The ghost of RAF Chivenor
 

Several sightings of a ghost have occured recently in what is now the Sgts' Mess but what was (circa 1980) built as the Officers' Mess.

Do any of the crusty (or not so crusty) out there have any historical snippets/info that might help the local vicar identify the ghost?

It is believed that Airmen's quarters or accomodation blocks may have been on that site before 1980 but there is no corporate knowledge of what buildings might have been there during the war (presuming the ghost is a WW2 casualty).

Any training accidents at Chiv during its days as a TWU that might have a bearing on the spectre?

Any help - without too much p*sstaking would be appreciated:ok:

I have a book of old airfields somewhere, but all I could come up with online is Haunted RAF AIrfields
Unfortunately Chivenor hasn't anything linked to it...yet!


Not the wandering spirits of Bet Lifton and her son Stanley on the No 2 Bus?

I seem to recall back in the 229 OCU days someone was fatally injured when a Hunter T.7 canopy closed suddenly . Perhaps a visit to Heanton Churchyard could reveal some names & dates of deaths which could be investigated further . There were a few killed in road accidents , I believe these were buried at Heanton . There was a civvie in the MT section who collapsed & died while walking through one of the hangars during the refurbishment prior to re-opening in 1980 .
Sorry I can't throw any more light on your request .
Good Luck , Grandfer .

Heaven In Devon
 

When Chivenor re-opened as a TWU in 1980, the only 'Officer's Mess' was a combined Officers / Sgt's Mess although a new SNCOs' Mess and a new Officers' Mess were planned. I don't know when they opened as I left in March 1981 and they weren't open then:


The accuracy of my pushpins isn't guaranteed as I only have an old 1980 sketch map from my Joining Instructions for No.1 Course and it's difficult to match it exactly with the lorry park which now exists at the RAF's best-ever aerodrome.

Which Mess is the ghost believed to haunt?

From the Bury Grammar School web site, Roll of Honour:

St J

My Great Uncle died flying from Chivenor in April 1945. I can't recall exact dates but he was W/Op on 14 Squadron Wellington MkXIVs . I have the accident report card, only 2 of the crew were recovered, the others (my great uncle included) were never recovered from the sea. I believe the crew were killed by noxious fumes which entered the aircraft and some, if not all of them passed out. I'd be interested to hear how you go on!

Perhaps the ghost has been posted in from the Officers' Mess at Scampton. ;)

The ghosts of RAF Valley
 

I have a book (on loan to a friend at the moment), which records the story of a Heinkel 111 crew who were shot down & perished on Anglesey during the War of the Austrian House Painter. This erudite tome suggests that a chap in WW2 Luftwaffe uniform wandered up to a German Tonka crew at an Open Day airshow at Valley in the late 80's, and had a bizarre conversation with the Deutsche crew, in somewhat dated German language. He was stunned & disbelieving by the performance data of the Tornado & disputed their Staffel details. The Luftwaffe crew were disturbed enough to report the incident, & were shown photographs of the deceased He111 crew. They positively identified one of them as the chap they had encountered.

The book also recounts reported ghostly sightings by guards on the Menai Bridges, subsequent to the He111 shootdown, of apparitions attempting to cross to the mainland, but being unable to do so.

Must desist now; hairs on the back of my neck are up: I have spirits in the house. Fortunately, they are imprisoned in a bottle of Auchentoshan Single Malt. I now intend to open it & offer single combat...........

My father was JMO at Chivenor in the early 1970's, he remembers the loss of a hunter and its pilot who he thinks was a permenant staff QWI on a training flight.
He has fond memories of Chivenor pre the 80's rebuild........... no ghosts that he remembers.

I served at Chivenor from 73-75 and never heard of a ghost. Looking at Beagle's annotated photo, the airmens' quarters (E-Lines) were located where the new SNCOs' mess is marked

I've heard on the grapevine that all RAF flight-crew spectres are being reviewed by the MOD as they need to reduce "after-life based costs" by 40% before 2014. Therefore the ghost in question may sadly have to look for work in a ground branch spectral unit





etc etc....

dont want to give too many details in respect of any family members that may read this thread. But i was told this story by someone who saw the outline of person "hanging" in a hut but the room was in darkness but for haze around the image, story goes that someone did indeed take their own life in that area. could well be the same thing. Ill see what the witness remembers

As a very small boy in the early '60s I remember seeing a couple of two-seat jets collide during an airshow at Chivenor - possibly a Meteor and Vampire. I seem to remember that three of the four aircrew ejected, but only two survived.
I wouldn't have thought that reason enough to come back and haunt the place though...

I think these were 2 Sea Venoms of a flight of 4 that had just departed Chivenor after an airshow , I believe they crashed near where the old Yelland power station used to be .:ok:

Ghosts
 

Actually, when I was on the staff at Chivenor in the early 80s, those who lived in the old wood huts at the Officer's mess did report a ghost. They all heard a person 'clanking' down the corridor. Apparantly, it was the dying body of a chopped Hunter pilot who hanged himself by the chain the in the bogs. It broke under his weight and he crawled down the corridor to get help, but died on the way. True story.

In the early days of the one-piece immersion suit, some chap hung his up to air by the window after getting back to his room following night flying.

Next day the batty entered in the morning gloom, to see what looked like a suicide, then let out a yell and dropped the tea tray.... Whereupon the room occupant woke up with a start and sat up in bed to find out what was going on....prompting the batty to take off in terror.

OK, that's the tale I was told; whether or not 'tis true, I have no idea.

Fantastic response - thanks very much chaps, I'll pass on these details to the vicar who is going to check the headstones in Heanton churchyard.

Beagle - it is the building marked as 'new SNCOs' mess' on your picture and yes, I fully agree it is a travesty what has been done to a fabulous airfield.

Sharpend
 

But your war stories were much more amusing, Blunty old bean!

Do you remember the traffic cone with gunsight we gave you - for telling long range war stories (limited to 800KIAS / M1.3 - same as a Jag, or so you told us!).

The only unusual sound I heard in the huts back then was my teeth chattering in the winter mornings before I lit the gas fire!

Huts 87-94 were well south of the 'new SNCO's mess' on my map - about where the brown patch is on the opposite side of the arterial road to that large car park. The Officers' Mess of the 1960s was south west of them, IIRC...

RAF Chivenor 'Ghost'
 

....gas fire! We plebs had a coal-filled pot-bellied stove!

I was at Chivenor 1969 - 1971 and certainly never heard - or saw -any ghosts!!

I remember arriving at the Main Gate on the way to visit the SAR Flt in 73/74 to see an airman in shirt sleeves (with collar detached!) lugging* a coal bucket to his SECO(?) hut - I thought I'd arrived on a WW2 film set!

* I almost said 'humping' ... but that came later in the camp's history I believe.

Used to visit as an ATC cadet in the days of hairy uniforms and greatcoats...

The stove at one end of the hut always stayed cold, while the other glowed cherry-red, so it was always tricky choosing the right bed

Other highlights were being winched up into a 22sqn Whirlwind over the airfield, and sitting in the state-of-the-art Hunter cockpit simulator, which remained firmly bolted to the ground

Jevs, sure you didn't see Billy Tait.......?

Oh yes, I remember the 'unmegafone'! :O Actually I'm writing a book about those war stories! Nearly finished; well I would have, but still having adventures!

Fayslag

Would that be the same Flt Lt Tate I have in my logbook

Nov 10 1980 Hunter T7 IRT Capt Tate Pupil Self 1.10 Day dual?

Sven

Right then - I can't match BEagle's memory for hut numbers etc, but I can recall some happenings - some, many others are there, but lost!

There was the weather, generally glorious -aside from the odd atlantic blow when we retirired to either the bar or other localities. There we were in the bar when Dave R**me screwed up an engine-out landing and landed chute-wise close to the railway line. And the Arab who entered the barrier, legged it to the ante-room, read a paper and denied all knowledge. And the lovely Sandy. And Torrey Canyon. And the pub in Barnacle, and the one in Braunton - and her. And yes, the huts, with the coal fires - accommodating those lovely locale ladies, one or two of whom married into the RAF! And the flying, oh the flying!

And, and - it was all so bloody good!! Almost 50 years ago, yet I can touch it so closely. In May, some of us who have survived the ravages of ageing will meet in the RAF Club to get p**sed and recall times of Chivenor (and Aden).

Soon we will die, and tales with us -------- Whar**y (RIP), Wats*n, D**n, Bat*y, Gro**e, Middle**n, Milla**d, Aitk*n, Henso*, Barry ?, and many others whom I can recall, but not their names!

jindabyne, I find it hard to believe that Dave R**me could ever screw up!

I always thought that was a shaggy dog story, so am glad you've confirmed it as no-one would ever believe me!

Not sure about the pub in Barnacle; one of the guys on our course had been a junior doctor at Barnacle some years earlier, so took a couple of chums to one of his favourite watering holes of the day.....which turned out to have become a gay bar in his absence. Never were 3 beers drunk so quickly! We never forgave him.

The Thatched Barn at Croyde and the Williams Arms at Wrafton were our favoured venues. But there were so many others and it truly was Heaven in Devon!

Blunty - you've been writing that book of yours for years! But it'll be good when it's finally published. No doubt it will include your Canberra engine fire SOR - One of my most enjoyable trips was with you in the other jet when we did an hour of low level battle (as it was called back then) formation over the wilds of Devon - brilliant fun and for once I didn't f**k up!

Believe me, he did. And dined out on it as always! Good on you Dave!!

Aah the Willies. But what was the one in Barnacle main street?

And then there were the fatalities, as at Valley. From the ground at CV, I saw too many, eg the RN Vixen on finals.

Try looking in one of those Airfield ghost books by Bruce Halpenny (or similar name?)
I have a couple, will look them up.

A mate of mine saw a ghost in the control tower at Sleap, Shropshire.
Level-headed guy, scary story.
A Whitley (?) did lose control there and hit the tower, killing at least one.

lsh
:E

BEagle

I also once screwed up, but I'm not telling you ------

Ish

These ones

I had the full set once, but lent them to a "mate" and haven't seen them since! Now if only I could remember who!!

Ish

Do tell the Sleap tower story...

?

Three Tuns? The Cork and Bottle??

Fixed Cross
 

Was lucky enough to enjoy two tours at Chivenor (and two courses). Sadly some fatalities did occur-as at most RAF stations throughout time.

-and don't forget The Gribble Inn starring 'The Exotic Eva' (plus snake).

-and the time the service police blew up Norrie B***s' haggis package under the impression that the IRA were operating through the Post Office.

Cor, what a lot of youngsters are out there. At one time the Three Tuns was favourite (Anybody remember Billy Drake's antics there in the winter of 1963?) And is anyone of The Puffin Club vintage apart from me still around?

Book
 

Yup Beagle, still writing; lots of other things to do including looking after new wife. Anyway, here is the preface:

This is the quite remarkable and true story of Squadron Leader Derek J Sharp AFC BSc Dip Comp JP RAF and his incredible adventures. Nothing perhaps was more astonishing than his survival after meeting a Mallard duck at 500 mph and his subsequent fight back to become a pilot in command once again. That he survived to age 30 was amazing, that he continued unashamedly on to a ripe old age was nothing short of a miracle. Conceivably he followed the advice written on a fridge magnet in his kitchen ‘Never drive faster than your Guardian Angel can fly’. Those who knew him would say not a chance! He lived in a time long before Political Correctness, the Breathalyser and motor car safety checks. He achieved all that he set out to do, and more. That would undoubtedly be his epitaph.

Puffin Club
 

Perhaps I should explain. The Puffin Club used to be a flying club of sorts run by retired Sqn Ldr Maurice Luker (? spelling) in a couple of nissen huts in the north west corner of the airfield about where 22 Sqn now live. It was inside the airfield boundary and so was not directly accessible to the plod who had to go via the guardroom to ask permission of the SDO before raiding the place. The SDO would then phone the Puffin Club to tell them of the impending visit. This was in the fifties. It was of course just a short walk from Wrafton station and very convenient for arrivals on the last train from London and the bar was open until the last guest departed. Also it was a short walk from the Willies after their chucking out time. The landlord was not happy to be unable to continue serving after "last orders" in the knowledge that the troops were straight off to the Puffin Club to continue spending money which he thought should rightfully end up in his till. Of course all good things come to an end and the plod took some underhand action resulting in the club's closure.

Chivenor Ghost
 

..... Maurice Looker. He was also a director / owner / flying instructor at the N. Devon Flying Club / Devonair / Puffin Aero Club. All his flying activities came to an end when he ditched a Devonair Auster Aerocrat in the Bristol Channel in August 1955. Looker and his two passengers were fortunately rescued by a passing Danish ship.

I have pictures..
 

Aerial shots.

Here

I have shots
 

...taken from 'Chivenor in Old Photographs' if I'm not mistaken - I thought that I recognised the captions!

Pedantically..
 

Britain In Old Photographs. RAF Chivenor. David Watkins.

ISBN 0-7509-1034-8

In some of the older phots, you can see Beags. Joke:)

Seriously, some good gen on the history of Chiv.