History
History of RAF West Kirby
RAF West Kirby Association
A Potted History
The RAF Camp at West Kirby existed from 1940 until about 1960 but according to official records the final passing out parade took place on December 20th 1957. Since then the camp has passed into oblivion and the area is now a mix of farm land and Country Park.
A book is also in existence “West Kirby and Beyond” by Denis Tomlinson a veteran of the camp.
During this period in excess of 150,000 young men passed through the camp either on route to foreign parts in its early days as a transit camp, or as recruits to be trained by the various drill instructors. There was of course also a core of permanent staff to cater for all the various needs of those young men.
In more recent years there have been many attempts to gather lists of names of those who attended and even to try to organise a reunion.
In 2001 a lady named Ada Stewart an ex NAAFI girl organised a reunion ostensibly for ex NAAFI staff but also involving a number of the old recruits and Dis. This first meeting was held at the 12th Man Public House and Restaurant at Greasby, which is very near to the site of the old camp.
A further reunion was held the following year at the Dene Court Hotel in Chester. At this meeting by a show of hands it was voted to form an association and a small number of volunteers (service training stood for nothing) set about forming the association.
The next reunion was held again in Chester at the Hoole Hall Hotel. At that meeting it was decided that there should be some form of memorial to show where the camp had been and a bucket collection started a fund for that.
The fourth reunion was held in 2004 at Leasowe Castle Hotel, Moreton, a village well know to some.
At this meeting we were able to unveil our commemorative plaque and there is now a clear indication to any old boys who pass to show them where they spent those few weeks.
The fifth reunion was held in 2005, again at Leasowe Castle Hotel
The sixth reunion was held in 2006, again at Leasowe Castle Hotel. On the Sunday Morning the new Commemorative stone was unveiled by our
President Lord Pendry.
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September 2003 - The RAF West Kirby Reunion website launches.
In September 2005, the web site was updated.
WEBMASTER:- Les Haines, Email:- LESLIELesHaines@aol.com
Use this E address for web site queries only.
Anything to do with the Association should be sent to TERRY BARRY, at E-mail:-
raf_west_kirby@tiscali.co.uk
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Above photo was taken at West Kirby in March 1952.
Anyone give the reason why ???
Above 2 sent in by John Daniels, via Cliff East.
This should take you back, ah ! memories, I will be putting the rest of the"West Kirby Parade" on the Bits & Pieces page over the next few days.
The original was sent to me by Baz Clarke for me to use on our website, Baz lives on the Wirral and passes the old camp most days, although he is a young fellow ( early 50's) I believe, he has an interest on the history of the camp. Also any other things of interest he finds he will pass on to me.
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Above is an extract sent in by Gil Stanley from his Book,
never published, of his childhood memories.
See his write up in the Guest Book.
Above sent in by Tony Davies, of his late Dad, in the Sgt's Mess with friends. He was in Trenchard Squadron , and was DI., and I/C of a Flight, 1950 / 1953.
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Sent in by Colin Whiley, via Cliff East.
Shows the staff of the Armoury at RAF West Kirby
in late 1956. Colin is the one in the dirty overall,
he cannot remember the names of the rest of the crew.
Can anyone help with names??
Could be the Cup for the best shot?
as it is by the rifle range.
Above 3 photos sent to me by Erika Maria Walton (nee Wren),
of her Father, Arthur Wren, from July 1952.
Group photo and two other photo are on
Page for 1950-1953 photos.
Bull session, left to right, Don Davies, Ken Griffiths and Ken Durk.
Left to right.
Back row, Ken Gilmore, Ron Hall, Ron Gratton,
Bob Goodwin, John Heath.
Front row.
Ken Durk, Don Davies, Dave James
Photos May 1957, Churchill Squadron. Above two sent in by Don Davies, another of Don's photos, is on 1954 - 57 page.
Above four sent in by Cpl Tooze, via Cliff East.
G & H Squadrons, 1952.
Above sent by Mike Stambois, from September 1952.
Above 3 items, Passing out parade G & H Squadrons,
14th November 1952, sent in by Vic Pagdin.
More of his photos on the 1950 - 53 page.
Above sent in by Alwyn York, June / July 1953.
Passing out parade, sent in by Norman Quirk.
Above Photo from Jim Dowson.
Above five photos, on parade the 50's.
Sent to Cliff by an ex DI.
Above sent to me by Peter Miles, Feb 1957, taken by his Father.
Peter is in front rank 6th from left.
One above from Eric Betts 1953,
more of his photos on Photos 1951 - 53.
Sent to me by Cliff East, another photo is on the 1952 -53 page from Reginald.
Above photo from Michael Uzzell, via Cliff.
Lower barack blocks August 1949, sent in by John Phillips. With cookhouse.
On parade outside the Drill Shed.
Another Passing out parade.
Above three photos taken from James(Jim) Aitken's
website, many thanks Jim.
To see his website go to the Links Page,( it is the last but one on the links page).
This passing out parade sent in by Vic Prior, May - July 1957
Bob's C Squadron on parade July 1953, intake No. 201.
He also said the following, in his E-mail:-
We did not have a passing out parade, instead we lined the route for the the State visit of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh to the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod on Friday 10th July, 1953 shortly after the Coronation.
Derek Walker on parade.
The following 5 photos were sent in by Cliff East,
from Cpl Bob Jarvis.
I felt the above 5 should all come under West Kirby's history.
Geoff and his mates on a camping week in the Welsh Mountain area.
On dustbin duty.
Above two photos sent me by Geoff Cox,via Terry Barry.
Above photo from Ken Tasker, via Cliff East.
John Dow 1956, sent to me by Cliff East.
Also at Trawsfyndd.
R&I near Oswestry, Shropshire. 1957. Sent in by Don Davies.
Lto R, Back row, John Heath, Ron Hall, Dave Jones, Ken Durk.
Front Row, ?,?, Don "taffy" Davies, ?, ?, Ken Griffiths.
ABOVE PHOTOS FROM CLIFF EAST, ARCHIVIST, CIRCA 1950'S
Above two from G.E. Richman, via Terry Barry.
More photos on 1954 - 57 page.
Aug - Sept 1948, sent by John Guild, via Cliff East.
Hut ready for inspection, from Edmund Phillips.
This one sent in by Vic Pagin. Anyone know what date?
Are they beret's or peak cap's on the blankets.
Definitely peaked caps. Mike Stambois, sent me 4 photos and one
is the same as above and you can see the caps more clearly.
Another Hut photo, this one has wooden lockers, sent by G. E. Richman.
From Norman Quirk, Jan. 1952.
Another Hut photo from Vic Prior, May/July 1957.
The camp being demolished 1957. Above three photos sent in to Gerald Pardey by a friend of his, will get his name later.
Latest occupants of the camp.
This was sent to me today by Alan Forsyth, check with the map below to see the outline of the camp as it is now.
View of the R.A.F. West Kirby site, just showing the old path layout of the camp and just above, is the layby where the Commemorative Stone is.
Above bus sent in by Gerald Pardey, ring any bells?
Just heard from Michael McCarthy, he tells me this is a Leyland TS model and Crosville ran the bus service, they had a depot in West Kirby.
The following photo is of a K100 which was new in 1936, Michael's Mum was a Clippy after the war.
Meols station. Above sent by Gerald, thanks
The following was sent to me by Eddie Howard, via Terry Barry.
As it is almost unreadable I have retyped it,
and it follows after the original.
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One of my photos which I have cropped to give more details, of West Kirby Railway Station, Les Haines.
Above photo sent to Cliff by Edmund Phillips, with the following letter.
three more photos on the "Where are they now" page.
(I feel this should come under History of W/K. Les Haines.)
I was one of a group (of 9) Cadet Air Gunners posted to West Kirby for our Initial Training in August 1951. (I had joined up in mid July '51.) We started off on one 'Course' for four weeks, then sent off on leave for a few days. When we returned to the unit we were pushed forward onto another 'Course' that was a week or so ahead of us. This was to get us through the WK training course in time to get onto the next available Aircrew Training Course at the Central Gunnery School (RAF Leconfield) One lad failed the course at the CGS but the 'surviving' eight of us were made up to Sergeants on Dec. 6th. I don't think many people realise that West Kirby trained lots of National Service Aircrew in the early 1950s. One of the courses that came after ours consisted of five N/S lads who went on to become Air Engineers, the remaining seven course members became Air Gunners. It is on record that in the period from April 1951 to March 1955 the Aircrew Selection Centre dealt with an intake of 13,818 National Service candidates. 5964 were accepted; 2714 Pilots; 1617 Navigators; 944 Signallers; 295 Engineers and 394 Air Gunners. We went on to serve on Shackletons in Coastal Command - (after lots more training). Other N/S Gunners went to Bomber Command on Lincolns and Washingtons. On the squadron I served on we also had a few N/S signallers posted in later in 1953.