Great Yarmouth flying sites
Note: This map only gives the position of Great Yarmouth within the UK.
GREAT YARMOUTH see also CLIFF PARK FARM listed under GORLESTON
GREAT YARMOUTH see also GORLESTON
GREAT YARMOUTH see also NORTH DENES
GREAT YARMOUTH see also YARMOUTH
GREAT YARMOUTH: Military Seaplane Station (mainly called YARMOUTH in WW1?)
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
Note: *I am no expert, but I think the aircraft pictured here is probably a Short Type 184?
Note: It appears that Lt. Egbert Cadbury was involved with the shooting down of two German airships, the L21 in 1916 and the L70 in 1918. In between of course it must have been a relentlessly boring task, week after week, searching the night skies.
Operated by: RNAS Coastal Air Station
Location: South Denes, south of the Sea Life centre today?
Period of operation: Operational during WW1 (1914 to ?) Later used as a civil aerodrome until the late 1930s?
NOTES: Quoting from Patrick Bishops excellent book Wings regarding the state of affairs when WW1 was declared: “It was clear that the RFC had an important, possibly crucial, part to play in the land war. The same could not be said of the Royal Naval Air Service and the war at sea. In 1914 the War Office had insisted on control of the country’s air defences, even though almost all of its aircraft were already earmarked for France.” It has to be borne in mind that, by modern standards, the majority of the senior staff in both the Navy and Army would be, without too much doubt if subjected to modern I.Q. tests, classified as ‘Morons’. It appears that an in depth study has been commissioned to confirm this.
“At the Admiralty, the First Lord, Winston Churchill, took advantage of the army’s predicament to move in. Soon the Royal Naval Air Service had taken over the responsibility and a rudimentary aerial defence system was put in place. The RNAS set up a string of seaplane bases in east coast ports, facing Germany.” GREAT YARMOUTH was one of them.
At 04.05 25th April 1916 a Short Type 827 bombed German warships bombarding Lowestoft. I still can’t quite believe that military pilots were regularly night flying in WW1 during 1916 but it seems they were. No lights and no lit flight instruments presumably or did they carry torches?
After taking part on the shooting down of the Zeppelin L21 in 1916, on the 15th August 1918 an Airco DH4 flown by Major Egbert Cadbury shot down the Zeppelin airship L.70.
GREAT YARMOUTH - SOUTH DENES
Note: Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide', found this article published in the Northampton Chronicle and Echo on the 10th August 1929. It appears that Cobham departed from STANLEY PARK (Blackpool) on the 9th August, presumably to arrive here in time to perform his usual intenary. A the article states, he took the salute from his cockpit, presumably just before departing for MAIDSTONE in Kent.
This was the 50th venue for the 1929 Sir Alan Cobham's Municipal Aerodrome Campaign. Starting in May and ending in October one hundred and seven venues were planned to be visited, mostly in England but with two in Wales and eight in Scotland. In the end after a couple of minor crashes and other unforeseen problems, he managed to visit ninety six venues. Still a quite magnificent achievement.
Without any doubt this campaign led to several aerodromes/regional airports being created - but did this apply to Great Yarmouth?
It is almost certain (?) that the venue was at the SOUTH DENES WW1 airfield, but experience has taught me to be very wary of jumping to easy conclusions.
The aircraft Cobham used for this Tour was the DH61 'Giant Moth' G-AAEV named 'Youth of Britain'. The punishing schedule he set himself seems astonishing today, see the article on Cobham's 1929 tour for more information. I can also thoroughly recommend reading Cobhams memoirs in 'A Time To Fly'.
I doubt it did result in an aerodrome in Great Yarmouth, but any advice, especially regarding the location of the venue, will be much appreciated.
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