Berlin Airlift
Discussion
It sounds like it's an ideal motorhome/bicycle adventure location. There is a nice Camping and Caravan Club site at Moreton - which is not too far from Bovington and the Tank Museum.
RAF Warmwell (Whirlwinds and Typhoons) was close by.
Another place worth visiting is the church graveyard where TE Lawrence is buried.
RAF Warmwell (Whirlwinds and Typhoons) was close by.
Another place worth visiting is the church graveyard where TE Lawrence is buried.
ettore said:
Cloud’s House (T E Lawrence’s Home) is next to Bovington (about a mile or so from the Tank Museum). Fascinating place and real insight into the man - just needs a Brough back in the motorbike shed!
I very nearly squashed a Volvo near Cloud's Hill Cottage. I was driving a Chieftain Tank down the hill to turn left at the junction nearby, but I didn't get the revs right. The semi-auto box failed to change down despite me kicking it down the requisite number of gears, and when I hauled on the left stick to turn it wasn't turning at anywhere near the rate I was calling for, requiring two feet on the big pedal to avoid running over the poor woman and her kids in the Volvo. It earned me a smack on the head from the instructor in the commander's hatch too. It was my very first time out in a proper tank on public roads, although it wasn't really a complete tank, but a 'Chieftain GTi' (or 'Wedge') - an old bridgelayer with the bridging equipment removed. Which was how come the instructor could reach to belt me on the head with one of the track-splitting tools. Lucky I was wearing a helmet, really...Wikipedia entry said:
Initially, due to unfamiliarity with the two-stroke engine's different exhaust note and power band compared to a four-stroke engine, and with the resulting difficulty in choosing the correct gear required for the particular driving task, trainee drivers tended to under-rev the engines and use inappropriate gear selections, leading to great difficulty climbing gradients, and when the Chieftain Mk 1 was first introduced some drivers had difficulty climbing the vehicle onto the trailers of Thornycroft Antar tank transporters.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leyland_L60aeropilot said:
Wow.......what was his name if you don't mind me asking, as I used to be a member of the Airborne Recce Association, as part of the attached Living History Group, and we used to do a lot for the Airborne Recce vets, including mounting a a guard of honor for the Recce Association standard at the annual memorial service at the church in Ruskington where the memorial window is. Used to know a few of the guys back in the 90's, such as the legendary Chalky White, who was the Recce Don R and the last person to get from the bridge back through the German lines to Oosterbeek.
Only 45 members of 1st AB recce went from Tarant Rushden in gliders, the rest of them went from Barkston Heath via para drop.
Your Dad was lucky to get back, as of the 200 or so members of 1st AB Recce, around 140 were taken POW, and 29 were KIA, that leaves only around 40-45 that got back.
Bash On........
John Graham Hilton WADSWORTH
joined the RAF, went to canada to do fighter training, he passed but was constantly airsick so was offered choice of resign or groundstaff. So he quit, went to Sandhurst, passed out as top cadet was given "belt of honour" by Eisenhower (no sword as due to wartime they were only "temporary gentleman".
Did the arnhem thing, I remember Sgt Henry Venes from my childhood. They were badly shot up going over the dutch coast..........don't know how much help he was in landing the glider.........he always denied it........others said he had landed it.
Next job was surrender in Norway, had a jeep crash and lost an eye
after that was in charge of captured staff cars and had an involvement with VW factory then being run the the army. He had one of the first 25 convertible beetles for himself and a big mercedes sports car.....not a 540k but similar looking
Only 45 members of 1st AB recce went from Tarant Rushden in gliders, the rest of them went from Barkston Heath via para drop.
Your Dad was lucky to get back, as of the 200 or so members of 1st AB Recce, around 140 were taken POW, and 29 were KIA, that leaves only around 40-45 that got back.
Bash On........
John Graham Hilton WADSWORTH
joined the RAF, went to canada to do fighter training, he passed but was constantly airsick so was offered choice of resign or groundstaff. So he quit, went to Sandhurst, passed out as top cadet was given "belt of honour" by Eisenhower (no sword as due to wartime they were only "temporary gentleman".
Did the arnhem thing, I remember Sgt Henry Venes from my childhood. They were badly shot up going over the dutch coast..........don't know how much help he was in landing the glider.........he always denied it........others said he had landed it.
Next job was surrender in Norway, had a jeep crash and lost an eye
after that was in charge of captured staff cars and had an involvement with VW factory then being run the the army. He had one of the first 25 convertible beetles for himself and a big mercedes sports car.....not a 540k but similar looking
Edited by aeropilot on Tuesday 17th December 10:32
Edited by aeropilot on Tuesday 17th December 10:34
Marvellous to know your Dad was Graham Wadsworth 
Just looked up the group photo of the officers taken at Ruskington, with your Dad standing in the back row
Henry Venes BEM was a legend of the AB Recce. I take it you have a copy of the John Fairley book about the 1st AB Recce at Arnhem, with all the mentions of your Dad in it?
Just looked up the group photo of the officers taken at Ruskington, with your Dad standing in the back row
Henry Venes BEM was a legend of the AB Recce. I take it you have a copy of the John Fairley book about the 1st AB Recce at Arnhem, with all the mentions of your Dad in it?
I remember Fairley staying with us in London, he only met my dad after the book was written, the other name I remember him mentioning was trooper taylor MM. The OM was invited to premier of bridge too far, (he was a senior BBC exec) but declined saying he had seen the original. I had a signed copy of remember arnhem signed by him and fairley, alas a house fire destroyed it.
When at Tarrant Rushden my grandfather was MD of Guinness so they arranged regular deliveries direct from the brewery
My dad always used a ratty old bit of camo parachute silk as a scarf in the winter so it was in the coffin with him.
When at Tarrant Rushden my grandfather was MD of Guinness so they arranged regular deliveries direct from the brewery
My dad always used a ratty old bit of camo parachute silk as a scarf in the winter so it was in the coffin with him.
Rangeroverover said:
The OM was invited to premier of bridge too far, (he was a senior BBC exec) but declined saying he had seen the original.
I presume your Dad didn't take part in the filming of "Their's Is The Glory" just after war finished, which featured his old Recce CO, Freddie Gough?
Rangeroverover said:
My dad always used a ratty old bit of camo parachute silk as a scarf in the winter so it was in the coffin with him.
Got dusty in here all of a sudden............
Nothing to update really. I've written to and received acknowledgement from NZ that they will supply any war/military service records for Dornford Robertson in due course. But there's the usual backlog of several weeks.
My wife very kindly got me a framed picture of 'Jig Willie' for Christmas, which is now resplendent on the wall.
I'm planning a visit to TR in the Spring along with a visit to the grave to give it a bit of a clean up. Aside from that, still searching for my birth mother and Dornford's daughter.
My wife very kindly got me a framed picture of 'Jig Willie' for Christmas, which is now resplendent on the wall.
I'm planning a visit to TR in the Spring along with a visit to the grave to give it a bit of a clean up. Aside from that, still searching for my birth mother and Dornford's daughter.
A bit about (some of) what Cobham do now... https://www.aerosociety.com/news/flying-for-the-da...
Callsign "Vader 61" playing the bad guys in 35+ year old business jet? More badass than it first seems, by the sound of it.
I found out recently that my brother-in law works for Cobham/FR. Heavily involved with the Dassault Falcon 20 fleet. He let a few things slip, but it's all very commercially sensitive at the moment so I'm not prepared to share anything that isn't already in the public domain. Safe to say, though, that the press, etc, focused on the wrong part of Cobham when considering a takeover from outside the UK. The flight refuelling part is as nothing to some of the sneaky-beaky stuff that they do.
I did ask him about the FR side of things, but that is done at another site and he's not involved. But he did mention a book that was issued to senior staff members to celebrate an anniversary (75th, maybe) of the company. If you can find a copy that might have some detail in it. B-I-L doesn't have his copy any longer, sadly, or I'd have been all over borrowing it myself.
I've been reading one of the books I got from my late father-in-law, called Wings Over Dorset (by Leslie Dawson, but presumably not he of the mother-in-law jokes
) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wings-Over-Dorset-Story-A... It got stashed away over Christmas, when I'd just got to the section about Tarrant Rushton. I'll dig it out again now that the tree is down, and post up anything useful I can glean from it.
Cobham did publish a 75th anniversary website... https://flypast.keypublishing.com/2009/10/31/cobha... ...but it seems to have gone now, I certainly couldn't find it. But someone with better computer skills than me might be able to dig up an archived record of the site? Worth a try maybe.
Callsign "Vader 61" playing the bad guys in 35+ year old business jet? More badass than it first seems, by the sound of it.
I found out recently that my brother-in law works for Cobham/FR. Heavily involved with the Dassault Falcon 20 fleet. He let a few things slip, but it's all very commercially sensitive at the moment so I'm not prepared to share anything that isn't already in the public domain. Safe to say, though, that the press, etc, focused on the wrong part of Cobham when considering a takeover from outside the UK. The flight refuelling part is as nothing to some of the sneaky-beaky stuff that they do.
I did ask him about the FR side of things, but that is done at another site and he's not involved. But he did mention a book that was issued to senior staff members to celebrate an anniversary (75th, maybe) of the company. If you can find a copy that might have some detail in it. B-I-L doesn't have his copy any longer, sadly, or I'd have been all over borrowing it myself.
I've been reading one of the books I got from my late father-in-law, called Wings Over Dorset (by Leslie Dawson, but presumably not he of the mother-in-law jokes
) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wings-Over-Dorset-Story-A... It got stashed away over Christmas, when I'd just got to the section about Tarrant Rushton. I'll dig it out again now that the tree is down, and post up anything useful I can glean from it.Cobham did publish a 75th anniversary website... https://flypast.keypublishing.com/2009/10/31/cobha... ...but it seems to have gone now, I certainly couldn't find it. But someone with better computer skills than me might be able to dig up an archived record of the site? Worth a try maybe.
Tyre Smoke, I was chatting to my mates wife today who is from the village of Chute, next to Conholt park. She told me of the story of her father who was first on the scene of the Lancaster crash at Conholt. I immediately thought of this thread and your grandfather. I’d be happy to put you in touch if you like.
yellowjack said:
zombeh said:
yellowjack said:
If I'm interpreting where that was taken correctly (comparing your photos with google earth) that's the right hand edge of the threshold of the 36 runway, it was originally about 6 times that width, you'll have seen the concrete on the perimeter changes when you get past the other edge of the runway
Thanks!
Small update on my personal situation is awaiting the will of Dornford and that of his widow Joan who remarried in '55 and died in '93. But this 'sideshow' for my original quest is hugely interesting for me. I've always been fascinated by this sort of thing, and having my own 'story' is beyond belief. As soon as I get time in the Spring, I'll definitely be up around the airfield and Andover.
Small update on my personal situation is awaiting the will of Dornford and that of his widow Joan who remarried in '55 and died in '93. But this 'sideshow' for my original quest is hugely interesting for me. I've always been fascinated by this sort of thing, and having my own 'story' is beyond belief. As soon as I get time in the Spring, I'll definitely be up around the airfield and Andover.
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