RAF BRIDGNORTH-Mystery Base!

[REF]

There are some photos of Bridgenorth HERE too.

[GQ2]

Mysteries.

As far as I know, the only mystery about RAF Bridgnorth was why they bothered to build a hangar there at all, unless they planned to build an airfield, but just never got around to it. However, it does remind me of something I was told many years ago by a guy who used to fly Lysanders out of Shobdon during the war, tugging gliders I think. Apparently, he was flying in the local area when he saw a kite land below in open fields where he knew there not to be any airfield. The a/c (A Proctor I think.) was bustled away into a barn and men proceeded to drag across some sort of mobile hedge sections to hide the strip where the a/c had landed. All very cloak & dagger. Given the times, he didn't think it prudent at the time to ask questions. I think it was somewhere between Shobdon and Hereford, but not Madely. So, yes, there certainly were a few mysteries about....

[Tankertrashnav]

Very smart, Fitter Two. Pity you ended up on radar, if you'd worked hard looks like you'd have made a very creditable rockape and you'd still be able to strip a bren

[chevvron]

Isn't Cosford fairly close to Bridgnorth too?
Hereford was another RAF station with with hangars but no official airfield, althbough when I was there for ATC camp in '84, the 'playing fields' south of the hangars could easily have taken a Chipmunk (or Proctor?)
Amended in line with dakks remarks.

[dakkg651]

Cosford still is close to Bridgnorth (please note no 'e').

The original RAFGSA there was named RAF Bridgnorth Gliding Club because it was formed by serving personnel from Bridgnorth. They, of course, didn't have their own airfield.

Pull what

I was surprised by your reaction to Atcham Tower and papajuliet.

Sort of attitude best kept for Jet Blast I think.

[chevvron]

My older brother went to Cosford in '60/'61 as a Boy Entrant to train as an Air Radar Mechanic - so what's wrong with Air Radar Mechanics?! - (No 44 Entry); when he became ill, I'm sure he went to hospital in Bridgnorth as well as Cosford's own hospital.

[dakkg651]

Ah! Cosford Hospital.

A collection of old wooden huts which to some young aviators could only be described as a target rich environment.

The only place I actually looked forward to having an aircrew medical.

Lot of failures due to high blood pressure though.

[radar101]

Isn't Cosford fairly close to Bridgnorth too?

In late 60s / early 70s Bridgenorth quarters were used as overspill accommodation for Cosford.

[Warmtoast]

It was no mystery air-base when I was there in 1951. See photo below.



RAF Bridgenorth - End of Course Photo - May 1951

I was called up and joined the RAF on 30 March 1951 and was sent to 2 RU at Cardington to be kitted out. Four days later on the 4 April 1951 I arrived at No. 7 School of Recruit Training (RAF Bridgenorth) for six weeks of "square-bashing." This nearly end of square bashing photo is of 20 Flight, Hut 245 and is dated 10 May 1951. I'm second from right, top row.

Names signed on back:- Bert (Guy?), Charlie Ford, "Chopper" Hackett, "Pompey" Humble, Tony Hill, "Happy" Hopkins, John Horsewood, Peter Hain, "Choke" Hancox, B. Edwards, J.Forrest (Manchester), Jack Jackson, R. Gasgoyne, "Sailor" Humphreys, R. Gray, Mick Gannon, J. Dobson, "Gibly" Gibson and a couple of illegible signatures.
After 'passing out' we all went our different ways and never once during my RAF service or afterwards, did I meet up with any from this course. But the RAF in those days was enormous with world-wide commitments and the likelihood of meeting again was fairly remote - so it proved to be.

[Rigga]

The married Quarters were still in use, as a satellite of Cosford, until the late 80's / early 90's when they were sold off to the Local Council and many have now been purchased through the "Right To Buy" scheme.

I'm a Stourbridge lad who's best mate was once quartered there - and I still use the Caravan Site in the Old Manor grounds.

[ColinB]

Square Bashing Camps

My recollection is that Bridgnorth along with Wilmslow and West Kirby were Square Bashing Camps in the 1950s. This was where initial RAF intakes were sent for general basic training after induction and kitting out at Cardington.
I was at Wilmslow and they had no airfield in that area but they did have at least one large Drill Shed where drill training could take place in inclement weather. There was a need to pass out the courses on time.
The question is were they really aircraft hangars at Bridgnorth?

[forget]

The question is were there really aircraft hangars at Bridgnorth?

Yes. RAF Bridgnorth - Modern Station

[Heimdall]

RAF Bridgenorth

From my research I understand that RAF Bridgenorth was an airmens basic training unit and was briefly home to the combined RAF School of Flying Control in 1942-3, with the Ansons based at RAF Bobbingdon (later Halfpenny Green). Once additional accommodation was built at RAF Watchfield, the school moved there and remained there until 1950 when it moved to RAF Shawbury as the School of Air Traffic Control.

Heimdall

[sisemen]

Interesting on the course photo that the Cpl DI has no medals even though it is only 6 years after the end of WW2 but the 'recruit' next to him has!

Reminds me of my boy entrant course at Hereford in 63-65 where I saw an SAC on one of the adult clerk courses complete with pilot's wings and 2 rows of medals.

[Warmtoast]

sisemen

the Cpl DI has no medals even though it is only 6 years after the end of WW2 but the 'recruit' next to him has!

The recruit with medals ("Sailor" Humphrys) was an ex-RN sailor who having completed his naval service decided he'd try the RAF to see what it had to offer. For us sprogs he was a useful source of knowledge as to how to cope with the soul-destroying bull-$hit that emenated from the DI.

WT

[ColinB]

Forage Caps

In the End of Course photograph no one is wearing a forage cap and as this group was inducted in very early 1951 when were they phased out?

[forget]

..... when were they phased out?

Take a look at the end of course pics here. You should be able to pin it down to the month.

RAF Bridgnorth. 1,000 photographs of basic training at the RAF School of Recruit Training Bridgnorth

PS. Done it. In December 1949 there's a mix of forage and beret.
PPS. There's a mix in January 49 too. Needs some work.

[ian16th]

Siseman, the Cpl DI himself was likely to be a National Serviceman and also likely to have been an Acting Unpaid Cpl with a substantive rank of AC1 or LAC.

ColinB, Berets and forage caps were both worn for a period. I wore a forage cap in 1952.

[ColinB]

Ian, as you were issued with a forage cap in 1951, do you know when the practice ceased? I was inducted in early 1956 when they were not issued much to my regret. I thought they were so glamorous.

[Rote 8]

References to the planned use of RAF Bridgnorth as Hitler’s flying base in the event of a successful invasion are a confusion of a different but equally interesting story (at least for those who live in Bridgnorth). There is some documentary evidence to suggest that Hitler planned to make Apley Hall, a stately pile nearby his personal UK residence and base of operations had the invasion been completed successfully. I very much doubt that he would have had much interest in settling at RAF Bridgnorth. The nearest airfield is Halfpenny Green, just a few miles distant with Cosford a close second.