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RAF Cranage - WILL YOU PLEASE HELP TO SAVE RAF CRANAGE?
Above - One of 14 Air Raid Shelters still upright - and in good condition at RAF Cranage - but for how much longer?
I am hearing about the rarity of the Watch/Control Tower at RAF Cranage. Possibly a unique building.. Also, I'm hearing about the uniqueness of the Air Raid Shelters. Since English Heritage has as its 'trigger' the uniqueness of buildings to schedule them as 'ancient monuments', perhaps we should all ask why the built site of RAF Cranage has not been scheduled?
LATEST NEWS
SUPPORTIVE LETTERS
FENCE-SITTERS' LETTERS
MY REPLIES TO
LETTERS FROM CHESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
What I need from you is letters - or emails but letters would be more telling, (ie piece of paper in the hand...no need to download..not removed by the press of a button.. therefore, more effective). They need to go to English Heritage and to the Chief Executive of Cheshire County Council - see below.
Also, I need you to contact everybody who you think might also write. It doesn't matter whether they live in England or the other side of the world. There is already a lot of interest in RAF Cranage, across the internet. Copy this letter to everyone who might have an interest in keeping the site.
Perhaps, between us all, we can keep our history. My thanks in advance to everyone who helps with this. If you need more information, email or ring me on 0156 572 2738. Please read on.
Charlotte Peters Rock
He says that whilst not qualifying - in his opinion - for 'Scheduled ancient monument' status, it should qualify for 'Conservation Area' status.
Therein lies the problem. To gain 'Conservation Area' status, the application has been passed back to Adrian Tindall the County Archaeologist for Cheshire. His Department is within the Planning Department. The same Planning Department in which sits Adrian Lea, the Planning Officer who is rather keen to let Scottish Power build a Gas Processing Plant on top of the area.
I have asked - as you can see below - for some form of Emergency Hold on the site, whilst the application can be considered. I am unable to gain any help in that direction, because everyone at English Heritage seems to be 'out', 'on leave' or 'off sick'. So I need to make this as public as possible, with your help.
I have now written again to:
Dr John Schofield,
Head of Military Programmes,
English Heritage,
23 Saville Row,
London W1S 2ET
To ask him to re-consider scheduling the site as an ancient monument. WILL YOU ALSO WRITE TO HIM? PLEASE.
You could also copy the letter to:
Mr Jeremy Taylor,
Chief Executive,
Cheshire County Council,
County Hall,
Chester,
Cheshire. CH1 1SF
IF YOU CAN HELP FURTHER, THE LIST BELOW WOULD ALL BENEFIT FROM HAVING EMAILS OR LETTERS ABOUT THIS
new, supportive
Cheshire County Council Leader,
Cllr. Nora Dolphin,
Cheshire County Council,
County Hall, Chester.
Cheshire. CH1 1SF
County Councillor for this area (Vale Royal, Northwich East
and Shakerley - Labour), is
George Mainwaring,
11 Brook Street,
Northwich,
Cheshire CW9 7NH
Member of Parliament for this area (Tatton -
Conservative) is George Osborne
George Osborne MP,
House of Commons,
London.
SW1A 0AA
Vale Royal Borough Councillor (Shakerley Ward - Conservative) is
Mark Stocks
Mark Stocks,
King Street Farm,
King Street,
Byley,
Middlewich,
Cheshire CW10
9LE
Home 01606 832125; Business 0161 3379242
Local newspapers for this area are:
Knutsford Guardian,
The Council Offices, Toft Road, Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 6TA
01565 751114
Chronicle Group (Middlewich, Winsford, Northwich,etc)
80 Whitton Street, Northwich. Cheshire CW9 5AE
01606 42272 fax 01606 47845
or
5 Fountain Court,Winsford, Cheshire. CW7 1AJ
01606 592 367 fax 01606 862535
The Sentinel, Sentinel House, Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent,
Staffordshire. ST1 5SS
01782 602525 fax 01782 262617
Manchester Evening News, 164 Deansgate, Manchester.M3
0161 832 9191 fax 0161 839 8027
BBC Radio Stoke, Cheapside, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent,
Staffordshire. ST1 1JJ
01782 208080 Action Desk: 01782 260972 fax 01782 289115
Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2-4
Cockspur Street, London. SW1Y 5DH
Tessa Jowell MP - Secretary of State
Below is the letter which I sent in support of my application for the Scheduling of RAF Cranage.
Dr John Schofield
Head of Military Programmes
English Heritage
23 Saville Row
London W1S 2ET
14th February, 2003
Dear John Schofield,
Re: RAF Cranage - Scheduling of the whole area to keep our history
* Perhaps I could ask, to begin with, what can be done to ensure that the buildings still remaining on the site of RAF Cranage are not demolished whilst this request for Scheduling is considered? I understand there is something called ‘spot listing’ in respect of the Listing of buildings. Could some form of Emergency Scheduling be applied to this site?
* I am concerned that the remaining Air Raid Shelters will be demolished before adequate consideration is given to scheduling. Two very large buildings have already been demolished, by IneosChlor which owns the land, in the last two years, so there is good reason to think that the rest might be at risk, especially in view of the proposal to put a Gas Processing Plant on the site.
If the site is made temporarily safe I can probably research more publicly, to supply a great deal more information.
As The Defence of Britain Project - completed in 2000 - showed, such sites are becoming rare treasures.
The site of RAF Cranage is of national and international importance because it is nearly 60 years since the Operation Overlord Normandy Landings, (6th June 1944 - 6th June 2004). This operation was planned close to here, by Montgomery and Patton, at Peover Hall. It was a vital cog in the winning of a war.
Airmen from here, flew, as the main defence of Liverpool, during the Blitz..
The site - small as it is - needs to be preserved for future generations; so that they will see, on the ground, the conditions experienced by the brave young men who flew to defend our country.
Books and pictures are not the same as seeing something on the ground. Otherwise, Stonehenge, Chester’s Roman Walls, Silbury Hill, Shrewsbury’s Town Centre, The Gaskell Tower of Knutsford and the Air Raid Shelters in the tunnels of Stockport could be demolished - but preserved in photographs, holograms and writing. It would be tidier but would it be as interesting?
When I stand on the site, from which many brave young men flew, I can feel their bravery, as they took off into the night sky, to face the might of Hitler. From pictures, so little is kept.
A We - and our children - need to be aware of so many things in respect of this site.
a Of the small size of the whole airfield - surrounded by trees
b Of the village school - so close to the runways - which had twice as many children on its roll (over 100 - including locals evacuees and children of serving men) as today.
c Of the Hangars, which were - and are - close by. From planes assembled there, we won a war.
d Of the large number of buildings - and people - needed on the site, when operational
e Of the need for local input - how much? Where did they come from?
f Of the large number of Air Raid Shelters (about 32 I believe?), in such a very small area
g Of the sleeping quarters, which were - and are - at the opposite side of the small airfield, to the main buildings. And why was this?
h Of the close-packed living quarters, which were not dispersed for safety, in case of attack. Why not?
How can wonder at such things, proceed, if the site is gone? Why would anyone wonder at all? Most of the men - and women - who served there are dead. The rest are old. Of what possible interest is such a site to future generations?
Why should English Heritage, with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, bother to schedule the remains of RAF Cranage, in their remaining entirety?
B It is my contention that the whole of this small site is of not just NATIONAL but of INTERNATIONAL importance.
1 There are around 14 air-raid shelters still upright and in good condition, on the site. Shown on the enclosed photographic sheets "Air Raid Shelters at RAF Cranage - February, 2003".
2 The ground structures of buildings, of the whole camp, are still in existence - in spite of the temporary buildings above them having been removed. Scuffing the leaves across the whole area which previously held the camp buildings, produces outlines and floors of concrete - or in some places, brown tile. Also there are white, shiny toilet and shower fittings, still to be seen. Small indications of this are shown on the enclosed photographic sheet, "Features at RAF Cranage - February, 2003". Many more are easily seen on site.
3 The surrounding area of Byley village has numerous indications of wartime use. These are shown on the enclosed photograph sheets - "Views on, over and around RAF Cranage - February, 2003". They include:
| a the Shadow Hangar across the fields at Byley
(shadowing the
Vickers-Armstrong factory at Broughton close to RAF Hawarden), where
Wellington Bombers were put together, for Vickers-Armstrong. (Now used
by Firmin Coates). I understand that this hangar is an extremely rare
remainder, of those in use during the war..
|
| b another Wartime Hangar, the
Flight
Shed, which looms over the local Primary
School on Moss Lane - and which was where the Wellington bombers were wheeled onto the
main airfield. (Now used by Byley Warehousing.)
|
|
|
c the Old Smithy, opposite Byley Coaches (B5081) - which still
has a two-tone roof, from where a plane crashed across the building.
(Believed to have been Oxford N4594 - on 26th October 1941).
|
| (photograph shortly) | d the communications building which lies
in the fields between the old Shadow hanger - now Firmin Coates - and
Middlewich
|
| e the original uprights which held the camp signs - and which
can still be seen on the North-west corner of the site
|
| f the graves of 18 young men in St John's Churchyard, who
flew from RAF Cranage. They came from the RAF, Royal Navy, Royal
Canadian Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force - right across the world to die here, in defence of Britain, and to win a world war.
|
| g the wartime base hospital - just north of the Three
Greyhounds, on Middlewich Road.
|
| h
The Three Greyhounds - very popular with serving men and women on RAF
Cranage
|
C Various people of interest flew from this site, including:
a Squadron Leader Victor Bosanquet Strachan Verity - who flew with 96 Squadron in defence of Liverpool, during the Blitz. He scored 8 kills and was awarded the DFC. His information - and photograph - can be found on the New Zealand Fighter Ace Museum website at http://www.nzfpm.co.nz/aces/verity.htm
also at
| Merlin engine and prop - from 96 Squadron - Defiant - N1766 - engine failed, abandoned 2 miles west of Derwent Reservoir - 13.4.41 - crashed in Rowless Pasture. F/Lt Rabone & F/O Richie baled out, OK. On display at Manchester Air & Space Museum. Photo by Hugh Budgen
|
c Squadron Leader Robin McNair, noted for shooting down 96
Squadron’s first Heinkel 111 over ICI in Widnes. He went on to become
a noted Air Ace, was twice awarded the DFC, became the youngest acting
Wing Commander in WW2
http://freespace.virgin.net/barry.miller
http://www.thisischeshire.co.uk/cheshire/archive/2000/08/10/68614ZM.html
and various other references on this site and the Battle of Britain site
at
http://www.the-battle-of-britain.co.uk/pilots/Mc-pilots.htm
and other sites
d General Patton, whose 'Stinson' aeroplane was kept at Cranage - during his time at Peover Hall (close by) for the planning of Operation Overlord and the Normandy Landings. Also No 14 Liason Squadron - part of 9th US Air Force and General Patton’s 3rd Army - was based there with its Stinson L5 ‘Sentinel’ aircraft. He made his infamous - and mis-reported - speech which included, "it is the evident destiny of the British and Americans, and, of course the Russians to rule the world", from the Town Hall steps in Knutsford. Since newspapers on both sides of the Atlantic omitted mention of Russians, our allies felt slighted.
e Air Vice-Marshal D C McKinley, CB, CBE, DFC, AFC and Bar - was a Chief Instructor at RAF Cranage. He was chosen to fly President Roosevelt’s personal envoy, Harry Hopkins, to a critical meeting with Stalin, in Moscow, just before the Germans invaded the Soviet Union. In October 1944, he flew a Lancaster called 'Aries', on the first British flight round the world, taking 72 hours to arrive in Australia - from RAF Shawbury. When the war had ended, on 10th May 1945, he flew ‘Aries’ over the magnetic North Pole, after which the Pole’s position had to be re-calculated, to 300 miles NNW of its previously accepted location. (See obituaries - Thursday 2nd May, 2002 - Daily Telegraph and 6th May, 2002 - The Times) see also copy enclosed http://www.opinion.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/05/02/db0201.xml&sSheet=/o...
f Canadian, Wing Commander Stewart Robertson, DFC, studied Navigation at No 2 School of Air Navigation, at RAF Cranage. His information - and photograph - can be found on http://www.lancastermuseum.ca/s,robertson.html
g Flight Lieutenant Josef Keprt, DFC, a
Czech, flew with 96
Squadron, from RAF Cranage. His information - and photograph - can be
found on http://Cz-raf.hyperlink.cz/units/312.html
http://www.letadla.cz/historie.php?doba=3chist_clanek=5
h Professor Cox, the Belgium Astronomer Royal is believed to have taught navigation at RAF Cranage.
i Sir Francis Chichester is said to have flown from Cranage - though I have yet to see confirmation of this.
j Pilot Officer Leslie Manser, VC; who won his VC
posthumously, following "The Thousand Bomber Raid" on Cologne,
in an Avro Manchester, in May 1942. He was previously a pupil at No 2
School of Air Navigation - Died aged 20
http://www.chapter-one.com/vc/award.asp?vc=834
http://www.alliedairforcesmonument.org/VCAwards.htm
and numerous other sites
l Pilot Officer Walter Tonge (176020)- joined as an Aircraftmen. Was a pupil of No 2 Air Navigation School - from 26th December 1940 - granted a Commission (for the Emergency - in August 1941) as Pilot Officer. Believed killed in action on the 30th June 1944 - died aged 30http://www.miketonge.eurobell.co.uk/details/w_tonge_rec.html
m Flying Officer Vlastimil Vesely DFC AFC, highly decorated Czech
Pilot who earned his medals during The Battle of Britain and with 96
Squadron from RAF Cranage.
http://server-mat.fce.vutbr.cz/safarik/ACES/aces2/cz/cz/vesely.html
A series of action reports, with 96 Squadron, by Flying Officer Vesely, appear in "RAF Cranage 1939-1957" by Hugh J
Budgen.
They cover 23rd February to 14th April 1941. (the
photograph shown is via Michael Lewis, from Zdenek Hurt in Prague. It was published in Swift
magazine in Spring 2000. It is also in the collection of Hugh Budgen)
n Squadron Leader Ronald Gustave Kellet - was the CO of newly formed Squadron 96, at RAF Cranage from 18th December 1940 until 14th March 1941. He had previously formed and led 303 Polish Squadron during the Battle of Britain.
*******************************
These men are just a small number, who are associated with RAF Cranage. Their
information was relatively easy to find. There are many more stories to be told.
The Free Frenchman, Caporal Chef Allard, for instance, who stalled his Oxford
X6948, on a night approach at RAF Cranage: what was he doing there?
This airfield was home to English, Irish, Scots, Welsh, from the RAF and sometimes the Royal Navy. It was also home to airmen who were Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, Czechs, Poles, Americans and - possibly - to our Free Frenchman. How many other nationalities were also represented?
The site of RAF Cranage is very small. From an earth mound in the old buildings area, the whole site can be seen. Set against today's runways and airfields, it was a pretty insignificant looking place, surrounded by trees, which the Station CO fought to keep, to serve as camouflage, in spite of the dangers in take-off and landing, especially in fog. It was never to get the concrete runways which he requested, settling instead for metal tracking.
D As an example of our history, it is studied by:
a children at the local Primary School, in Byley
b local people who still remember and value what happened here
c nationally by English Heritage - and by many other people
d internationally - as can be shown to anyone who cares to go into
Google,
or some other search engine and put in the words 'RAF Cranage' - also
see the above web sites
E Many different types of use were made of this small airfield. Such as:
a 57 OTU 1 Flight - with Spitfire 1s - from January 1940 until May 1941
b 10 Flying Training School from Ternhill, Shropshire - with Ansons and Harvards - July to September 1940
c Air Taxis (Ltd) Lancashire took over the repair work at Cranage - for Ansons and later Oxfords - Autumn 1940
d originally built to house No 2 School of Air Navigation - with Avro Anson Mk 1s - from October 1940
e detachment of 29 Squadron arrived - with Blenheim F1s - from 1st December 1940
f also 422 Flight - with Hurricane Mk 1s - from 7th December 1940
h Czech flyers from 312 Squadron moved to Cranage - with day-camouflaged Hurricane 1s - December 1940
i 96 Squadron - was formed from 422 flight - 17th December 1940
j split into two - flight A moved to Squires Gate, Blackpool - Flight B remained at Cranage - Dec/Jan 1941
g detachment of 307 (Lwow) Polish Squadron arrived - with Defiant 1s - 8th December 1940
| F/O Josef Kloboucnik by Hurricane ZJ-C RAF Cranage Feb/Mar 1941 Killed in Beaufighter - R2099-Z 22.10.41 near Poynton Green, Salop. Member of 68 Squadron via David Smith, from Zdenek Hurt in Prague. It is also in the collection of Hugh Budgen
|
k new aircraft used by 96 Squadron - Boulton Paul Defiants - from Feb/March 1941
l 7 Avro Manchesters dispersed to Cranage from Woodford -June 1941
m 96 Squadron moved to RAF Wrexham - 21st October 1941
n No 11 School of Flying Training, from RAF Shawbury used Cranage as a relief landing ground - with Oxfords - September to October 1941
o Wellington Bombers, assembled at the Vickers-Armstrong Shadow Factory, just south of the airfield, were test flown at Cranage, and delivered to other airfields - from around October 1941
p No 1531 Beam Approach Training Flight formed - with 6 Oxfords + 2 spares - on 20th July 1942
q No 2 School of Air Navigation was split into 4 flights - 17 aircraft each - re-designated Central Navigation School 14th August 1942
r Central Navigation School allocated Wellington Bombers - Specialist Navigation courses of 6-8 months set up, using 58 Ansons - support Aircraft - Moth - Master - Hudson 1V & V - from August 1942
s No 1531 Beam Approach Training Flight was doubled - to 12 Oxfords + 4 spares - on September 1942
t Central Navigation School moved to RAF Shawbury - taking 44 Ansons and 4 Wellingtons - 11th February 1944
u American Unit USAAF 14th Liaison Squadron arrived at Cranage - with Stinson L-5s - early 1944 until 29th June 1944
v No 1531 Beam Approach Training Flight was re-affiliated from No 3 Pilots Advanced Flying Unit ((P)AFU) to No 11 (P)AFU 21st March 1944
w No 11 (P)AFU was re-affiliated to No 12 (P)AFU (1 flight affiliated to No 18 (P)AFU) - from 6th January 1945
x No 11 (P)AFU disbanded 29th May 1945
y No 190 Gliding School formed at Cranage - on May 1945
z No 190 Gliding School moved to Woodvale - early 1947
aa Used by No 61 MU (Handworth) as a Storage Sub-site - from 20th September 1945
bb Airfield buildings used to house families of servicemen from abroad (Egypt, India, Greece, Scotland and England), ready for re-housing - from 1947
cc No 61 MU moved out - 19th March 1954
dd Allocated to USAF - on 20th December 1954
ee Used by No 1 Motor transport Squadron (Maintenance) - from 23rd February 1955 to 18th December 1957 - when it moved to Ruislip
ff Used by 7523 Support Squadron (USAF - from 1955 to 30th June 1957 - when it was disbanded.
gg Used by 7523 USAF Dispensary (USAFE) - from 22nd September 1955 to 30th June 1957 - when it was disbanded
hh Used by a detachment of 7493 (IG) Special Investigations Wing - from 1955 to 1957 - when it was disbanded
ii Used by 620 Engineer Aviation maintenance Company (USAFE) - from 9th September 1955 until 1957
jj Cranage was to parent RAF Sealand for a short time - when US personnel were withdrawn from there
kk The local Royal Observer Corps - from Middlewich still flew in and out from time to time - using H19 helicopters
ll The Air Training Corps used the site for Range Shooting during the 1950s
mm Cranage returned to RAF control when remaining personnel were moved to RAF Sealand and the station was closed - 1st July 1957
This site is under great threat. Buildings are still disappearing.
Scheduling single items in such a compact site, does not leave a true picture of our history. In these days of build-up to yet another war, shouldn’t our recent history be kept .. as a reminder of what recently went before? There were no ‘smart’ bombs then. There was barely any radar. The world and its inventions have moved on. This history is ours. Will you Schedule it to save it?
Please come and look at the site.
Yours sincerely,
Charlotte Peters Rock
enclosures - sent with letter
1 "Air Raid Shelters at RAF Cranage - February, 2003".
2 "Features at RAF Cranage - February, 2003"
3 "Views on, over and around RAF Cranage - February, 2003"
4 Map showing approximate position of Air Raid Shelters
5 Map showing surrounding features in Byley
6 Obituary for Air Vice-Marshal David McKinley DFC, AFC, CB, CBE
Web print-out of information for:
7 Squadron Leader Victor Bosanquet Strachan Verity, DFC
8 Squadron Leader Paul Watling Rabone DFC
9 Squadron Leader Robin McNair DFC and Bar
10 Squadron Leader R J Kellet
11 Flight Lieutenant Josef Keprt DFC, AFC
12 Flying Officer Vlastimil Vesely DFC
13 Copy of information on General Patton
I can supply copies of all other information referred to here, should you request it.
Information in this application is taken from the web sites mentioned above - and many others.
It also came from
emails,
telephone calls and
other conversations - particularly with Mrs Lillian Worthington of Byley
Coaches -
and from my own observation and photographs.
Other sources used are:
1 "RAF Cranage 1939-1957" by Hugh J Budgen - Aviation Archaeologist
2 "RAF CRANAGE - A Fighter Station in Rural Cheshire" by David Smith, Tony Harratt and Hugh Budgen - published Spring 2000 in "Swift" magazine
3 Action Stations - 3. Military Airfields of Wales and the
North-West"
by David J Smith - published 1981 Patrick Stephens,
Cambridge
4 "Remembrance Day" by Catherine Croft - Director of the 20th Century Society - published January 2003 Museums Journal
5 "RAF Cranage" by Tony Harratt - published August 2001 - written for 14 Liaison Squadron USAF
6 "96 Squadron - The Nightfighters" by Tony Harratt (96 Squadron 1940-1941 Royal Air Force) (Published on web site http://www.jeffglover.com/ss/savvy07.html
7 New Zealand Fighter Pilots Web Site - http://www.nzfpm.co.nz/aces/
