The ATC 1261 squadron, based at Thornaby. The photograph probably dates back to around 1975. Photograph courtesy of Mr Peter Rowntree 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
The ATC 1261 squadron, based at Thornaby. The photograph probably dates back to around 1975. Photograph courtesy of Mr Peter Rowntree
I was in this photo and remember the names of quite a lot of them. Julian I remember you were mates with our Kev and think you went into Air Traffic Control at Teesside Airport. Anwar another mate of our Kev’s was a market trader. I also remember John Walsh, John Mee, The Rollinson brothers, Peter McWilliams, Martin Lipp and remember a lot of the other faces but forget the names. I remember all the officers well and used to see Brian Mussard and Peter Rowntree in the Navy Club at Stockton when I played pool for them. Brings back some good memories of days flying, camps, Wing parades, sports days etc.
Hi Neil.. Yep, you are correct, Kevin was one of the boys… I did go into Air Traffic at Teesside which I ended up as the SATCO and was there from 1978-2008 when I moved to do the same in the UAE ( Middle East) and retired in 2018. My plan was to become a pilot in the RAF, but alas, Biggin Hill turned me down. I did however end up flying civilian aircraft with my PPL and flew all over the UK & Europe. John Walsh ended up as
Wg Cdr Engineering and Tom Bennington became a pilot on Nimrods and finished as a Gp Capt. Anwar is still ticking and lives in Thornaby. Haven’t seen Brian Mussard since 1261 days, but Peter Rowntree I see occasionally as he lives not too far away from me… very frail looking these days, but still remembers those happy days. What’s Kevin doing now?
Take care
Julian
Jullian our Kev has a pub called the Old Red Lion in Old Dunkirk Kent. It is about 15 minutes from Canterbury. A lovely old world pub.
Hi my name is Peter Armitage I was in 1261 for 6 years my best mates were Neil Mustard and John Blackburn, any one left to remember us, they were great times
Hi Peter, Neil is my brother, surname is Mussard. Neil is no longer with us. My name is Brian and I am still with the cadets at Darlington. I am 79 this year, never left the cadets.
Hi Brian Neil was my best mate in the cadets and my predictive text spelt your name wrong. I remember his death. We had great times flying chipmunks Varsities, Shackletons over the North sea. Gliding at Catterick summer camps endless marching. Please keep in touch.
Hi Brian… This is Julian ( Meg ) Nutting. Nice to know you are still active and perhaps we should, before age takes its toll, have a re-union somewhere. Sadly, if you weren’t aware, Anwar passed away last year and I understand that Peter is in a care home near to his house. I used to see him walking to the news agent to get his racing post, but not seen him for a year or two. It was his neighbour that informed me. Many happy days and weekends were had as all ex 1261 will confirm and helped mould us into the blokes we are today.
Keep in touch
Julian
Hi Neil, I am still in the cadet’s at 405 ( Darlington ) Sqn. I remember you all very well. I am 76 in August, been with the Corps 63 years. May be we can get together. Regards to all.
Brian Mussard
Hi Brian , my name is Allan Black I was in 1261 sqn in Thornaby round about 1963 to 65 I remember going to summer camp and flying in chipmunks and versatie, I got my RAF marksman ship with a 303 (sore shoulder lol) wanted to go in the RAF but didn’t make it and went into merchant navy saw a lot of the world on shell tankers, then went to ICI . Now nearly 75 would love to know if you got any photos and what airfield we went on summer camp?
Hi Alan I’m Peter Armitage do you remember me I was a corporal and my mates were John Blackburn and niel musssard
Nice to see all the names, I am still with cadets at 405 Darlington Sqn. We should all meet up.
I was in the ATC at Thornaby in 1955 and won a flight on a Meteor for selling the most raffle ticket at the Battle Of Britain day celebration. It was my first flight and beat my second in a Percival Prentice. Happy days
I was at 1261 in 1977/8, I remember buffing the floor also I did a bad thing at RAF Marham, I pinched a belt out of the NAAFI, a stupid thing to do, you don’t think when you’re young. I remember Anwar just lived across the road from his shop. I got my blues for cross country and ended up rowing for GB and am now living in Kent.
Outside the Squadron headquarters in Thornaby I reckon… I’m in second row 4th from right.
Just found out about this website from a Thornaby School Reunion I attended 2 days ago. I was not in this photo but remember so many of those in it – 3 particularly mentioned earlier “Meg” Nutting, Anwar and Tom B. We also did very well in the annual football and I remember many of the faces involved in our team. I did join the RAF as a pilot but sadly, they had a “final” medical test which checked the old brain waves – needless to say they couldn’t find any in my case so I was not able to become an RAF pilot and transferred to engineer. Kept the private pilots licencse going until approx 2005, but the medical “Test” also prevented me from being a civil pilot – even though they didnt do it, the fact I had an “abnormality” had to be released to the CAA. Funny thing was, the RAF binned the test around the late 1990s – guess I was just in the wrong place at the worng time. Many years later, I am just about ot leave the RAF as a Wg Cdr. Had a great time but time to move on. Worked on Phantoms, Jaguars, Tornado recce/bombers and fighters, Sea King, Chinook and C-130, the RAF’s Structural Repair and “Crash & Smash” Organisation, A400M and latterly the Typhoon. A spot of military tourism in the Falklands, in Support of the Bosnia Crisis, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan. I have very fond memories of “1261” and greatly appreciate all those involved in the ATC had in setting me on the road to a memorable career in the RAF.
Hi John, I remember you well and the ex cadets from 1261 (Thornaby) Sqn, I am still in the Air Cadets at Darlington as a CI Brian Mussard WO Rtd.
Hi John
Perhaps we should all get together sometime before we all leave the planet.
I’m still living in Stockton and retired from Air Traffic the Gulf in 2018
Ching Ching
Julian
A long time since I have visited the site, but a few additions to add. The 2 Officers seen on the photo are Flt/Lt John Pollock the Sqn C/O ( far left ) and F/O Bob Sears ( far right ). John Pollock was a WW2 NCO based during part of the war at RAF Thornaby, as I believe, a wireless operator. I remember he wrote an article about his RAF life some time around the unveiling of the memorial statue on the main road adjacent to the old airfield, which tells about his exploits, but I am unsure which newspaper supplied the info, possibly The Evening Gazette or Stockton Times. Bob Sears was a WW2 Aircrew member flying I think in Mosquito’s. I can’t remember his brevet insignia, but I think it was either AE (Engineer) or N (Navigator). I met with John about 10 years ago in Stockton market, and he was in his 80’s then, they were very inspirational in my teens and had the greatest respect for them both. The other Dep C/O I remember is Peter Alstead, who I believe went on to become the Central and North East Yorks Wing C/O with the rank of W/Cdr. A couple of Cadets names come to mind that became Commissioned Officers in the RAF. The first is John Walsh who went into the Engineering Branch after graduating from University. Why he never became a pilot I still wonder, as he had passed his Flying Scholarship some years before. The other is Tom Bennington, who did,surprisingly, become an RAF Pilot and the last time I spoke to him was in the early 1990’s when he flew a Victor Tanker into Teesside Airport during an Airshow. Where or what they are both doing now I have no idea, but would love to know. To finish… I did apply for Pilot Aircrew in 1976 at Biggin Hill but alas was not successful. Their loss I say, as I have been successfully flying privately since 1981 with some 600+ hours on many different types. Oh well, what could have been.
Don’t know if Julian Nutting is aware that John Pollock passed away earlier this year, he was into his nineties when he died.
Julian,
you have an excellent memory, but it was a Nimrod MR2 not a Victor tanker! This photo brings back a lot of memories from 1261 Sqn and especially John Pollock to whom I owe a great personal debt of gratitude – sad news of his passing.
best wishes
Tom Bennington
Group Captain (retd)
I submitted this photograph on behalf of Peter Rowntree sometime ago. I pass on any comments to Peter that have a connection to the photograph. He will be very pleased to read this most recent one from Julian Nutting, a former colleague from this squadron.
The picture is as described and taken around 1974 infront of the ATC headquaters on the old Thornaby Airfield. It was taken in celebration of 1261 Sqn victorious first prize in the Central & East Yorks Wing annual sports day which I think was held at RAF Linton-on Ouse. We thrashed all the other squadrons, and I ended the day as the most successful athlete with 4 gold medals and a wing blue. I should have been present in the picture, but work duties at Teesside Airport kept me away. I left 1261 Sqn in 1978 after 10yrs of great memories as a Cadet Warrant Officer. I now work in the Persian Gulf as an Air Traffic Controller very close to Dubai and have been here since 2008. I often think and wonder what all these faces are doing now. The only 3 people I have seen in recent days are Peter Rowntree (4th from the right back row), Brian Mussard (8th from the right back row )and Mohammed Anwar (Centre holding Shield).
i was a cadet and member of staff C.I. from 82 till it closed around 94-95 i remember brian mussard and anwar, the cadet warrant officer in the photo, he was a C.I. when i was a cadet, i also remember chris robinson.
My two sons were in the ATC cadets around 1986 to 1990 names were David and Andrew MCSorley. Sadly David passed away suddenly in 2013 aged only 40.
I was a member of the 1261 squadron in the mid 60s. We had two weeks at Huntingdon air base and were billeted opposite a large bush hedge where the v bombers were situated. I remember getting air sick in a chipmunk (my first ever flight). The base had its own bowling alley and a mess hall with so much food I think my eyes popped out of my head when I saw it all. Also had the biggest pillow fight with the billet next to us (happy days). I remember Flt Lt Soothill and I think his son was also a squadron member, and although I cant remember his name, I believe our warrant officer was also my mams window cleaner.
I remember you very well Brian, I was in from 1963 – 1968. Lots of good times and happy memories.
I was a cadet and a member of staff from 1962-1993, I was Squadron Warrant Officer 1969-1991.
Good picture, some of the people were good mates and will always be fondly remembered. I am sure that I went to school with Chris Robinson, Dene School, left 1981.
I was in 1261 ATC Squadron from 1961 to 1963 when I left Teesside to join the RAF. Our Squadron Commander was Flt Lt Soothill (spelling?) RAFVRT at that time and he lived in a street off the main road just opposite Thornaby Baths. I remember Summer camps at RAF Chivenor and RAF Manby. We regularly flew in DHC Chipmunks with the Air Experience Flight at RAF Dishforth and had several trips in Vickers Varsity aircraft from RAF Topcliffe. Older cadets (over 16) also learned to fly gliders at RAF Catterick, but I was just turned sixteen when I enlisted as an Aircraft Apprentice at RAF Halton and missed out on that. After my introduction to aviation through the ATC I”m still in the aircraft maintenance business today…
His name was Ron Suttill he had a son in the sqn also, I was SWO until I transferred to Kent Wing in 1967 retired in 2002 after serving as CO to several sqns. enjoyed every minute. Recall some joyous moments with 1261
I was a cadet in 1261 sqn from 1977 to 1982 and i can still remember the names of some of the cadets in your photo, i had some great times with the ATC,traveling to Germany and all around the uk for summer camp. I do have some photos, might dig them out if people are interested.
This is an amazing resource! We”ve been using it in our school for IT and history lessons. Amazing, user friendly and well developed.
In answer to Chris Rowntree”s question. I am told by Peter Rowntree, who submitted and appears in the photograph that it was taken outside of the ATC Headquarters, Thornaby. I believe the building is also used, at this present, time by the naval and army cadets.
Can anyone recall where this was taken?