Knutsford flying sites
KNUTSFORD: Temporary aerodrome?
NOTES: Sir Alan Cobham’s 1933 No.1 Tour displayed at a venue in/near Knutsford on the 19th June. Does any record still exist of exactly where this event took place?
In March 2019 I was kindly contacted by Helen Beaton who had been talking to an old friend, Tony Walker (90), about his memories of this event as a young lad. It appears the venue was near the Knutsford cemetery off the Tabley Road.
KNUTSFORD: Military airstrip
Military user: US Army Air Corps liaison
Location: Peover Hall at least
Period of operation: 1943/5 only?
NOTES: During WW2, especially in the latter half of the conflict, Allied and U S troops were based all around Knutsford. This said, General George Patton had his HQ at Peover Hall (see seperate entry) prior to D-Day, and without any doubt liaison aircraft would have been visiting this site.
These aircraft may well have been used relatively locally at times as the road system leading up to D-Day was invariably clogged up.
Helen Beaton
This comment was written on: 2019-03-27 19:59:29Have just been talking to my old friend, Tony Walker (who is 90 next month) and he remembers being taken to see Alan Cobham doing stunts in Knutsford. He says some people had the chance to go up with him, and he thinks his aunt was one of them. The venue for all this was a field behind Knutsford Cemetery off Tabley Road. He tells me that one temporary airstrip during Patton's period in Knutsford was certainly Knutsford Heath, because this was where the kids played, and from their point of view the place was wrecked by vast amounts of hardcore dumped there so planes could land. There may also have been another airstrip in Tatton Park -- he is going to ask a friend about this. He clearly remembers the day Patton arrived -- with tremendous noise -- and the night he disappeared with all those men, without a sound. Thought you might be interested in this. He asked me to search on the web for him to check the date of the Knutsford event because he wanted to know how old he was because it's a very early memory. And indeed, he was only four, though he remembers it clearly to this day.
Reply from Dick Flute:
Hi Helen, Many thanks indeed. Sorry for the delay but I have been very ill. I have just looked through the hundreds of 'Flying Circus' venues I have listed,(not all on the web-site), and can find no mention of Knutsford. But with an address such as this, surely something should turn up? I am, bit by bit, working my way through every known 'Flying Circus' venue - a long and arduous task. But loving it of course. Have you thought to contact the Knutsford Library, or local historical club/group/society? Surely an event such as this must have featured in a local newspaper? Should you follow this up, and discover something, please do let me know. I will be delighted to add this venue. MY best regards, Dick
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