Berlin Airlift

[Tyre Smoke]

aponting389 said:

Tyre Smoke said:

Do they do accommodation?

They do yes. I’ve just passed your info onto to clare!

Had a brief conversation with her this morning, I was driving. She has passed on her aunt's details. Apparently she was there at the crash. Will be an interesting phone call later!

Thank you again for your input Alex.

[aponting389]

No problem! Would love to hear how you get on

[Tyre Smoke]

Well I had a chat with 'Aunt Rosemary' last night. Unfortunately she thought this was about a Vulcan bomber that came down in the same area in 1964 not 'my' Lancastrian that came down in 1948. Lovely lady and she did say there were a lot of older members of the local community who remember the Lancastrian coming down. Apparently it was a 'bit of a mess' with bodies hanging from trees.

[Tyre Smoke]

Bit of an update.

I wrote to the New Zealand Defence Force and obtained Dornford's records. Quite comprehensive, but sadly no photos. However, I have his dental records, medical history and a rather sad exchange of correspondence between his mother and the ministry asking for his medals, but not being entitled because as he was married his wife was his next of kin.

He was also only 135lbs and 5'5" tall. My son is 16 and bigger than that!

He also served during the war in 138 Sqn dropping agents behind the lines, which I think has already been mentioned in this thread. However, if anyone still interested can help, I'm looking for photos of F/Sgt Dornford Winstan Robertson of the RNZAF.

I also emailed Cobhams asking for any information and as yet, nothing received.

Lastly, this all came about as I was searching for my birth mother who sadly died in 2016. But if I'm honest, this has really captured my imagination and find this more interesting. Next up is perhaps contacting Dunedin in NZ to see if there are any relatives still living there. Again, if anyone can help there, I'd very much appreciate it.

[irocfan]

thanks for the update.

This really is an amazing thread - got me wondering how to find my grandfather's service record during WWII, the problem for me being he was German on the Eastern front and never came home. I know that you can get records via the Germans, regrettably my German isn't good enough

[aeropilot]

irocfan said:

thanks for the update.

This really is an amazing thread - got me wondering how to find my grandfather's service record during WWII, the problem for me being he was German on the Eastern front and never came home. I know that you can get records via the Germans, regrettably my German isn't good enough

I'd send them an email using google translate, but include the original english text as well, as many in the archive will understand English well enough.

[irocfan]

aeropilot said:

irocfan said:

thanks for the update.

This really is an amazing thread - got me wondering how to find my grandfather's service record during WWII, the problem for me being he was German on the Eastern front and never came home. I know that you can get records via the Germans, regrettably my German isn't good enough

I'd send them an email using google translate, but include the original english text as well, as many in the archive will understand English well enough.

You know - I never thought of that!

[yellowjack]

Not directly related to that period, but some later video footage and a montage of photos found on Youtube...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ubpm6xx8EqI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KJpv2viUAE

The usual ropy 1980s quality in both the photographs and the video, but some decent pictures and footage among it all from around 1980 when the airfield closed. Some from the "last days" at FR, including still pictures of the last aircraft they flew out, and film from a glider of the Dorset Flying Club at the airfield before the concrete crushers arrived to strip out the runways.

I was up there on my bike again yesterday. I'm now officially the 5th fastest Strava user around the old perimeter track anti-clockwise. It was very quiet up there, with only about four other people on the peri-track/bridleway, and all must have been local because there were no cars parked at the entrances.

Another link to some interesting images of surviving structures around the airfield here... https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5955713

ETA: Some photos here of FR's fleet of Lancasters, in various states, parked around the airfield... https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/location/Tarrant%20Ru...

Edited by yellowjack on Friday 17th April 10:26

[Tyre Smoke]

Thanks for that!

Still on my post lockdown places to see.

[ettore]

yellowjack said:

Not directly related to that period, but some later video footage and a montage of photos found on Youtube...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ubpm6xx8EqI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KJpv2viUAE

The usual ropy 1980s quality in both the photographs and the video, but some decent pictures and footage among it all from around 1980 when the airfield closed. Some from the "last days" at FR, including still pictures of the last aircraft they flew out, and film from a glider of the Dorset Flying Club at the airfield before the concrete crushers arrived to strip out the runways.

I was up there on my bike again yesterday. I'm now officially the 5th fastest Strava user around the old perimeter track anti-clockwise. It was very quiet up there, with only about four other people on the peri-track/bridleway, and all must have been local because there were no cars parked at the entrances.

Another link to some interesting images of surviving structures around the airfield here... https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5955713

ETA: Some photos here of FR's fleet of Lancasters, in various states, parked around the airfield... https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/location/Tarrant%20Ru...

Edited by yellowjack on Friday 17th April 10:26

What great and evocative stuff. I grew up not far away and also fancy a perimeter walk when we’re allowed out again.

[Tyre Smoke]

We should perhaps all meet up one Saturday?

[yellowjack]

Tyre Smoke said:

We should perhaps all meet up one Saturday?

If it works out if/when we're all allowed out again, I'd make the effort. It's always hard trying to fix a date that suits everyone, but it's not that far for me to cycle. And there's Kingston Lacey, just down the road. National Trust house with a cafe for meeting up before/after (when it opens again).

[Eric Mc]

Are there any camp sites in the local area?

[Tyre Smoke]

Bound to be Eric. It rural Dorset.

[yellowjack]

Eric Mc said:

Are there any camp sites in the local area?

Nothing in the immediate vicinity that I'm aware of so far, Eric. although I'll be cycling out that way more, so I'll keep an eye out. But it's on the edge of 'Thomas Hardy Country' and in an area that has a lot of seasonal tourism based businesses, so there'll be camping within striking distance, I'm sure.

[RoverP6B]

Campsites?! You're tracing part of the history of the RAF, not the Army! You have certain standards to uphold! ;-)

I presume you've all heard this one?

Combined Services Staff Officers' course instructor: "What would you do if you found a scorpion in your tent?" 

RN officer: "Stamp on it!".
Army officer: "Hit it with my boot".
SAS officer: "Catch it, break off the stinger, eat the rest"
RAF officer: "I'd call room service and ask why there was a tent in my room!" .

[Tyre Smoke]

Anyway, if you were here at the start, Eric, Yellow I know you were. I traced my birth mother who sadly died in 2016, but did get in contact with my 'baby' sister who provided me with this...

Dornford 'Donnie' Robertson aged 20, Flt Sgt RNZAF



Don't think I posted it before, apologies if I have.

Edited by Tyre Smoke on Saturday 18th April 13:49

[Eric Mc]

Tyre Smoke said:

Bound to be Eric. It rural Dorset.

I'll have a look around the area. If we ever do manage to escape "lockdown" and can arrange a meeting, I'd take my motorhome down to a convenient site and cycle along to meet up.

[ettore]

There’s plenty of places to stay - North Dorset has lots to see and there are also great local events (Great Dorset Steam Fair practically next door, Gurston Down hill climb and Chalke Valley History Festival just up the road)

[Rangeroverover]

Eric Mc said:

Are there any camp sites in the local area?

Inside park near Bradford
Run by Jeremy cooper