Cold War RAFG - Clutch Radar

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

Hi all, I hope someone on here can help.
Today I was asked about Clutch Stations and Clutch Radar in Germany.
We know Clutch Radar was based near Dusseldorf and looked after inbound/outbound movements to Laarbruch, Wildenrath, Geilenkirchen and Bruggen (Clutch Stations) but does anyone know the origin of the word "Clutch" in this context please?

Is it just a codename, or something to do with the name of a local place, or just Mil humour as in "clutching at straws if it all kicks off"?
Thoughts and insight much appreciated.

thanks
SWB

[hoodie]

Always assumed it was "Clutch" as in "A group of eggs/chicks..." - or in this case, a group of military air stations.

Will be interested to hear the real answer!

[Jackw106]

Some info here

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...0Radar&f=false

[Finningley Boy]

You may well be right, the stations known as the "Clutch" all sat close by one another along the Dutch Border. They were all built from the Kartoffel Feldt up and were probably Historic as being the last original airfields built for the RAF from non-existence. All the commandeered airfields, bar one Guterlsloh, were handed back over to the new Bundes Luftwaffe during the late 1950s and early 1960s; Wahn, Fassberg, Wunstorf, Jever, Sylt etc. They all housed Tactical Strike Squadrons at one stage or another as well.

FB

[gayford]

As a controller at Clutch Radar in the early seventies I always understood that the name related to the “clutch” of RAF stations along the Dutch German border (Laarbruch, Bruggen and Wildenrath). In addition, we also provided a service to GAF Norvenich.
Just for information, we were co-located with the German civil controllers in the Düsseldorf Airport control tower.

[Rev I. Tin]

Close to the Dutch border?

[Onceapilot]

FB, RAF Gatow was also retained until relatively recently.

OAP

[57mm]

I can recall the legendary Clutch Beer Calls.......

[CADF]

Wot gayford said.

[ACW342]

Clutch handover

The Clutch handover party was truly memorable, if I could only rem.........

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

Thanks all. So a clutch of stations it is then .

Thankful that it wasn't a cluster. ;=)

[Cows getting bigger]

Polly Elyard. Whatever happened to her?

[langleybaston]

The end of the Wildenrath MDA status celebration was memorable. I have a massive commemorative stein ............... I can scarcely afford to fill it, and I would pass out if I drank the contents.

On the subject of steins, like many of us I have a rich collection from Mess Oktoberfests and various other events. They get used at large BBQs but otherwise collect dust and dead spiders. I am not a fan of lidded ones, having a large and vulnerable nose.

[l.garey]

Gayford: are you still there? Re your post: As a controller at Clutch Radar in the early seventies I always understood that the name related to the “clutch” of RAF stations along the Dutch German border (Laarbruch, Bruggen and Wildenrath). In addition, we also provided a service to GAF Norvenich. Just for information, we were co-located with the German civil controllers in the Düsseldorf Airport control tower.
I just saw this thread and it reminded me that I flew a civil Cherokee from Stansted to Laarbruch on 21.2.1971 and Clutch Radar kindly handled the let-down and approach. Nice feeling to be in good hands. Might it have been you?
Cheers, Laurence

[Timelord]

Airfields grouped close together have been known as a “clutch” for a long while. Once upon a time there was a Lincolnshire clutch and a Vale of York clutch. As others have said, I believe it originates with the collective noun for a group of eggs.