MHAS Guest Book Archive - 2007

Note: email addresses have been modified to reduce 'harvesting' by spammers.

Date: 17th December 2007
Name: Evelyn Beattie (Pryke)
Email: beattie2(at)supanet.com
Connection: Father based there in 1945-47 approx
Message: My father was in the RAF and based here for some time. He ended up tending the land/gardens and growing food crops, rearing ducks, chickens and rabbits for the consumption of the lads. He was called Arthur Pryke and was under Squadron Leader Tate. He also went shooting with a local farmer.
Can anyone remember him?

Date: 14th December 2007
Name: Chas Phillips
Email: chaselvis.phillips(at)gmail.com
Connection: Stationed at Martlesham Heath from May 1955 to July 1957
MH job: Cpl in Tech Control and Tech Records Section
Located now: Retired and living in Billingham
Message: I have attended a few MHAS meetings this year but I would like to thank you for the meeting featuring Charlie Haylock on Dec 7th. I enjoyed the evening very much and am still laughing.
Thanks again for some good programs.

Date: 07th December 2007
Name: Derek Steele
Email: tolleshunt(at)btinternet.com
Connection: My dad Sgt. Herbert Steele 1882707 at MH 7/9/59 to 27/1/61
MH job: His trade was Air Traffic Control ( ex air gunner)
Located now:
Message: Is there any record of his service at Martlesham Heath or anyone who remembers him? At the age of 50+ he must have been one of the oldest on the station.

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Date: 05th December 2007
Name: John Connell
Email: John.D.Connell(at)btinternet.com
Connection: Schoolboy visits in the 60s when airfield disused
MH job:
Located now:Rtd Lt Cdr RN ex-Fleet Air Arm Pilot
Message: Excellent website with many poignant anecdotes. Good news to know you are keeping the memory live for youngsters especially.

Date: 07th November 2007
Name: Lt Col Mark ZER-0 Ciero
Email: meciero(at)yahoo.com
Connection: USAF Aviator Officer participating in 11 Nov 07 memorial
MH job: Lt Col, Dir of Ops, Eval/Instr WSO, 494 FS RAFL
Located now: RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk, UK

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Date: 20th October 2007
Name: Bob Blunden
Email: roseann#at#ntlworld.com
Connection:
MH job: Eng. Mech. with BLEU 1955-1957
Located now: Farnborough, Hampshire (Retired)
Message:
I recently visited Martlesham. The museum was closed. Now that I know of it I will visit one of these days.
On my return home I went into MHAS.org.uk and came accross your memoirs. I, as SAC Bob Blunden, was with BLEU in the hangar behind the guardroom from Sept. 55 until the unit moved to Bedford in June 57.
I was amazed that both buildings are still standing, as are the barrack blocks.
I have memories of Ron Blake the dog handler whose dog left its fleas on the guardroom beds to the discomfort of the guards.
I also remember the Canberra crash at Crown Point. I was one of the duty crew sent to "guard the crash". My photo appeared in the local paper attempting to remove the aircraft tail cone for the boffins. I have many pleasant memories of those days.
Good luck
Bob Blunden

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Date: 12th October 2007
Name: Rob Drake
Email: robdrake#at#tiscali.co.uk
Connection: Established and manage the Roll of Honour project
MH job:
Located now:
Message: Would just like to inform visitors to the roll of honour site that difficulties have been experienced. The site is a privately funded "premium" site and the sheer volume of visitors each month causes the site to crash. There are plans to seek funding for an upgrade so please be patient. Many thanks to you all for your continued support.

Date: 2nd October 2007
Name: John O'Donnell
Email: declanspub#at#comcast.net
Connection: Lived in a farmhouse northeast of field on Felixstowe Road
MH job:
Located now: North Stonington, Connecticut USA
Message: My father was stationed at Bentwaters AFB during the 1970s. We lived in a large farmhouse just to the North of the airfield. I was 6 to 8 years old at the time. I do remember riding my bike down there often to watch skydivers at the time who, if I remember correctly, may have been using the field. As an adult now I have a renewed interest in WWII aviation history and I'm happy to see that Martlesham memories are being preserved for generations to come.

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Date: 30th September 2007
Name: Victor Skeet
Email: victorandeva59#at#tiscali.co.uk
Connection: December 1940--April 1941
MH job: A.C 2 instrument repairer station headquarters 605
Located now: RETIRED IPSWICH 50 DUNLIN ROAD

Note:
Vic can be seen in an interview with Felixstowe TV at the 2007 Anniversary Open Day talking about some of his memories of RAF Martlesham Heath. Vic appears in the second half of the video. See the video, here.

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Date: 26th September 2007
Name: Peter Lewis
Email: plewis#at#leadershape.biz
Connection: My father Flt Lt G I Lewis flew his last fatal Op 12/8/1941
MH job: n/a
Located now: 17, Backchurch Lane, London E1 1LQ
Message: Interested to add my research re above.
My father was based at Wattisham with No.226 Squadron, Blenheim Mk4s. Flew as 1 of 2 navigators for the fighters providing cover for the returning Knapsack raiders. KIA over Flushing,crashed Philippine(Holland) buried in CWG Flushing. I have visited the crash site and hope to have a small monument erected in due course. Any additional info re MH will be fascinating.
NB There is now a v nice joint USAAF/RAF Memorial at Wattisham. Is there anything similar at MH or is anything planned?
My son lives just S of Colchester so I can get to MH in about 45 mins if I am staying with him. I very much want to visit MH as I had no idea it existed. I had assumed it had disappered to the developers/supermarkets etc!
Pls contact me with any relevant info but I will check the site for event details and try to get along asap.
Best wishes
Peter Lewis

Hi Peter
Thank you for your entry in our guestbook. I was interested in your story about your father.
Yes we do have a memorial here at Martlesham. In fact there are 2.  one is dedicated to the RAF personnel and and the second is to the USAAF personnel who gave their lives.

Each year we have a moving remembrance service at Barrack Square and it is well supported. Our 2006 one can be seen at http://www.mhas.org.uk/news/nr20061112.html

This year it will be held on the 11th November at 3-00 PM.  If you would like to attend you would be very welcome. You might also like to visit our museum which is open on Sunday afternoons untill the last Sunday in October.
If you would like any further information please contact me here
Regards
MHAS Volunteer

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Date: 24th September 2007
Name: Rob Drake
Email: robdrake#at#tiscali.co.uk
Connection: Manage the MH Roll of Honour project
MH job:
Located now:
Message: I'd like to thank to all those who have supported the Roll of Honour project. The site has recieved in excess of three hundred hits by 150 visitors over the first four months. I would still welcome any input regarding names, dates, places etc. Am especially interested to have any detail on our American cousins. If you have not yet visited the site...please do!
Many thanks to you all.

Date: 30th July 2007
Name: David William Tegge
Email: Ravenna24#at#aol.com
Connection: Uncle was First Sergeant Of the 361st Fighter Squadron
MH job: ED TEGGE of Pittsburgh Pa 1st Sgt of 361 st FS
Located now: North Carolina
Message: Anyone can contact me if they know of ED TEGGE from Pittsburgh PA who served at Martlesham Heath

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Date: 30th July 2007
Name: Chris Pinn
Email: chris.pinn#at#web.de
Connection: My Dad flew Whirlwind helicopters there in the late 50's
MH job:
Located now:Germany
Message: My Dad, F/Sgt Ron Pinn, was based at Martlesham Heath the end of the 1950's flying 22 Sqn Whirlwind helicopters before the squadron moved to RAF Felixstowe. I believe there were only two Whirlwinds at MH, one in an unusual two tone grey & blue and the other in the more normal yellow. We lived in married quarters at Felixstowe and I biked a few times to Martlesham to look at the airfield as I was just as keen about aircraft then as I am now. I have a vague memory that the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight was temporarily based at MH as we often saw a Spitfire or two over Felixstowe in the summer months.

Date: 01st July 2007
Name: Laurence Garey
Email: l.garey#at#freesurf.ch
Connection:
MH job:
Located now:CH-1166 Perroy, Switzerland
Message: I just found your web site and it brought back memories of my visits to Martlesham in July 1952. I was just 11 years old, and already obsessed with aviation. I spent a few days that Summer with my grandparents in Deben Avenue which was right next to the airfield. By going down to the end of the avenue I could get through a field and onto the airfield where I settled in most days between the 20th and 26th July with my binoculars. I was finally chased off by some RAF
police in a Landrover. I wonder if anyone remembers the comings and goings around that time. I saw 3 Mosquitos, 2 early Canberras, 4 Martinets, an Oxford, a Dakota, a Devon, a Viking, a Meteor NF11, and 2 Cadet Mark 3 gliders plus a Grunau Baby and a Sedburgh.

Some of you might be interested to know a little more about the actual aircraft I saw.
They were, in alphabetical order of types:

20 July 1952 WT910 Cadet TX3
Built 1952. Delivered to ATC May 1952, so very new when I saw it. Became BGA3953, and now rebuilt by North Wales Gliding Club as WT910.

20 July 1952 WT911 Cadet TX3
This one was mentioned by Peter Bower on the MH site on 17/8/06. Allocated G-BODG for a motor conversion project, but exported to USA instead.

21 July 1952 WD947 Canberra B2
Delivered November 1951. Was at Farnborough in 1957.

23 July 1952 KJ836 Dakota IV
KJ836 ex C47B 43-48359. Became G-APML in 1958. Owned by Martin-Baker, then to Air Atlantique and broken up at Baginton. Still there in 1997. Nose cut off and sent to Kuwait for a restaurant!

23 July 1952 VP979 Devon C1
ETPS in 1959. Struck off 1968.

20 July 1952 VT921 Grunau Baby II

21 July 1952 EM503 Martinet I
21 July 1952 EM700 Martinet I
21 July 1952 MS781 Martinet TTI
21 July 1952 PX165 Martinet TTI

20 July 1952 PF564 Mosquito BXVI
Delivered 1944 or 5. Served at Woodbridge, ATEU and Bomb Ballistics Unit. Said to have been given MU serial 6997M in 1950, but I saw in at MH in 1952 as PF564.

23 July 1952 RK949 Mosquito NF30
Delivered 1945. CS (A). Disposed of 1954.

20 July 1952 VX861 Mosquito NF38
Belonged to the makers. Delivered 1950, and disposed of in 1954.

24 July 1952 WD782 NF11
Delivered 1952. Sold to Fairy Aviation.

21 July 1952 T1214 Oxford II

26 July 1952 WB927 T21B Sedburgh TX1
Delivered 1949. Written off 1983.

23 July 1952 VX141 Viking 1A
The 3rd prototype Viking, ex G-AGOM.
Incidentally, on 12 April 1959 I noted WE993 T30 Prefect TX1 Delivered 1951, written off 1963.

Maybe you can add more details, for which I would be most grateful, such as the units with which they were serving at MH in 1952. For instance, I saw in Peter Bower’s Guest Book entry that the Grunau Baby (was it a 1B or a 2?) belonged to an officer, but what happened to it?

http://l.garey.googlepages.com/home

Date: 10th June 2007
Name: Frank Roberts
Email: frank.roberts4#at#btinternet.com
Connection: Served National Service 1951/52
MH job: Batman, Officers Mess, Rank LAC
Located now: Retired, 7 Mill Lane, Skipsea, Nr Driffield, East Yorkshire Message: [no message left]

Date: 03rd June 2007
Name: Andy Mays in Maine
Email: b17lostairmen#at#yahoo.com
Message: I just read my earlier post (below, 1st June) and need to make an important clarification
From the list of 360th FS pilots that flew the day my Great Uncle's B-17 ditched (2Lt Fletcher Johnson-pilot) I was fortunate to be able to speak with two, Hunter Parker (USAF Retired) and Bert Ellingson (USAF Retired). They were NOT the pilots who misidentified and fired upon the British Air/Sea Rescue boat.

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Date: 01st June 2007
Name: Andy Mays in Maine
Email: b17lostairmen#at#yahoo.com
Connection: Friend of 360th pilots
Located now: Maine, USA
Message:
I saw entries in the guestbook about Albert Niemi. I tried to email his son Gary and also Linda Tukey but their addresses are no longer valid. I'm posting here in hopes they read it.

Hello Gary,
This week I spoke with two pilots who flew with your father. They are Hunter Parker and Bert Ellingson. Your father was in Hunter Parker's Flight (unit smaller than a squadron). I am doing a research project on my great uncle who killed March 23, 1944. His B-17 ditched in the North Sea. Two pilots from your father's squadron mistakenly destroyed the British patrol boat that was going to rescue the B-17 crew. I received a list of the pilots who flew that day and was able to locate those two. I read them all of the other pilot's names and they both remembered your dad.

Hunter Parker will be 90 this fall. His memory is fantastic. He lives with his son Robert and still drives (during the day).
Bert Ellingson spends the winter in TX and rest of the year in South Dakota.

Best Wishes,
Andy Mays in Maine

Read my story;
http://www.mdislander.com/archive/2005/09-01-05/mdi_news6_09-01-05.html

 

Date: 01st June 2007
Name: Ron Blake
Email: spjblake#at#hotmail.com
Connection: R.A.F. Police Dog Handler 1956
MH job:
Located now:Retired - Sydney, Australia
Message: I was stationed at RAF Martlesham Heath for part of l956. I was able to see the AVRO 707a being tested. I was also there when the Canberra crashed at Crown Point. I was an RAF Police Dog Handler. I was sent with one other handler to guard the crash site because reporters were becoming a nuisance.

Date: 23rd May 2007
Name: Erik Bjorklund
Email: erik-bjorklund#at#hotmail.com
Connection: My grandfather was a radio operator in the 360th
MH job: n/a
Located now:New Jersey
Message: My grandfather, Frank Hauser, was a radio operator with the 360th. He was in Europe for nearly 2 years and I assume he was stationed at MH... don't know much after that. He didn't really talk about the war, but now that I am older and he has passed, I would like to know if anybody has heard of him, or has any info.
Thank you and I welcome all replies.

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Date: 19th May 2007
Name: Gavin Hamilton
Email: gavin.hamilton#at#tiscali.co.uk
Connection: Member of MHAS
MH job: N/A
Located now:Care/Support worker with young adults with learning dificulties
Message: Looks like you have more than just the one ghost at Martlesham Heath, I came across this site the other day after a pal gave me the this link
For all you budding ghost hunters out there.
Regards, Gavin

From: <kikambala#at#tiscali.co.uk>
Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2007 5:54 PM
Subject: AV gas sign

I have attached a picture of the sign from the av gas tanks in the woods we are trying to find out what the missing words are on the sign, I wonder if you could asked around the MHAS group or put it on your web site?
Best wishes
Duncan

Click on the image to see a larger version

Date: Mon, 7 May 2007 19:10:44 +0100
From: V M Gunnell
Subject: Re - Yorkshire Air Museum Query and Aviation Paintings

Date: 07th May 2007
Name: George (13)
Email: pgtipsmonkeywitte#at#hotmail.co.uk
Connection: Live near it
MH job: Army Cadets
Located now:
Message: I find the local history of airfields Suffolk has lots of good American airbase examples like Martlesham Heath Rougham Boxted Wormingford Leiston Halesworth in Norfolk Steeple Morden in Cambridgeshire. One of my favourite fighter groups is the 56th fighter group based in Boxted. I can't get my head around the thought of p51s and p47s flying around the area it is FANTASTIC!

Date: 22nd April 2007
Name: Rob Drake
Email: robdrake#at#tiscali.co.uk
Connection: Live there
Message: Over the past year I have been researching the names of all those killed at, over or from RAF Martlesham Heath between 1917 and 1962 with a view to establishing a roll of Honour. Those brave men of the 356th FG are well documented however there is currently no established list for the names of the British, Commonwealth, Dominion and other allied servicemen who gave their lives operating there.
I have at least seventy names so far and intend to continue until all have been accounted for. My aim is to hand this completed list to the society so that they really shall never be forgotten.
Can anybody help?
Do you know of anybody who may be included in this list?
I shall be publishing a website very soon with the Roll of Honour as it currently stands, address to follow, and would appreciate any help or assistance anybody could offer.
Many thanks.

Date: 03rd March 2007
Name: Ryan (age 12)
Email: rjb49#at#btinternet.com
Message: Thanks for a great talk evening on Voodoos with Group Captain Nigel Walpole (rtd).

Hi Ryan
Thank you very much for your entry in our guest book.  I am so pleased that enjoyed the evening. it was good, as are most of our evenings.
It would be nice to see you again and perhaps you would have many more interesting evenings. For our August meeting we have a visit out to some where interesting. If you look at this page you can see what we get up to.  
Once again thank you, and if need any help or information please don't hesitate to ask.
MHAS Volunteer

Date: 15th February 2007
Name: john cornish
Email: john.marjorie.cornish#at#talktalk.net
Located now:retired
Message: General interest in aviation

Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2007
From: Linda Tukey
Email: ltukey#at#pivot.net
Subject: RE: MHAS guestbook update

Just wanted you to know that I have gotten Gary Niemi in touch with Ray Withers who flew with his Dad - Albert - at Martelsham Heath. Have had great e-mails back and forth, and it has been a great experience helping a son be able to put some of his father's greatest achievements as well as his demons in focus. His Dad has been dead for 30 years so Gary really needed to get some info into line.
Thanks for your help as always.
Linda Tukey

Date: Sunday, January 21, 2007
Name: David Wills
Email: dctwills#at#earthlink.net
Hi
How would I find details of a famous hotshot 1940's pilot, name of Peter Wyndam? He flew Spitfires in the Mediterranean, was stationed at Boscombe Down, amongst other places. Won a number of medals.
David
San franciscco

Date: 20th January 2007
Name: Gary Niemi
Email: dklniemi#at#comcast.net
Connection: My Dad flew 97 P-47 missions with the 360th in WW2
Message: If anyone has info on my Dad, Albert V. Niemi, who flew a P-47 Thunderbolt called "Cape Codder" in WW2 please reply.

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Date: 02nd January 2007
Name: Joe Wommack
Email: enfrwommack#at#aol.com
Connection: Just a guy who has fond memories of England(Bentwaters)
Located now:Lakeland Fla.aircraft maint.(retired)2330 Peterson Rd 33813
Message: England will always be in our hearts and mind