Stow Maries Aerodrome
Stow Maries Aerodrome was established
in September 1916, on twelve fields belonging to Edwins Hall and
Old Whitmans farms, as a London defence aerodrome to deal with
raids by Zeppelin and fixed wing Gotha bombers.
The first occupants were the BE 12b
flight of no 37( Home Defence) Squadron moved in from their base
at Orfordness, Suffolk to establish Squadron HQ at the Grange,
Woodham Mortimer. A flight operated from Rochford and C flight
from Goldhanger.
The first Commanding Officer was Lt
Claude Ridley who who only 19years but had already been awarded
the Military Cross and DSO prior to his appointment.
In May 1917 two BE 12a aircraft were
equipped to provide night fighter cover from the airfield.
By 1917 A Flight also moved into the
airfield from Rochford.
Sopwith
Pups and Sopwith Snipes replaced the BE12's in 1918 and later C
flight moves to Stow Maries to unite the Squadron.
restored
vintage vehicle at the aerodrome
The runway
was a constant source of problems mainly from weathering and
required attention on a daily basis from the station steamroller
to keep it serviceable for the aircraft. On one inspection the
aerodrome was called a very good aerodrome with a terrible
runway.
As a practice aid a full scale Gotha
aircraft shape was cut out of the ground and filled with white
stone so that it could be used for target practice.
The airfield covered 15 acres and had
44 buildings at its peak.
By late 1919 the need for air defence had
lowered and the use of the airfield was discontinued.
The airfield reverted to farming although
the buildings and runways were left intact.
Six pilots from Stow Maries paid the
ultimate sacrifice for their country.
Stow Maries Churchyard has three
headstones to mark the deaths of Lt Edward Cecil Henry Robert
Nicholls , Australian Lt R W Mauritzen and Lt E G Mucklow.
Flying in the Great war was a dangerous task and sadly the three
pilots buried at Stow Maries were all killed in accidents at or
near the airfield rather than enemy action.
At the start of WW2 the site was
evaluated to see if it could be used for modern aircraft but it
was decided that the heavy clay could not take increased use of
modern planes.
This was revisited in 1942 with a view to
establishment of a USAF Bomber Station.
The airfield was even allocated an
airfield number of USAF 163 but problems at other airfields
delayed the start and by 1943 with the prospect of an invasion
of Europe the project was abandoned.
The airfield did attract the attention of
the Germans who bombed the airfield on several occasions
believing it to be an active airfield, it also proved useful in
September 1940 when a Hurricane P3715, LE-D of 242 Sqn was able
to crash land after damage to its radiator during a dog fight.
The airfield was not suitable for the
Hurricane to take off when repaired and it had to be dismantled
and return to its base by road.
The airfield was used to house Italians
who worked on the local farms immediately at the ends of WW2.
As a coincidence the author Katherine
Peyton ( K M Peyton) visited the area and was stimulated by the
name of Flambards Farm to write a novel, which was later
televised, about the RFC called Flambards.
Katherine Peyton was amazed to later find that a real airfield
existed as described in her literary invention.
Buildings
prior to renovation
Although the airfield was not used
after WW1 it did see some action in World War 2 when a
Hurricane with radiator damage made an emergency landing on the
old airfield. The Hurricane made a safe landing although the
undercarriage was damaged and the plane had to be dismantled on
site and removed by road.
In modern times the airfield was been
used for farming although the occasional point to point meeting
was held and the runway was used by a model aircraft club to
provide a miniature reminder of the old days.
Amazingly over 20 of the original
buildings survive making the site probably the best preserved
WW1 airfield in the UK. Surviving buildings include the
Reception Station, Generator House, Officers Mess, Regimental
Institute, workshops, stores, offices and accommodation blocks.
The buildings are single storey with brick walls and slate roofs
usually with a flue for the heating stove.
A War
Memorial has been erected in the memory of members of 37
Squadron.
The aerodrome has now been restored and
is open to the public. A visit is highly recommended.
To visit the website click here.
