Stormy Down
STORMY DOWN: Military aerodrome later gliding site
Note: All of these items were very kindly provided by Mr Michael T Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide'.
Military users: WW2: RAF Flying Training Command 54 Group
No. 2, No.3, No.7 and No.9 SFTS [Service Flying Training School]
No.7 Air Gunners School
No.7 Air Observers School
No.7 Bombing and Gunnery School
No.9 Armament Training Station
14 OTU
23 (French) Initial Training Wing
68 EGS [Elementary Gliding School]
68 (RAF) Gliding School
Note: Can anybody now provide advice on the aircraft types used here by these various units?
Gliding: 1970s & 1980s only?
Location: SW of A48, W of Redhill, NW of A4106 & Thygeston, 5.5nm W of Bridgend
Period of operation: Military: 1940 to 1945
Runways: WW2: N/W 896 grass N/S 924 grass NE/SW 914 grass
SE/NW 914 grass E/W 805 grass
Note: Most unusual, even on a grass aerodrome. Five different runways in use
NOTES:
Throughout my research I came across so many splendid books. For example here is a tale from the superb Battle of Britain book by Patrick Bishop relating an incident from the first day, the 10th July 1940, after the Luftwaffe had bombed Swansea;
“The appearance of the bombers provoked Wing Commander Ira Jones, a veteran of the First World War Flying Corps , to fly to the defence of his native Wales. He was in charge of the training airfield at Stormy Down, and he seized a Hawker Henley ‘target tug’, - to take to the air and pursue a German Ju88 bomber. His sole weapon, however, was a Verey signal pistol, which failed to make any impression on the raider.”
THE FIGHTING SPIRIT
I really don’t think I’m being over sentimental in stating this was exactly the spirit of defiance that quickly spread throughout most of the British population? Whether by accident or design, (still a debatable subject), Winston Churchill had been elected to be our Prime Minister. A man who had a lot of direct experience in military matters, a man who understood how the system works, and really did know how to make a great speech.
And of course, when our backs are up against the wall in adversity, what do most of us do? Turn around and fight of course. Hardly a sensible thing to do, but we soon learn to turn around again and face the enemy.
A SAVING GRACE - A SMALL BIT OF SEA
Without any doubt we could not have withstood the combined army/air force Blitzkreig onslaught which had wiped out so many countries so quickly across Europe. Tanks and troops don’t do well trying to cross the sea! Even across the narrow twenty mile Channel from Cap Griz Nez in France to Dover. (Call it more like thirty miles to Calais, the closest point an invasion could be mounted from? Oddly it seems, not used by the Germans in their invasion plans)
THE SCENE WAS SET
This is how the scene was set: It had to be an air war, the Luftwaffe had to dominate and clear the air. Fortunately we had four ‘great’ people on our side; Winston Churchill, Sir Hugh Dowding, Sir Keith Park and the blustering boastful fool, the German head of the Luftwaffe, Hermann Göring on our side.
I really do think we should erect a statue in Parliament Square of Hermann Göring in praise of his singular contribution towards the Germans losing the Battle of Britain. His strategy was, pants, and doomed to fail from the outset. During this period, at least one major senior RAF figure, Air Officer Commanding of 12 Group, Leigh-Mallory, still insisted that the approach adopted by Göring was the best way to approach the invasion. Thank heavens his advice was not listened to.
But, so typical of the British system of invariably rewarding inepitude in high circles, he later became an Air Chief Marshall. Pick the bones out of that!
AN US ARMY PRESENCE?
It appears that two Piper L-4s made an appearance here, apparently when based at PORTHCAWL.
Kevin Oddy
This comment was written on: 2019-10-22 18:24:11My father trained there as an air gunner on Anson aircraft from 28/4/1944 to 15/5/1944
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