Writelink ... many writers ... one community, online creative writing community for freelance and creative writers

Home

Members

Videos

Adverts

chat

Music

Photos

Blogs

Forums

Resources

Challenges

Blogs

All Blogs Top Blogs Top Posts

Join Now Member Login

Write Linkers Search:

Search result

Tags - thornaby

The Kipper Patrol

August 9, 2009

1 comments

Books and Banter

Louise Wilkinson, author of the book ‘The Kipper Patrol,' explained how 608 Squadron Auxiliary Air Force became known by this name to the Books and Banter audience at Stockton on 5th August. Julie's book came into being following research she had undertaken for a higher degree. 608 Squadron were based at Thornaby aerodrome in North East England. The squadrons making up the Auxiliary Air Force before WWII were essentially gentlemen's flying clubs. Membership was by discrete invitation only. 600 and 601 based in the London area were almost aristocratic with 601 being known as the ‘Millionaires Mob.' At Thornaby membership of 608 was drawn from important families and the sons of prominent business men. Louise's book deals with the history of 608 Squadron, the stories of the pilots and airmen as well as the history of Thornaby aerodrome. Their role as pat of Coastal Command was to protect shipping convoys and to look for submarines. They referred to their unglamorous role as "the kipper patrol." Louise's research brought her into contact with survivors of the veterans and their families. The book includes many of the photographs from their personal collections. 608 was formed in 1930 and was active once or twice a week and at weekends. If they did not like an instruction then they just went home. This was to change with the start of the war when the members became full time members of the RAF. In 1942 the squadron moved to Scotland and later to North Africa. Other RAF squadrons were based at Thornaby during the warcwhich included Polish and Canadian pilots. The Hudson aircraft became the workhorse for Coastal Command work. It was 220 Squadron from Thornaby that found the German ship, the Altmark, off the Norwegian coast near Egersund; this find led to the rescue of the British prisoners aboard in what has become known as "The Altmark Incident" After the war 608 Squadron was reformed in 1946 but was eventually to be disbanded in 1957. Thornaby aerodrome has been swallowed up by the ‘new' town of Thornaby. Some of its buildings remain in use. A bronze statue of an airman has been erected and a controversial replica spitfire stands on a roundabout at Thornaby ‘gateway.' Although spitfires flew from the base, many still argue that the replica should have been of Thornaby's iconic Hudson.

Tags: thornaby altmark raf

The Thornaby Spitfire

November 27, 2009

2 comments

Books and Banter

Books and Banter on 25 November was presented by David Thompson one of the committee involved with ...       The Thornaby Spitfire   The decision to site a replica Spitfire on a roundabout at Thornaby was quite controversial at the time. The aerodrome, now submerged by the buildings of the Thornaby new town operated fro 1930 – 1958. The RAF’s 608 Squadron - the Tees Valley's auxiliary squadron, which was based at Thornaby during the Second World War - did not fly Spitfires until after the war. It flew Avro Ansons and, later, Lockheed Hudsons.   However Spitfires based at Catterick used Thornaby as a base in 1943 as was too far from the coast. Canadian and Polish pilots flew the Spitfires on sorties over the North Sea,   Both the cost and the size of a replica Hudson aircraft meant it was unfeasible to commemorate it on the roundabout. Consequently it is the Spitfire that took pride of place in the centre of the roundabout on the approach to Thornaby in 2007.   Funded in part by a lottery grant, the Spitfire was put into position by its Norfolk manufacturer on 8March 2007. A media blackout was imposed its erection as the local council was concerned that crowds would impede the operation. It was only on the day itself that the first TV recordings were made.   The fiberglass fuselage contains the insignia YO-T of the 401 Canadian Squadron who flew Spitfires in 1943 and B-RAO of the 608 North Riding (F) Squadron who flew the post-war planes. The replica was delivered in ‘kit’ form; the wings were attached on site prior to the plane being lifted on onto its plinth.   <img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2072/2124728057_50894aa3e7.jpg" border="0" width="500" height="375" />     The Spitfire was dedicated on 1 April 2007 with representatives and an honour guard from RAF Leeming.   The plane is illuminated at night, although there have been problems with vandalisation of the lights. Information boards on the roundabout tell the history of the aerodrome. A model of a propeller, also erected, contains a map in the centre of the town from Google Earth with the old runways superimposed. The runways are now hidden beneath the buildings of the new town.   <img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2010/2125502536_7e0db4622a.jpg" border="0" width="500" height="375" />   Thornaby streets have aviation links as seen in Master and Martinet Roads, De Havilland Way, Trenchard and Tedder Avenues. Mitchell Avenue is named after the designer of the Spitfire aeroplane – R J Mitchell. A pub also carries the Spitfire name; another pub is the Roundel from the circular red, white and blue emblem used on the sides of RAF aircraft/   A Thornaby Heritage Aerodrome Trail has been created, a leaflet for which may be downloaded from www.stockton.gov.uk.   {Photos by 'twiggles' sourced from flickr}

Tags: thornaby altmark raf thornaby raf

My Place or Yours?

January 16, 2010

1 comments

Poetry

That’s a phrase I haven’t used for longer than I can remember.   The event I attended yesterday was a new venture for me. Bob, the non-poet, went to a short performance poetry session at Thornaby Central Library.   The Journeys project – My Place or yours? is a community based storytelling group which has been working in the West End Library at Benwell in Newcastle, Thornaby Library and the North of England Mining Institute at Newcastle.   The group shared poems and songs inspired by the people and places of Thornaby and the West End of Newcastle. The performance was introduced by Richard Bliss, the Project Manager; he also played the violin.   Nick Ruston on the keyboards started the proceedings with a lively piece ‘A Little Place on the River Tees.’ Most of the session was given over to a poetry performance by Mike Edwards who was the poet in residence at Thornaby Library as part of the Journeys project. Some of his poems had been made into light boxes which will remain in the library for people to read. These included ‘Why do you use the library?’ and ‘Cutting the tape.’ [Thornaby Library has been refurbished recently.]   It was Mike’s performance of ‘Stamp’ that the small audience seemed to like most. An old man bemoans the use of lasers and bar codes and misses the sound of the library date stamp. Sound effects of a stamp in use were provided by Richard Bliss. You may read ‘Stamp’ at <a href="http://www.myplaceoryours.org.uk/author/Mike-Edwards">www.myplaceoryours.org.uk/author/Mike-Edwards</a>   A book has been left in the library for the public to add to an epic poem for Thornaby started off by Mike. It will be interesting to see how successful this becomes.   The catchy song about the journey on the A19 from Newcastle to Thornaby and a repeat, with all the group contributing of ‘Why do you use the library?’ ended the performance; this included the lines ‘What’s your favourite book?/Facebook.’   The project is going on to look at mining in the West End of Newcastle from Bobby Shafto to the Montagu Pit Disaster.   Supporting organisations include Apples and Snakes the performance poetry organisation.

Tags: thornaby altmark raf thornaby raf thornaby libraries benwell newcastle mikeedwards poetry

Description

Bob_Scotney
Posts: 206
Comments: 642
Bob's Home: "Those lines that I before have writ do lie."

2 votes

Bob_Scotney's Calendar

May, 2012

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
29	30	1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20	21	22	23	24	25	26
27	28	29	30	31	1	2
3	4	5	6	7	8	9

Gifts

Awards Center