Googled RAF Castle Archdale.

Discussion in 'User Introductions' started by pensioner1938, Oct 9, 2011.

  1. pensioner1938

    pensioner1938 Member

    One of the hits was this site and I read James S topic on RAF Castle Archdale.
    I showed some of the photos to my wife that James posted and there were tears in her eyes. She was born in Killadeas and remembers the Catalinas and Sunderland’s flying over her house.
    I was stationed in Castle Archdale not with the RAF but the army, we met at a dance in Enniskillen and the rest is history, 50th anniversary next year.
    Thanks for your posts and photos James, ex trooper 9th 12th Lancers.
     
    James S and von Poop like this.
  2. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Hello and welcome to the forum.

    The Castle Archdale thread has produced some great posts with much information.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  3. pensioner1938

    pensioner1938 Member

    Hello and welcome to the forum.

    The Castle Archdale thread has produced some great posts with much information.

    Regards
    Tom

    [FONT=&quot]Thanks for the welcome mate, yep brilliant topic and I must say a great site. [/FONT]
     
  4. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Thanks for popping in to say that about James's thread.
    Pleases me greatly when we find the forum & it's member's have entertained or informed someone's Googling, particularly with a bit of live nostalgia.

    Now do feel free to stick around.
    The more the merrier!

    ~A
     
  5. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Welcome to the forum
     
  6. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    Welcome to WW2 talk, glad you liked them , more than happy to have been able to share them with you.
    js
     
  7. Savo

    Savo Senior Member

    Welcome to the forum.
     
  8. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Sorry I didnt see this thread before.
    Lovely story.
    Shame on James for making your wife cry.
    :)
     
  9. Savo

    Savo Senior Member

    I hope you dont mind me addiing to this topic. last weekend me and my wife where at Archdale for the weekend. Its a caravan site, and today this site has a restaurant called the Galley and a pub called the Pilots Nooks. They are opened seasonally to accommodate the local residents and last weekend was their "end of season" bash to clear their stocks !!!!. After a few pints of the black stuff (James S will vouch for this !!!) I metioned your great story to a few local lisnarick pint men who thought I was giving them some of the old blarney chat. However they asked which Regiment you served in and when they found out the conversation totally changed. They advised me to visit the local church grounds located at the entrance of the old estate because they told me a Royal Lancer was buried there. Its a much talked about grave and over the years I have recalled people chatting about it but sadly very know little is known about the lad, so I had to investigate because of this thread. As a result I found this resting place and took a picture.

    Cheers

    Aaran

    [​IMG]
     
  10. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Nice post Savo.
    Thought I'd add this link.

    AFM Results Page


    Surname WALKDEN
    Forenames/Initials Eric
    Rank Tpr
    Service Army
    Service Number 23660060
    Regiment/Corps 9/12 LANCERS
    Date of Birth 15 November 1939
    Age 21
    Date of Death 17 September 1961
    Cemetery Name Lisnarick Cemetery
    Included on Armed Forces Memorial No
    Included on Roll of Honour Yes
     
  11. pensioner1938

    pensioner1938 Member

    Like myself Trooper Eric Walkden was a member of B Squadron based at Castle Archdale. The rest of the Regiment was at Omagh. The I.R.A border campaign was ongoing at the time and we were tasked to support the police and patrol the Fermanagh border. We always had a troop of armoured cars and crews on immediate standby in case of trouble. This was a 24 hour duty, you could sleep during the night but you had to have your personal weapon with you at all times and sleep with all your clothes on. Eric was on this duty when a 38 pistol was accidentally discharged and he was killed. Eric had lost his mother a few years before his death and he was an only child. As a father myself I cannot imagine how much Eric’s father suffered. In my view those loved ones who are left behind are the ones who suffer the most.
     

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