, and working on the thankless task of the contents pages, bibliography and index of this book. She is a superstar!!
My close friend Joan Covell, who in her younger days had attended many of the 608 Squadron dances and her husband Fred, and also their daughter Sue, who ran round Thornaby handing out my “request for information” posters.
Finally personal thanks go to my mum, Kathleen Wilkinson, who read my thesis, searched for obituaries in her newspaper and paid my university fees far too many times.
Most of all, this is for Pam, Lyndsey and Kerrianne who have put up with never seeing me, and trying to pretend that they were interested in what I was talking about.
Thank you all. It’s finished now!!!!!
List of Illustrations
1. W. & M. Pumphrey Products
2. The Officers’ Mess at Thornaby Hall
3. Under Canvas
4. Geoffrey Shaw
5. Harold Coppick and Friends
6. Mr. J.M. Alexander
7. Geoffrey Ambler and Crew
8. Mr. Albert Guy
9. Ground Crew and Biplane
10. Mr. J.M. Alexander developing photographs
11. Flying Flea
12. Mr. C.W. Gilbert
13. Mr. C.W. Gilbert
14. Mr. C.W. Gilbert
15. Mr. C.W. Gilbert
16. Mr. C.W. Gilbert
17. Avro Anson in Flight
18. Mr. G Davies and Friends
19. Biplanes
20. Early Biplanes
21. 608 Squadron Wapiti Formation
22. Thornaby Aerodrome from the air
23. Constructing the new runway
24. 608 Squadron Band 1937
25. King George VI inspecting 608 Squadron at Thornaby
26. Neil Hancock
27. Men at Work
28. W. Appleby Brown
29. Peter Vaux and Crew
30. Peter Vaux
31. Peter Vaux and Friends
32. Lockheed Hudson of 608 Squadron
33. Lockheed Hudsons of 608 Squadron
34. Pilot and Air Crew
35. Refuelling
36. 608 Squadron Band 1942
37. Newspaper Article on the Death of Allan Willis
38. Allan Willis
39. Allan Willis and Friends
40. Thornaby Aerodrome after shutdown in 1963
41. Thornaby from the air
42. Runways at Thornaby Aerodrome from the air
43. Hangar
44. Barrack Block
45. Thornaby from the air
46. Thornaby from the air
47. Battle of Britain Memorial Day
48. 608 Squadron Final Parade
49. Programme for Consecration and Presentation of the
50. Squadron Standard
51. Invitation for Presentation of Standard for 608 Squadron
52. 608 Squadron caricatures by Bos 1953
53. 608 Squadron caricatures by Bos 1955
54. North Eastern Weekly News 1951
55. Neil Hancock and Friends
56. George Martin and Friends
57. Harry Bates and Friends
58. John Pollock and Jack Thurston
59. John Pollock
60. John Pollock
61. 608 Squadron off to summer camp
62. Refuelling a Hurricane
63. On Parade
64. Meteor
65. 608 Squadron Veterans Reunion 1976
66. 608 Squadron Family Day Trip to Seaton Carew
67. 608 Squadron Social Area in Ta Kali
68. Map Reading
69. Former Commanding Officers of 608 Squadron
70. Bill Sykens in a Spitfire
71. Princess Margaret visiting Squadron Leader Robinson and 608 Squadron
72. 608 Squadron Farewell Ball
73. The Memorial
74. The Spitfire Vb
75. Ground Plan of Thornaby Aerodrome
76. Ground Plan of Buldings at Thornaby Aerodrome
Introduction
To begin then, some background information on the history of flight. In 1909, Louis Bleriot became the first man to fly across the English Channel, and David Lloyd George, Chan