H.M.S. BLACKCAP
Two books were produced about the former Royal
Naval Air Station Stretton. The first was about all aspects of the Station and
has 210 A4 pages with over 200 black/white photographs. The second book is a collection of
170 further photographs, relevant to H.M.S. BLACKCAP. They cost £14.15 and
£6.60 respectively, including p&p (U.K.). A CD with both of them on is also
available and costs £11.00 inc. p&p (UK). If you are interested in
obtaining any of these please contact us for current availability
An
information plate in stainless steel has been erected next to the H.M.S.
BLACKCAP graves in the churchyard at Appleton Thorn. It gives a brief account
of each accident plus information about the location of other graves.
A
comprehensive list of 62 personnel who lost their lives whilst on Stretton’s
books has been compiled. All causes have been included, not just flying
incidents. We welcome any missed occurrences or additional information.
This
Battle HQ lies outside the perimeter of the former air station. Its function
was to protect the airfield from ground attack and was thus constructed at a
higher elevation. The entry steps are on the left and the observation turret on
the right.
In
between were mess room, sleeping quarters and office.
Seafire
PR 368 (Station number 510 LP) from R.N.A.S. Lee-on-Solent, at Stockton Heath
Secondary Modern School, 5th March 1955. It had been ‘struck off
charge’ i.e. scrapped on 31st July 1951 and ended up at HMS BLACKCAP
for disposal. It is believed that it was loaned to the school for their A.T.C.
use and was subsequently sent to British Aluminium at Latchford for metal
recovery.
Information on Wikipedia and the Fleet Air Arm
Officers websites about the death of Wren Elizabeth McCormick is incorrect. The
following facts and more are given in our first book about H.M.S. BLACKCAP.
The Warrington Guardian
Wednesday, June 2nd 1943
6 Die, 12 Hurt When Navy
Vehicle Crashes
Walton Girl Is Among The Killed
Three Naval air mechanics
and three Wrens were killed and12 other persons injured when, early yesterday
(Tuesday)the Service vehicle in which they were travelling overturned and
crashed into a field at Wright’s Green, Appleton.One of the Wrens is a Walton
girl.
The party was returning
from a dance and the crash occurred as the vehicle rounded a bend. Most of the
passengers were pinned under the vehicle.
The dead are;-
Wrens, Barbara Allender
(20), 3, Mertoun Road, Walton,Warrington;
Annie Elizabeth McCormack
(29), 36, Dennis Street, Inverness;
and Dorothy Jean Lawton
(20) 41,Barracks Lane, Macclesfield;
Naval Air Mechanics
JosephSimpson (24), 331 Park Lane, Macclesfield;
Frederick Holden (22) 13,
Campbell Street, Tow Law, Co. Durham;
and George Frederick
Bullock (27) 279, Deans Road,Heathtown, Wolverhampton.
Of the 12 injured, eight
are detained in hospital at Winwick.
They are Lieut. R. N. Ward.
Air Mechanics Bell, Warrell and Jeffries. Wrens Davies, Major and Burns, and
Mrs Bell, a civilian. The other four hurt in the crash are detained elsewhere
and their names are not yet available.
The inquest will be opened
and adjourned this (Wednesday ) afternoon.
The 17-year-old Wren who
was killed is sometimes confused with details about Wren McCormick
This accident occurred on 4th
May 1944, when Gertrude May Backler was taking a message by bicycle to the
Control Tower in a heavy rainstorm. Somehow she got onto the perimeter track
and collided with a Master of 798 squadron containing a pupil and Lt. Cdr. R.J.
Wallace.
She was possibly a coder. Her
mother came up to Stretton and spoke to Caroline Lawrence (nee Bowey) about the
incident. She was buried on the 10th May in Haverhill, Suffolk cemetery
The squadron came to Stretton
on 4th April from Lee-on-Solent to make room for aircraft for D-Day.
Information and photos about BLACKCAP on
this page will be changed at intervals