A Vampire aircraft of the 608 North Riding Squadron taking off from Thornaby airfield to Malta. 1955 (Photo courtesy of Mr Robert Harbron) 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
A Vampire aircraft of the 608 North Riding Squadron taking off from Thornaby airfield to Malta. 1955 (Photo courtesy of Mr Robert Harbron)
Sadly on 21 February 1954 a pilot flying a Vampire from Thornaby was killed when his aircraft crashed into a field at Old Hall Farm, Old Lackenby, near Middlesbrough.
Pilot officer Ronald Webster, age 24, was the son of Mr & Mrs Webster of Front Street, Carlin How. He served with the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (which was a Part time role) and was employed as a draughtsman by the Skinnigrove Iron Company.
A newspaper report stated it was believed the aircrafts engine had failed at 20,000 feet.
Just read passing of WJ. Immensely sad. Huge privilege to have known & worked with him. Wonder re him moving to Cannich! Regards. Alan D.
608’s Summer Camp to Malta was in 1953 – I joined the squadron in December of that year and the Malta trip was still very much talked about by the old sweats! The following year the whole squadron moved to Tangmere for the 2 weeks camp. 1955 saw all the seviceable vampires (with wing tanks fitted) and the mark 7 Meteor (with ventral tank) all off to Brugen, in Germany, for summer camp. We fitters, and riggers, etc., made the journey in a DC 3 – a great trip!
Does any one out there also remember all this – and more?
My only memories of the ‘Vampires Jets’ stationed at RAF Thornaby Aerodrome was how ‘noisy’ they when on the ground, with the engines running and being serviced. They would ‘scream’ for what seemed to be an hour. Just down the road, about 750 yards away from the base was the Robert Atkinson school, in the summer this school kept the classroom windows open for ventilation, except when the aircraft were being serviced, when they soon got shut to keep out the incredible noise. The Meteor Jets arrived afterwards, they were a much quieter, and appeared to be, a more reliable aircraft. The airfield was a good place for catching rabbits around the wooded outer area, In BlueBell Woods, and quite a number of hares could be seen in the grassed runway area. My father said one of the officers kept a greyhound on the base during the war, WW2, and used to catch a few ‘for the pot’ when they ventured out early mornings around 6.00am. Due to the heavy German bombing of Bristol, RAF Filton and Avon Docks area, my father was transferred from Bristol to Thornaby, which explains why I was born in Thornaby, and not Bristol, a few weeks after their arrival my brother was killed in Mandale Road, Thornaby, by a bus, so it appears it would have been best to stay in Bristol after all.
I was stationed at Thornaby from about August 1949 until late 1950. The station adjutant was Ft. Lt. Banks; the adjustant of 608 Sqdn was Ft. Lt. W.J. (Walter James) Hibbert. He was a real gent and a wonderful pilot. I seem to recall that one of his ‘tricks’ was to fly so low that he threshed a previouly staked roll of paper, with the propellor of his Spitfire. Another was to take off with one of the other pilots, on the same runway in opposite directions. He had a huge, typically RAF of the day, bushy moustache. I also remember a civilian gentleman who worked in the office. My billet was the one that is still standing; my bed space was on the ground floor.
During my ‘stay’ at Thornaby, we flew to RAF Horsham-St-Faith in Norfolk for jet conversion training from Spitfires and Hurricanes to Meteors and Vampires; the trip was made in an Avro York and we slept under canvas for the two weeks. I remember flying back to Thornaby for a weekend in a Harvard piloted by a Bob Marshall of the RCAF. I was only at Thornaby for about 16 months then posted to 609 Sqdn at Yeadon (now Leeds Bradford airport).
Just seen your comments about Walter James Hibbert. He is my father and has always had plenty of ‘tricks’. Good to see him remembered, thank you.
Very many thanks for taking the trouble to reply; i am most grateful. Ironically, its many years since i visited this website yet here i am replying to your reply only days after your post. Looking a your grammar ie present tense, lovely to hear your dad is still with us. I can see his face now, some 64 years on
Interestingly, my wife whom I married some ten years later, comes from Appleton Whiske, only 12 miles from Thornaby! On a more personal note I well remember your father’s beautiful florid handwriting ; think he used a very fine nib!
I’ve just been to the 93rd birthday for Walter James Hibbert.
Just read your post. Immensely sad at passing of W.J. Huge privilege to have known him. Fond memories even after all these years. Wonder about him moving to Cannich! Regards.
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Thank you for that. He was an incredible man and a wonderful father. My mother was at Thornaby and has fond memories of all that went on there. Your name brought a smile to her face. So pleased you remember W.J.H. have you got other stories? Regards, Wendy
To Had domestic crisis. Galaxy mobile kaput. Now replaced by Sony experia Z1 compact so hope for no more probs ie lost all info etc etc etc. Will reply to your post within next 2-3 days. Profound and sincere apologies for delay. Regards. Alan D
Problems still ongoing. In atrocious signal area which doesn’t help. But at least you know how to bring a smile to your mums face lol. After all these years still fascinated by memories of w.j’s beautiful handwriting
A funny thing happened a couple of years ago. I paid for something by cheque and the shop owner said “I have only seen a signature like that that once before, are you by any chance related to…..” I was very pleased he had spotted a similarity, as my married name couldn’t have been the connection! Fortunately we have lots of good memories. Wendy
Everyone thinks this is hilarious. Before we were married Ann asked me ‘when you give your name why do you always spell it?’ Because people always ask me to or I say ‘as in white cliffs of Dover’ I replied. Fast forward to after we were married and Ann said she was getting the same question asked. Then couple of years later I had a parcel to collect from Red Star at York railway station. I asked for a parcel addressed to Dover but they didn’t have a parcel for that name. Then I had a stroke of inspiration! Have you got one for a Mr Whitecliffs I asked. ‘oh yes, we’ve got one for Mr Whitecliffs’! And that is a perfectly true story.
I think I should give you my email address; I’m not sure if this site is intended for our conversations! If you contact Picture Stockton directly they will give you my email. Alan D
I will do that!
Wendy
I too lived in Clarendon Rd as a boy and the back of our house overlooked the airfield. When air displays were on, we used to crawl through the barbed wire and visit the static displays, then watch the flying displays from our bedroom window. I can vouch for the sonic boom by the Sabre; he began his dive over towards the Cleveland hills and went through the sound barrier as he flew over the airfield – the boom really rattled our windows!! I also saw an Anson belly land at around the time of one of the displays and during the rehearsals for another, a Harvard flew too low, caught his wing-tip on the ground, cartwheeled into the ground and burst into flames.
My memories of resident aircraft include Vampires and Meteors, and Sycamore and Whirlwind helicopters, if not resident, were frequent visitors.
Does anyone know the names of any of the men who worked on the decoy site at Middleton(Goosepool)in 1941/2 and I think were billeted in Great Smeaton.
Dan-Air had a period of expansion based on acquiring Comets from virtually any source, and they used Teesside Airport for training, as did other airlines like B.A. Anon, you may be right I think Dan-Air expanded by leasing some Comets. I remember a few ex-African Comets stored at Teesside Airport in the early 70″s, possibly destined for Dan-Air rather than spares. From memory they were rare being in Sudan Airways colours. Previously, I missed out the Air Anglia(later Air UK) F27 Friendships that eventually became the commonest daily visitors over Stockton. I suspect the airport lies mainly outside the boundaries of Picture Stockton”s area of operation for pictures and comments being closer to Darlington.
Alan B: I imagine many people remember Dan- Air”s “tame Comet” which used to endlessly circle around the area on training flights in the 1970s. Was it on some kind of long lead? I also remember seeing a Vulcan pass over low one evening in the early 1980s, the last one I ever saw as they were withdrawn from service not long after this. Another memory is a trip to the airport one Saturday to see a a low level fly-past by the British prototype Concorde, must have been early 1970s and a lot of people turned out to see it.
By the time northerly flying Vulcans climbed high from their Lincolnshire bases they were over Teesside and I used to watch them almost daily with and without the aid of binoculars. High flying Vulcans were dead easy to spot because of their unique V-shape, and were very common. You would see a few each day, one after the other on almost the same course. It was possible to see more than one high in the sky at once. With our garden under the Teesside Airport flight path a good selection of mainly British built aircraft were seen each day from the mid-60s to late -70s, hardly any American types. Weekends would bring in RAF VC10/Comet/Britannia and Hercules on Catterick support duties. Cruising at low level during the week, Leeming Jet Provosts were dominant. Autair-Heralds/HS748s, Channel and North East Airlines-Tridents, British Midland-Viscounts, British Airways-BAC 1.11″s and Dan-Air HS748s/Comets were regulars. The occasional low level Shackleton or Hastings directly above would make the house contents shudder, and their was no difficulty reading off the serial number by eye. I do not recall seeing many fighters in this era, just the odd low level Canberra racing around. Classes were interrupted at Grangefield Grammar so we could stand outside and watch the well publicised first flight of a Tristar into the airport as it conveniently passed over the school.
Regarding the Sabre going supersonic in a dive at Thornaby, I too remember that event. I”m thinking it was September of either 1955 or 1956. Can anyone confirm? Also I seem to remember a Vulcan doing aerobatics the following year? When I was at Stainsby School some of us used to go to the aerodrome in our lunch hour and watch from near one end of the runway back in the days of Vampires and Meteors around end 1956-57. There was also an old Avro Anson stationed there at the time.
Colin J Harbottle. The crash you talk about was probably in the mid fifties. It was a private airplane and was piloted by a woman who was then and still is my sisters best friend. It was a race held at the airshow at Thornaby.
I lived in Acklam in the 1950s and did go with my parents to the Thornaby air display. I do remember one aircraft crashing very close to where we were standing. This all happened so suddenly and the area was or seemed to be quite quickly cleared as I well recall later seeing the burnt grass. I couldn”t say whether this was 1950, 51, or 52, and my impression bearing in mind I was only five years old in 1950, was that it was a biplane that had crashed. I do remember that it was a blistering hot day. Can someone clear some of these points up for me. Was there more than one air crash at Thornaby during these years at the air display and what type of aircraft was it that crashed? Does anyone know name of the local newspaper of the time to chase further information? Help much appreciated Colin
The 90th Entry and the RAF Halton Apprentices have their own website – Frank – Old Stocktonian and ex-105th Brat
Jose Yanez – Small world with the internet! I was looking for related sites for 90th entry and came across Stockton Council!!! Also would like to contact any other 90th “brats”, especially the other half dozen ex Venezuelen Air Force – “Ozzie” Castellanos (Engines) R. A. Garcia (airframes as was Jim Gonzales and Martin Lara and also L Jelambi (Instruments) Note contibutor was Jose Yanez ex 90th entry RAF halton. Could you please get in contact either thru web site 90th.info
I am an ex-Halton Apprentice. I proudly belong to the second of three groups of Venezuelan Apprentices trained and graduated at Nª 1 School of Technical Training, Royal Air Force Halton. 1st. group arrived at Halton in 19955, 2nd. group (my group 9 in 1956 and the third in 1957). After studying English for 1 year and 6 months I started my technical training with the 88th Entry and later moved downn to the 90th Entry. I would be happy to contact somebody from that Entry, I remember Cuthbert, Taylor. Would anyone be able and willing to help me locate them? Much obliged. VAFH/21 A/A Yanez, Alirio.
I was amazed to read Bob Harbrons description of following the perimiter fence to the gun emplacement as I did exactly the same. I lived in Downside Road and the flight path came over our house to the main runway. I was playing with friends in the field at the convergence of Levick Cresent and Mandale road one day in 1953 when a Vampire came over our heads too low for my liking. It limped across the main road clipped a tree and went down into a field short of and to the left of the runway. We all ran toward it. I believe his undercarrige was stuck up. And that he had run out of fuel whilst trying to burn excess off. The pilot was recovered by a male adult who lived locally and we were told he suffered minor cuts. Does any one have any information on this incident as I have never seen it mentioned?
To make a correction on my earlier posting the Harvard crashed on the East side of the airfield not the West as I earlier stated. John.
John Danks 1261 Sqd ATC I was with my friend Alan Meadows we were standing next to the main runway control trailer, we watched the Harvard lining up on the runway when Sgt Kelly the pilot who was from RAF Turnhill waved to us prior to taking off South down the runway, at the end of the runway he made a short turn coming back North wards inverted at about 400 ft opposite the crowd when he banked the Harvard right, the aircraft sideslipped towards the western boundery of the airfield the wingtip hitting the ground and the Aircraft dissintergrating. Alan and I were about 200 yards from the crash we were stopped from proceeding to the aircraft by the SGT in the runway controll cabin untill the pilots body was recovered.Two weeks later SGT Stewart a Canadian Pilot on 608 Sqd he invited me to fly in the Harvard with him it was the only time I have ever felt scared flying remembering that fatefull day.
I was on duty with 608 during the display mentioned The Harvard aircraft was finishing its aerobatic display with a low level inverted “beat-up” of the field and the investigation came to the conclusion he either came so low he lost the air flow over the wing or seeing himself slipping low gave an immediate and disastarous reaction pulled back his stick , instead of opening his throttle and pushing forward the controls
I remember the airfield very well, we would sit on the gun emplacement at the north end of the main runway or crawl along the perimeter hedge on the farm side and watch the aircraft fly over our heads until one clipped the hedge! we never went back again, I also witnessed the Harvard crash at the back of the Airfield at a Battle of Britain display around 1950 the pilot is buried in Thornaby Cemetary. Although the airfield closed to flying in 1958 there was a very good motor racing circuit there for two years afterwards.
Hi John you are right about John Manuel being a true gent,he served in Burma in the R.A.F.and he was a Welding Foreman at Head Wrightson”s Bridgeyard Thornaby. Eddie Booth was one of the true characters of football, always had good banter with the players and used commonsense, he was just over five feet tall but he was ten feet tall on a football field.
Re John Manuel and Eddie Booth, these fine gentlemen where both Civilian Instructors with 266 Stockton Sqdn and held their Air Force ranks of Warrant Officer. I understand John passed away last year but Eddie is still alive and well to my knowledge. I would be interested to hear from any former cadets of my era, 1963 to 1968 as I have lost contact after living in Australia since 1968 and I read the comments on this great site daily. All the best to all readers
HI LEN YES JOHN MANUEL WAS AN OFFICER I ALWAYS REFERRED TO AS MR MANUEL. HE WAS A TRUE GENT ON AND OFF THE FIELD. NOT LIKE EDDIE, SOME OF THE NAMES HE CALLED ME ARE NOT PRINTABLE JUST BEFORE HE SENT ME OFF. I WAS FINED £2-50 AND SUSPENDED FOR 3 GAMES. WE BECAME GOOD FRIENDS LATER. HE WAS A GOOD FRIEND OF MY OLD BOSS KEN LUPTON PRO REF. I BELIEVE KEN IS A COUNCILLOR NOW.
I was a member of 1261 (Thornaby) Squadron of the ATC from age 14 until I signed on as a Halton Apprentice at the age of sixteen. Our HQ was on the top floor of the old barrack block next to the now demolished operations block. The barrack block is still there and I believe still in use by the CCF.
Hi John,was there a John Manuel in your Airforce cadets,because he and Eddie Booth who you mentioned were attached to the R.A.F.,both were well known football referees in the sixties,I believe Eddie Booth is now the President of the Stockton Referees Society.
I WAS A MEMBER OF 266 SQUAD IN YARM LANE. I BELIEVE IT”S A GUEST HOUSE NOW. BOB PANET WAS AN OFFICER EDDIE BOOTH. TWO BROTHERS CALLED SMITH WERE N.C.O.S.BRIAN KENNEDY WHO I HAVEN’T HEARD FROM IN 30 YEARS. THE HEADLAM BROS EVEN THE FAMOUS HARBRON BROTHERS AND LOTS MORE LADS. IT WAS VERY POPULAR. MUST MENTION STAN FROST AND GEOF HEALD WHO DID VERY WELL IN THE RAF.
I remember the very distinctive whine of the Goblin jet engines of the De Havilland Vampires from Thornaby as they flew over the area in the 1950s. We used to also see Gloster Meteors, perhaps from Middleton St. George, where I believe Norman Tebbit of “get on your bike ” fame, did some of his R.A.F pilot training.. From the late 50s it was Hawker Hunters and Gloster Javelins from Middleton and finally there were some English Electric Lightnings to be seen towards the end of the R A F”s time at Middleton around 1963/64. At one of the Thornaby Battle of Britain displays I remember the Vampires demonstrating their ground attack role and in another display a Sabre jet producing a sonic boom in a dive. I read recently that some Vampires -which first flew in the mid-1940s – saw service in southern Africa as late as the 1980s.
Must have been Pre.1953 as I joined that year and have not been to Malta on Summer Camp.
As a boy I had a paper round from Hamilton”s Newsagent and Post Office and part of the round took in Thornaby Village and the Airfield and the married quarters. As I was only eight at the time I would be given chocolate and goodies from the Canadian and American airmen and many a meal in the NAAFI.
R.A.F Thornaby held Battle of Britain air-displays every September as did many other stations untll the stand down of 608 Squadron in 1956. Aircraft from Canada, United States and European countries were on the ground or flying display B 29 (Superfortress) C 117 (Packets) ( Canadair “Sabres” to name a few Pre 1939 Stations held “Empire Air Disply” Day.
Many Thanks for your replies. I was interested as my Uncle lived on Clarendon Road and his back garden faced onto the airfield. As a child, I can remember watching aircraft landing and taking off. I also seem to remember watching a flying display taking place, did they have displays at Thornaby?
Good Day to you Graeme. If you are interested in Thornaby Aerodrome I would draw your attention to a booklet “Thornaby Aerodrome and Wartime Memories”, which gives a comprehensive history of the Airfield”s activities in Peacetime and during the Second World War.Whilst I do not think that it gets a mention in the book, the very last bombing raid of the War was carried out by “Mosquitoes” based at Thornaby. The book was written by David Brown who lives in Hartburn and who has written several other books about Wartime Teesside. I bought these books from the Tourist Information Centre located in the Green Dragon Yard, a few years ago when I was visiting Stockton. Bob Harbron would certainly remember Thornaby, as we visited it many times with 266 Squadron A.T.C. both during the War years and for several years afterwards, until National Service caught up with us.
RAF Thornaby opened in the late 1920s and transferred to No 18 Group Coastal Command in September 1939. The station was used mostly for reconnaissance work and in February 1940 aircraft from Thornaby located the German prison ship “Altmark”. From 1943 the station was engaged in air-sea rescue work. The airfield finally closed in 1958 and most of the land was sold for redevelpment in 1963. Several of the wartime buildings have survived including hangers. During WW2 the airfield was protected by decoy sites at Grangetown and Middleton.
Question for Mr Harbron, Do you know when Thornaby Airfield was closed?