Marske Aerodrome
{{Short description|Former military aerodrome in Marske, North Yorkshire, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox military installation
| name = Marske Aerodrome
| ensign = 90px
| location = Marske-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire
| country = England
| image = RFCmarske18.jpg
| alt = A black and white image of an aircraft hangar in a semi-derelict state
| caption = One of the large hangars at Marske Aerodrome
| coordinates = {{Coord|54|35|51|N|01|02|06|W|display=inline, title}}
| gridref = NZ624225
| pushpin_map = North Yorkshire
| pushpin_map_alt = Relief map of North Yorkshire showing location
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in North Yorkshire
| pushpin_label_position = bottom
| ownership = Air Ministry
| operator = Royal Flying Corps
Royal Air Force
| open_to_public =
| site_area = {{convert| 1,900|yd2}}
| built = {{Start date|1917|11|1|df=yes}}
| used = {{End date|1920}} (Military use)
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| fate = Demolished, partially converted to housing
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| IATA = None
| ICAO = None
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| r1-surface = Grass
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Marske Aerodrome was a First World War-era airfield used by the Royal Flying Corps, and later by the Royal Air Force, between 1917 and 1920. The aerodrome was just to the west of the village of Marske-by-the-Sea in Yorkshire (North Yorkshire), England. Marske aerodrome hosted air gunnery schools and trained pilots in tactics and methods of aerial combat so that they could be deployed to the front. Marske is known for being the aerodrome where W. E. Johns, author of the Biggles books, undertook his training, as well as being noted for some of the flying instructors who were famous among the aircrew cadre.
History
Whilst some civilian landing flights had been tested out on the beach below Marske, the aerodrome at Marske-by-the-Sea opened inland just west of the village on 25 June 1910. With the outbreak of the First World War, the site was surveyed for possible military use,{{sfn|Halpenny|1982|p=140}} however, it was not until the summer of 1917 that a spur line was laid near Ryehills Farm at Marske from the railway line between Redcar and Saltburn-by-the-Sea. This allowed for easy transport in of men and materials to build the aerodrome.{{sfn|McEntee-Taylor|2015|p=158}} The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) base opened officially on 1 November 1917, with the first occupants being No. 4 (Auxiliary) School of Aerial Gunnery.{{cite book |last1=Philpott |first1=I. M. |title=The Royal Air Force : an encyclopedia of the inter-war years |date=2005–2008 |publisher=Pen & Sword Aviation |location=Barnsley |isbn=1-84415-154-9 |page=245}} The site measured {{convert| 1,000|yd}} by {{ convert| 900|yd}} and was furnished with 17 Bessonneau hangars along Green Lane at the west side,{{cite web |title=Marske Aerodrome |url=https://www.nelsam.org.uk/NEAR/Airfields/Histories/Marske.htm |website=www.nelsam.org.uk |access-date=28 January 2021}} and four permanent sheds on the southern side each measuring {{convert| 170|ft}} by {{convert| 200|ft}}.{{sfn|McEntee-Taylor|2015|p=159}}
The air-to-ground gunnery range was at the east end of the site on the cliff edge. Telegraph wires to the north and east were lowered to enable low flying.{{sfn|McEntee-Taylor|2015|p=159}} However, training by the No. 4 School was orientated towards pilots, whereas the back-seat gunners, were trained at No. 3 School in New Romney.{{cite book |last1=Jefford |first1=C. G. |title=Observers and navigators : and other non-pilot aircrew in the RFC, RNAS and RAF |date=2001 |publisher=Airlife |location=London |isbn=978-1-909808-02-7 |page=51 |edition=Updated and expanded}}
In April 1918, just five days after the RFC became the Royal Air Force (RAF), both Harry Butler and W. E. Johns were posted in to No. 2 Aerial Gunnery School at Marske. During this period, the school started using the M.1c Bristol monoplane, which was delivered to Marske via the rail link.{{cite book |last1=Parsons |first1=Les |title=The Red Devil : the story of south Australian aviation pioneer, Captain Harry Butler, AFC |date=2019 |publisher=Wakefield Press |location=Mile End, South Australia |isbn=978-1-74305-672-1 |page=61}}
Not long after he was credited with shooting down the Red Baron, Captain Roy Brown was posted into Marske as a flying instructor. However, within three months, he had a serious accident which kept him in hospital until the First World War was over.{{cite web |title=Pilot pulled from wreckage at Marske airfield is man who brought down Red Baron {{!}} The North-East At War |url=http://www.thenortheastatwar.co.uk/in_your_town/redcar/pilot-pulled-from-wreckage-but-what-few-knew-is-man-in-hospital-brought-down-red-baron |website=thenortheastatwar.co.uk |access-date=28 January 2021}} Between April and August 1918, the 25th Aero Squadron of the United States Army Air Service, moved into Marske from Ayr to undertake training. They later deployed to France in August of the same year.{{cite book |last1=Maurer |first1=Maurer |title=Combat squadrons of the Air Force, World War II |date=1982 |publisher=Albert F. Simpson Historical Research Center |location=Washington D C |page=129|oclc=9018678}}
On 29 September 1918, the commanding officer of one of the air training schools died when his aircraft plunged {{convert|1,000|ft}} into the sea. Major Aizlewood had been practising aerial manoeuvres which were being recorded for a training film. The inquiry determined that his flying clothes became caught in the aircraft's controls. He was buried in the graveyard of St Germain's Church in Marske, overlooking the sea where he had crashed.{{cite web |title=Aircraft accidents in Yorkshire. |url=http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/yorkshire/yorksother/e1456.html |website=www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk |access-date=28 January 2021}}{{cite book |last1=Waller |first1=Symeon Mark |title=Doncaster in the Great War |date=2014 |publisher=Pen & Sword |location=Barnsley |isbn=978-1-78303-644-8 |page=93}}{{cite news |title=Pledge over Captain Cook churchyard |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWGLNB&t=&sort=_rank_%3AD&page=4&fld-base-0=alltext&maxresults=20&val-base-0=marske%20st%20germain&docref=news/138C93C8DCFFC078 |access-date=28 January 2021 |work=infoweb.newsbank.com |date=28 July 2011|url-access=subscription}}
The last school was closed in November 1919, however, the base was retained until 1920 with the site being listed as available for flying but having no facilities to cater for civilian traffic.{{London Gazette |issue= 31751|date= 23 January 1920|page=982}} During the railway strike of 1919, aircraft were used to deliver mail. Marske was one of the aerodromes used during the dispute.{{sfn|McEntee-Taylor|2015|p=169}} The site was re-used during the Second World War, but by the Royal Artillery, rather than the RAF.{{cite news |title=War was certainly in the air over Marske |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWGLNB&t=&sort=_rank_%3AD&fld-base-0=alltext&maxresults=20&val-base-0=Marske%20aerodrome&docref=news/132E70A6B8731C60 |access-date=29 January 2021 |work=infoweb.newsbank.com |date=16 October 2010|url-access=subscription}} However, two pillboxes were constructed to protect the aerodrome, which was manned by regular soldiers from the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, the Green Howards and the South Staffordshire Regiment. This was believed to have been in case the RAF needed to use the site as an emergency ground, and to prevent it being used by enemy forces.{{cite news |last1=Lloyd |first1=Chris |title=The hidden leftovers of the Second World War dotted around our coast and countryside |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWGLNB&t=&sort=_rank_%3AD&page=1&fld-base-0=alltext&maxresults=20&val-base-0=Marske%20aerodrome&docref=news/17C49EB84DA44388 |access-date=29 January 2021 |work=infoweb.newsbank.com |date=18 July 2020|url-access=subscription}} The four permanent hangars were demolished in the 1990s.{{sfn|Delve|2006|p=299}}
In the early 1990s, part of the south-east corner of the site was converted into a housing estate named 'Barnes Wallis Way', after the famous wartime engineer Barnes Wallis. Its roads are named after aircraft from the Second World War, even though the site was not in use for the Air Force during that period.{{cite web |title=Marske, Redcar: Where the Biggles Author Trained Fighter Pilots |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p023053z |website=www.bbc.co.uk |date=30 July 2014 |access-date=28 January 2021}}
St Mark's Church in Marske, has an aviator's window which commemorates the death of a civilian flyer in 1912, but also has images and a dedication to the young men who trained at the aerodrome nearby.{{cite web |title=Inside St Mark's Church, Marske-by-the-sea |url=https://www.stmarks-marske.co.uk/look-inside-st-mark-s |website=stmarks-marske.co.uk |access-date=29 January 2021}}{{cite web |title=Glass artist shines a light on notable events |url=http://www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk/news/1048-glass-artist-shines-a-light-on-notable-events |website=www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk |access-date=29 January 2021}}
Based units
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ !scope=col| Unit !scope=col| Dates !scope=col| Aircraft !scope=col| Notes !scope=col| Ref |
| scope=row| No. 2 Fighting School
|29 May 1918 – November 1919 | |{{sfn|Lake|1999|p=72}}{{sfn|Chorlton|2014|p=168}} |
|---|
| scope=row| No. 2 School of Aerial Fighting & Gunnery
|6 May 1918 – 29 May 1918 |Sopwith Camel, Sopwith Dolphin, Sopwith Triplane |Disbanded in May 1918 to become No. 2 Fighting School |
| scope=row| No. 4 (Auxiliary) School of Aerial Fighting & Gunnery
|1 November 1917 – 6 May 1918 |Disbanded in May 1918 to become No. 2 Fighting School |{{sfn|Halpenny|1982|p=140}}{{sfn|Lake|1999|p=35}} |
| scope=row| No. 8 Wing (headquarters)
|December 1918 – April 1920 | | |{{sfn|Delve|2006|p=299}}{{sfn|McEntee-Taylor|2015|p=165}} |
| scope=row| 25th Aero Squadron
|23 April – 7 August 1918 | |{{sfn|Delve|2006|p=299}}{{sfn|Chorlton|2014|p=168}} |
Notable personnel
- Roy Brown (RAF officer){{cite news |last1=Amos |first1=Mike |title=New book recalls accident prone author WE Johns – and Roy Brown, who shot down the Red Baron |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/opinion/columnists/mikeamos/mikeamos/14420825.new-book-recalls-accident-prone-author-johns---roy-brown-shot-red-baron/ |access-date=29 January 2021 |work=The Northern Echo |date=12 April 2016}}
- Captain Harry Butler{{cite news |last1=Harris |first1=Claire |title=New book celebrates Butler's story |url=https://www.stockjournal.com.au/story/6307184/new-book-celebrates-butlers-story/ |access-date=29 January 2021 |work=Stock Journal |date=2 August 2019}}
- Bert Hinkler, attended the gunnery school at Marske{{cite book|last1=Wixted |first1=E. P. |title=Cultural Advice (Hinkler, Herbert John (Bert) (1892–1933)) |chapter=Herbert John (Bert) Hinkler (1892–1933) |chapter-url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/hinkler-herbert-john-bert-6680 |via=adb.anu.edu.au |publisher=National Centre of Biography, Australian National University |access-date=29 January 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Kieza |first1=Grantlee |title=Following his footsteps |work=The Courier-Mail |date=4 August 2012 |location=Weekend Magazine |page=M21|issn=1322-5235}}
- Captain W. E. Johns, author of the Biggles books{{sfn|McEntee-Taylor|2015|p=162}}
- Captain Stearne Tighe Edwards{{cite book |last1=Franks |first1=Norman L. R. |title=Fallen eagles : airmen who survived The Great War only to die in peacetime |date=2017 |publisher=Pen & Sword |location=Barnsley, South Yorkshire |isbn=9781473879980 |pages=4–10}}
References
{{reflist}}
=Sources=
- {{cite book |last1=Chorlton |first1=Martyn |title=Forgotten airfields of World War I |date=2014 |publisher=Crécy |location=Manchester |isbn=9780859791816}}
- {{cite book |last1=Delve |first1=Ken |title=Northern England : Co. Durham, Cumbria, Isle of Man, Lancashire, Merseyside, Manchester, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, Yorkshire |date=2006 |publisher=Crowood |location=Ramsbury |isbn=1-86126-809-2}}
- {{cite book|last=Halpenny|first=Bruce Barrymore|title=Action Stations 4. Military Airfields of Yorkshire|date=1982|publisher=Patrick Stephens|location=Cambridge|isbn=0-85059-532-0}}
- {{cite book |last1=Lake |first1=Alan |title=Flying units of the RAF : the ancestry, formation and disbandment of all flying units from 1912 |date=1999 |publisher=Airlife |location=Shrewsbury |isbn=1-84037-086-6}}
- {{cite book |last1=McEntee-Taylor |first1=Carole |title=From Colonial Warrior to Western Front Flyer : the Five Wars of Sydney Herbert Bywater Harris |date=2015 |publisher=Pen & Sword |location=Barnsley, South Yorkshire |isbn=978-1-47382-359-4}}
External links
{{Commons Category|RFC Marske}}
- [https://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/airfield-finder/marske-i/ Aerial view hosted on ABCT that shows former landing zones]
- [https://maps.nls.uk/view/196757015# Mapping from 1946 showing the hangars in grid NZ625225 (Erimus Hutments and the Aerodrome)]
{{RAF stations in Yorkshire}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marske Aerodrome}}
Category:Military units and formations established in 1917
Category:World War I airfields