Flimston Down
FLIMSTON DOWN: Military airstrip/airfield (CASTLEMARTIN RANGES)
Note: The second item, the aerial picture, was kindly sent by Mr Jonathan Roberts in November 2019. It came from his grandmother who was one of the last people to be born on the Castlemartin Range. The third item is an excerpt published in the Sunday Sun (Newcastle) on the 19th December 1937. The fourth item was kindly provided by Mr Clive Burkinshaw, as is the fifth item below.
Note: The first, third, sixth and seventh items have been kindly provided by Mr Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide'. The eighth and last item, the area view, is from my Google Earth © derived database.
Military user: RAF/Army
Location: Roughly S of Castlemartin which is about 4.5nm WSW to SW of Pembroke. Even today a major Danger Zone regarding military activity exists to the S of Castlemartin and FLIMSTON DOWN is within this area
Period of operation: May 1937 to September 1938
NOTES: Used by ‘B’ Flight of 1 AACU in 1938 at least.
These two very rare pictures of the de Havilland DH.84 Dragon G-ACJT, operated by Western Airways, which came to grief at FLIMSTON DOWN were also kindly sent by Jonathan Roberts. The first picture has his grandfather standing by the wreck, and the young boy in the second picture was an uncle.
It was repaired and continued flying until the 20th December 1939 when it crashed at WESTON-super-MARE. Where it seems it was written off. It was then being operated by Southern Airways based at WESTON-super-MARE, whereas WESTERN AIRWAYS were based at WHITCHURCH, Bristol.
ANOTHER NOTE
It is a popular myth that the British were caught out by the Nazi regime under Hitler preparing for another major European war. In fact, the British government and industrial interests were very aware of the threat - and, although barely recovering from the 'Great Depression' and being pretty much bankrupted as a nation after WW1, steps were being taken to try and get the UK onto a war footing.
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