My time has come - all about Ryan

Discussion in 'User Introductions' started by salientpoints, Mar 11, 2004.

  1. salientpoints

    salientpoints Senior Member

    Hi, I'm in my early thirties, born and live in Eastbourne, Sussex - home to the Royal Sussex Regiment Museum and the second highest suicide spot in the world - Beachy Head. :eek:

    I am a marketing & production manager inc. webmaster for a book wholesaler so I get a lot of reading in!

    My primary interest is the Western Front but I do not steer clear of other topics particularly, I am also fascinated by the Atlantic Wall / Festung Europa and rediscovering relics of WWII wherever I go in the UK from pillboxes and tunnels to forgotten airfields.

    Interest generated from family serving in both wars from WW1 Royal Army Veterinary Corps and Royal Garrison Artillery, seeing action at The Somme through to WW2 RAOC and the RAF, Europe & West Africa and the Territorial Army (Royal Sussex Regiment at Dunkirk).

    Just the 'salient points' Ryan B)
     
  2. Monty

    Monty Member

    Very interesting. I kow its far to go, but i live in north Lincs in a village called Goxhill. We have an old US air field there, with all the runways and buildings.
     
  3. salientpoints

    salientpoints Senior Member

    Thanks Monty,

    I have visited most of the US 8th Airforce Airfields over the years in Suffolk / Norfolk and been to quite a few others around the South and South West.

    I only wish I always took a camera with me :( - A lot of these visits were on the spot during cycling stints whilst on holiday with an OS map usually on the way to a pub :D

    I am currently pulling my hair out looking for my pictures of Thorpe Abbots airfield nr. Diss home to 100th BG...

    Your local site does sound v.interesting, especially as its got a good collection of buildings.

    Ryan
     
  4. Steven Wright

    Steven Wright Junior Member

    Would it be possible to post a few photos of the old airfields sometime? This brings to mind the old Gregory Peck film Twelve O'Clock High with the character (can't remember his name at the moment) returning to the airfield years later with the grass growing between the cracks in the concrete and stopping in the old ready room to see the faded painting on the wall. It is quite touching! One of my dreams is to visit some of these old airfields someday!!

    Thanks!

    SJW
     
  5. salientpoints

    salientpoints Senior Member

    Sure thing Steven.

    Can I recommend one piece of fiction that really puts you in the days when the mighty 8th were based in East Anglia, "Under an English Heaven" by Robert Radcliffe.

    Ryan
     
  6. Monty

    Monty Member

    I found a website with some great pics on of the airfield in my village: Goxhill Airfield
    My aunt remembers meeting some yank pilots, she said they were very charming :unsure: I think they flew P51's lightnings at his base.
    There was also a disaster where a bomber (i thnk) was coming in to land at the airfield and it crashed killing the men inside. There is a memorial with the actual propeller of the plane that crashed.
     
  7. Steven Wright

    Steven Wright Junior Member

    Thanks for the tip, Ryan! I've picked up a number of good ones (tips, that is) from you or your website! Among them was this great site! Again, keep up the great work!

    Steve
     
  8. Chris Basey

    Chris Basey Senior Member

    This is going even further off-topic, I know, but that's the way of these forums!

    The mention of Goxhill brought to mind an amusing story of an unexploded bomb, and, yes I have found it in Lincolnshire Airfields in the Second World War by Patrick Otter. Apologies for the lengthy quote – for the benefit of those without access to the book.

    β€œThe RFC had a relief landing ground near the village during the First World War. After surveys it was decided to include it in an expanding chain of Lincolnshire airfields and the contractors moved in. By summer 1940 the concrete was down and RAF Gloxhill was officially opened.

    Events, however, overtook the base and, barely had the concrete had time to dry, before it was evident that it would never be suitable for bomber operations. This was due to its proximity to Hull which was the target of much Luftwaffe attention. Defences included many balloons which blocked the path for heavy aircraft into Gloxhill.

    It was used for a Target Towing Flight, 616 Squadron Spitfires and 15 (P) Advanced Flying Unit. Then an advance party of the American 8th Army Air Force arrived searching for airfields to accommodate bombers and fighters being transferred in readiness for action over Europe. Training facilities were needed for inexperienced pilots to adapt to European conditions before going into action and Gloxhill was ideal. The planes were being flown in via Scotland and the men by sea through Liverpool so it was ideally situated. It became the first airfield in England to be officially handed over to the Americans.

    Mid-August and a special ceremony was planned for AM Sir Charles Portal to hand over to General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Everywhere spruced up and RAF and USAAF guards of honour brought in. This was when the Luftwaffe decided to make the first, and only, attack on Gloxhill. A single aircraft dropped a single bomb which fell without exploding just at the intersection point of the two largest runways!

    Bomb Disposal arrived with just three and a half hours to make it safe before the VIPs were due. A large hole was found but no sign of the bomb in the eight foot deep crater – it had disappeared into the soft Lincolnshire clay.

    VIPs arrived using the third runway and, after the ceremony, work began on the search for the bomb. A week later there was still no sign of it and it was estimated to be at least 30 feet down and still sinking. Pressure was on to get on with training and it was decided to fill in the hole in the hope that, in the event of detonation, it was too deep to do any damage. A huge number and variety of aircraft would have used those runways above the bomb before, in 1947 it was finally recovered and made safe.”
     
  9. Monty

    Monty Member

    Speaking of bombs, there is a small bomb crater right next to my house. Someone told me that a German bomber dropped it to lose weight as he was being chased by Spitfires just after bombing Hull across the river. Lucky it didnt hit my house at the time :lol:
     
  10. Steven Wright

    Steven Wright Junior Member

    All fascinating stuff!! Please keep it coming!

    SJW
     
  11. Joy Dean

    Joy Dean Junior Member

    You might find Ibsley Airfield interesting (in the New Forest) where the film 'First of the Few' was made.
    If you're ever that way, or I should say, my way, during the first weekend of August every year is an event called Bygone Days at Ibsley Airfield, and it is fascinating.
     
  12. salientpoints

    salientpoints Senior Member

    Originally posted by Steven Wright@Mar 12 2004, 08:47 AM
    Would it be possible to post a few photos of the old airfields sometime?

    I have been through all the photos I have here and cannot find Thorpe Abbots, Flixton or any of the memorials I took around Norfolk & Suffolk! :angry:

    I will check round my parents house, it is possible stuff was left there when I moved.

    - Still its a good excuse to go back if I cannot find them :)

    Ryan
     

Share This Page