Bruce Barrymore Halpenny
Encyclopedia
Bruce Barrymore Halpenny is a widely respected English
military historian and author
, specialising in airfields and aircraft, as well as ghost stories and mysteries. He is also a broadcaster
and games inventor.
, and his mother a British First World War munitions worker from Lincolnshire
. Bruce himself, is from Lincolnshire
, England
.
in specialist units, often overseas, but after being wounded, and instead of coming out of the RAF, he moved across to the RAF Police
(RAFPD) on Special Security Duties (Atomic & Chemical Weapons) SS, and was part of a special RAF military police
unit on Special Duties and in the Nuclear
Division, that was responsible for the protection of the nuclear weapons that the V-bombers were to use in time of war
.
Division, his hobby turned into a profession in later years after leaving the forces.
, Yorkshire
and Lincolnshire
Halpenny found that public records
held very little, if any, information at all, so he had to do all the research himself going back to the very beginning. This helped to unearth a rich source of information, which others have since used, but set Bruce Halpenny as an undisputed RAF expert. For his research on the airfields, Halpenny interviewed 1,400 people, researched records and letters and travelled thousands of miles. Such was Halpenny’s dedication to the history of the Airfields that he visited each and every airfield, (some of which he had prior knowledge of from his military days), to ensure accuracy.
His books quickly became essential reference books for all aviation historians. Virtually all of the information was new, in the sense that it hadn’t appeared in the dozens of books which had been written about the RAF, new too were the many photographs that were just a selection of the thousands he collected and commissioned. Such were his photographs and uniqueness, and the way that he used them, that in the opening chapters of his book Action Stations 2 Wartime Military Airfields of Lincolnshire and the East Midlands, were a selection of control tower photos – this was the first time this had been done in any book.
He has also written various military themed books from such as English Electrical/BAC Lightning to Wartime Poems. The aircraft he has specialised in are the British Jets, English Electric Lightning
, English Electric Canberra
and Avro Vulcan
.
in the 1960s, and encountering ghost stories in his exhaustive research into airfield histories, when in 1984 he decided they should form the subject of a special book, and so started to add to, and research his "ghost-mystery" files about abandoned airfields that murmur and whisper with ghosts. Bruce Halpenny had by 1984 become acknowledged as not only a respected British
military historian, expert in Airfield histories, but also the expert in RAF Ghosts, especially surrounding Airfields. Ghost Stations
was born, and in 1986 the first book was published and proved a best seller as it recounts how "headless airmen and other spectres have appeared in control towers and other Service buildings throughout the country".
Such was demand that a second book entitled, Aaargh! was published with over 30 stories, one of which was The eerie mystery of Lightning 894. Aaargh!, was later to become Ghost Stations 2 as more books later followed over the years and became the cult series of Ghost Stations
books.
Halpenny's unique knowledge and position means he is also known for accessing and finding information generally closed to the general public and media, especially MoD
material concerning UFO's.
Halpenny has always maintained that all airfields are haunted. Over the years he had uncovered a wealth of material about ghostly experiences on wartime airfields. "The evidence of ghosts keeps popping up and is so rich that it cannot be ignored," he said and he has little doubt why airfields are such a magnet for ghosts, "You have to remember that 55,000 men of Bomber Command died while operating from Britain in World War Two, and almost all of them met a violent end, so it isn't surprising that dozens of earthbound spirits have been left behind."
in the 1970s. It was used as a prize on shows such as Tiswas
and Crackerjack.
, in campaigning and highlighting issues, and even in one case when he donated a vintage bottle of wine to help raise funds. The bottle was unique in that it was the last bottle remaining after the Nazis had plundered the cellars of families living in an Italian
Abruzzo
village in World War II
. The author's uncle was a Canadian
tank commander whose tank
was the first to liberate the village and was also the first tank to enter Ortona
in the Battle of Ortona
. The bottle was given to the author, as he lived in Abruzzo and his research work had taken to that area. Bruce Halpenny said on donating the bottle:
He has also long campaigned for the Government to do their part and preserve a 1939-45 War airfield in its original condition to let future generations see how the RAF operated during those dark days.
He has also long been a supporter for animal welfare, especially dogs and wolves and is the president of the Wolf Preservation Foundation
.
writer
and horsewoman
, Marion Rose Halpenny
, have a son, Baron Barrymore Halpenny, a commercial artist.
See also main article: Ghost Stations
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
military historian and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, specialising in airfields and aircraft, as well as ghost stories and mysteries. He is also a broadcaster
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
and games inventor.
Parents
Halpenny's father was a Canadian First World War soldier who fought at Vimy RidgeBattle of Vimy Ridge
The Battle of Vimy Ridge was a military engagement fought primarily as part of the Battle of Arras, in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, during the First World War. The main combatants were the Canadian Corps, of four divisions, against three divisions of the German Sixth Army...
, and his mother a British First World War munitions worker from Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
. Bruce himself, is from Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Military career
Halpenny served in the Royal Air Force PoliceRoyal Air Force Police
The Royal Air Force Police is the Service Police branch of the Royal Air Force. It was formed on 1 April 1918, when the RAF was formed by the merger of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service . It is responsible for the policing of all service personnel much like there RN or Army...
in specialist units, often overseas, but after being wounded, and instead of coming out of the RAF, he moved across to the RAF Police
Royal Air Force Police
The Royal Air Force Police is the Service Police branch of the Royal Air Force. It was formed on 1 April 1918, when the RAF was formed by the merger of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service . It is responsible for the policing of all service personnel much like there RN or Army...
(RAFPD) on Special Security Duties (Atomic & Chemical Weapons) SS, and was part of a special RAF military police
Military police
Military police are police organisations connected with, or part of, the military of a state. The word can have different meanings in different countries, and may refer to:...
unit on Special Duties and in the Nuclear
Nuclear warfare
Nuclear warfare, or atomic warfare, is a military conflict or political strategy in which nuclear weaponry is detonated on an opponent. Compared to conventional warfare, nuclear warfare can be vastly more destructive in range and extent of damage...
Division, that was responsible for the protection of the nuclear weapons that the V-bombers were to use in time of war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
.
Literary career
In the 1950s whilst in the RAF he was wounded and had to undergo several operations, in which his life was in the balance as dedicated surgeons fought to not only save his hand and arm, but also his life. In rehabilitation he started writing and research as a hobby, and though he stayed in the RAF and was to serve on Special Duties and in the NuclearNuclear warfare
Nuclear warfare, or atomic warfare, is a military conflict or political strategy in which nuclear weaponry is detonated on an opponent. Compared to conventional warfare, nuclear warfare can be vastly more destructive in range and extent of damage...
Division, his hobby turned into a profession in later years after leaving the forces.
Early years
In the early period of his writing career he started out by writing love stories and cowboy stories for the American market under pen names. Then because of his specialist knowledge of the Royal Air Force, he focused on military history, especially RAF History of World War Two, often with deep insights, facts and personal human interest stories. At one time he was writing articles for up to 14 military journals around the world when he was approached by the publishers Patrick Stephens to do the Airfield books due to his vast knowledge and authority.Military history
When he researched the British RAF airfield histories, particularly those of LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
and Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
Halpenny found that public records
Public records
Public records are documents or pieces of information that are not considered confidential. For example, in California, when a couple fills out a marriage license application, they have the option of checking the box as to whether the marriage is "confidential" or "Public"...
held very little, if any, information at all, so he had to do all the research himself going back to the very beginning. This helped to unearth a rich source of information, which others have since used, but set Bruce Halpenny as an undisputed RAF expert. For his research on the airfields, Halpenny interviewed 1,400 people, researched records and letters and travelled thousands of miles. Such was Halpenny’s dedication to the history of the Airfields that he visited each and every airfield, (some of which he had prior knowledge of from his military days), to ensure accuracy.
His books quickly became essential reference books for all aviation historians. Virtually all of the information was new, in the sense that it hadn’t appeared in the dozens of books which had been written about the RAF, new too were the many photographs that were just a selection of the thousands he collected and commissioned. Such were his photographs and uniqueness, and the way that he used them, that in the opening chapters of his book Action Stations 2 Wartime Military Airfields of Lincolnshire and the East Midlands, were a selection of control tower photos – this was the first time this had been done in any book.
He has also written various military themed books from such as English Electrical/BAC Lightning to Wartime Poems. The aircraft he has specialised in are the British Jets, English Electric Lightning
English Electric Lightning
The English Electric Lightning is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft of the Cold War era, noted for its great speed and unpainted natural metal exterior finish. It is the only all-British Mach 2 fighter aircraft. The aircraft was renowned for its capabilities as an interceptor; Royal Air Force ...
, English Electric Canberra
English Electric Canberra
The English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957...
and Avro Vulcan
Avro Vulcan
The Avro Vulcan, sometimes referred to as the Hawker Siddeley Vulcan, was a jet-powered delta wing strategic bomber, operated by the Royal Air Force from 1956 until 1984. Aircraft manufacturer A V Roe & Co designed the Vulcan in response to Specification B.35/46. Of the three V bombers produced,...
.
Ghosts and mysteries
Halpenny had been writing ghost storiesGhost story
A ghost story may be any piece of fiction, or drama, or an account of an experience, that includes a ghost, or simply takes as a premise the possibility of ghosts or characters' belief in them. Colloquially, the term can refer to any kind of scary story. In a narrower sense, the ghost story has...
in the 1960s, and encountering ghost stories in his exhaustive research into airfield histories, when in 1984 he decided they should form the subject of a special book, and so started to add to, and research his "ghost-mystery" files about abandoned airfields that murmur and whisper with ghosts. Bruce Halpenny had by 1984 become acknowledged as not only a respected British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
military historian, expert in Airfield histories, but also the expert in RAF Ghosts, especially surrounding Airfields. Ghost Stations
Ghost Stations
Ghost Stations is a series of books by the British military historian Bruce Barrymore Halpenny, containing ostensibly true ghost and mystery stories generally connected to the RAF, airfields and other military or war connected stories.- History :...
was born, and in 1986 the first book was published and proved a best seller as it recounts how "headless airmen and other spectres have appeared in control towers and other Service buildings throughout the country".
Such was demand that a second book entitled, Aaargh! was published with over 30 stories, one of which was The eerie mystery of Lightning 894. Aaargh!, was later to become Ghost Stations 2 as more books later followed over the years and became the cult series of Ghost Stations
Ghost Stations
Ghost Stations is a series of books by the British military historian Bruce Barrymore Halpenny, containing ostensibly true ghost and mystery stories generally connected to the RAF, airfields and other military or war connected stories.- History :...
books.
Halpenny's unique knowledge and position means he is also known for accessing and finding information generally closed to the general public and media, especially MoD
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
material concerning UFO's.
Halpenny has always maintained that all airfields are haunted. Over the years he had uncovered a wealth of material about ghostly experiences on wartime airfields. "The evidence of ghosts keeps popping up and is so rich that it cannot be ignored," he said and he has little doubt why airfields are such a magnet for ghosts, "You have to remember that 55,000 men of Bomber Command died while operating from Britain in World War Two, and almost all of them met a violent end, so it isn't surprising that dozens of earthbound spirits have been left behind."
Games inventor
Halpenny is also a games inventor and created The Great Train Robbery Board GameGreat train robbery board game
The Great Train Robbery Board Game is a Board game created by the British military historian and Author Bruce Barrymore Halpenny in the early 1970s and is based upon the actual robbery that took place on the 8th August 1963. Although based on The Great Train Robbery, the Board game has been adapted...
in the 1970s. It was used as a prize on shows such as Tiswas
Tiswas
Tiswas was a Saturday morning children's British television series which ran from 5 January 1974 to 3 April 1982 and was produced for the ITV network by ATV Network Limited....
and Crackerjack.
Charities, causes and animal rights
Halpenny has always been vocal in his campaigns for numerous organisations and causes, especially concerning veterans, war widows, wounded and invalided servicemen & women. He has also helped schools and children's charities such as MencapMencap
The Royal Mencap Society is a charity based in the UK that works with people with a learning disability.-Profile:Mencap is the UK's leading learning disability charity working with people with a learning disability and their families and carers...
, in campaigning and highlighting issues, and even in one case when he donated a vintage bottle of wine to help raise funds. The bottle was unique in that it was the last bottle remaining after the Nazis had plundered the cellars of families living in an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Abruzzo
Abruzzo
Abruzzo is a region in Italy, its western border lying less than due east of Rome. Abruzzo borders the region of Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and south-west, Molise to the south-east, and the Adriatic Sea to the east...
village in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The author's uncle was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
tank commander whose tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
was the first to liberate the village and was also the first tank to enter Ortona
Ortona
Ortona is a coastal town and municipality of the Province of Chieti in the Italian region of Abruzzo, with some 23,000 inhabitants.Ortona was the site of fierce fighting between German and Canadian forces during the Italian campaign in World War II...
in the Battle of Ortona
Battle of Ortona
The Battle of Ortona was a small, yet extremely fierce, battle fought between a battalion of German Fallschirmjäger from the German 1st Parachute Division under Generalleutnant Richard Heidrich, and assaulting Canadian forces from the 1st Canadian Infantry Division under Major General Chris Vokes...
. The bottle was given to the author, as he lived in Abruzzo and his research work had taken to that area. Bruce Halpenny said on donating the bottle:
"Because the bottle is unique, it seemed a waste to just drink it without using it to gain some benefit for others."
—Bruce Barrymore Halpenny
He has also long campaigned for the Government to do their part and preserve a 1939-45 War airfield in its original condition to let future generations see how the RAF operated during those dark days.
He has also long been a supporter for animal welfare, especially dogs and wolves and is the president of the Wolf Preservation Foundation
Wolf Preservation Foundation
The Wolf Preservation Foundation is an international non-profit organisation, independent of political parties or common interests...
.
Family
Bruce and his wife, equestrianEquestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and horsewoman
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
, Marion Rose Halpenny
Marion Rose Halpenny
Marion Rose Halpenny is an equestrian writer and horsewoman, born in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, and known as the Lincolnshire turf authoress, who has written a number of articles and books on racing, but is mainly known for her pioneering book British Racing and Racecourses, which was the first book of...
, have a son, Baron Barrymore Halpenny, a commercial artist.
Books
Main article: Bibliography of Bruce Barrymore HalpennyBibliography of Bruce Barrymore Halpenny
The bibliography of Bruce Barrymore Halpenny is a list of books by the author and military historian.The author wrote for many magazines in the 1950’s, 1960’s and 1970’s some under his own name and some under pseudonyms...
See also main article: Ghost Stations
Ghost Stations
Ghost Stations is a series of books by the British military historian Bruce Barrymore Halpenny, containing ostensibly true ghost and mystery stories generally connected to the RAF, airfields and other military or war connected stories.- History :...
- To Shatter the Sky: Bomber Airfield at WarTo Shatter the SkyTo Shatter the Sky, subtitled Bomber Airfield at War, is a book and also BBC Television programme of the same name by the military historian, author and screenwriter Bruce Barrymore Halpenny....
(Hardcover) (ISBN 978-0850596786) - Military Airfield books The pioneering books of Airfield histories
- Fight for the Sky: Stories of Wartime Fighter Pilots (Paperback) (ISBN 978-0850597493)
- An English Town: Market Rasen (Paperback) (ISBN 978-0954777401)
- Bullets in the Morning...Bullets at Night: The Italian Campaign (Paperback) (ISBN 978-0954777418)
- Ghost StationsGhost StationsGhost Stations is a series of books by the British military historian Bruce Barrymore Halpenny, containing ostensibly true ghost and mystery stories generally connected to the RAF, airfields and other military or war connected stories.- History :...
- Wartime Poems (Paperback) (ISBN 978-0907595694)
- ENGLISH ELECTRIC/BAC LIGHTNINGEnglish Electric/BAC Lightning (book)The English Electric/BAC Lightning is an aviation book by British military historian and author Bruce Barrymore Halpenny about the English Electric Lightning. It was published by Osprey Publishing as part of their Air Combat series...
- English Electric Canberra: The History and Development of a Classic JetEnglish Electric Canberra (book)The English Electric Canberra subtitled The History and Development of a Classic Jet is a book by British military historian and author Bruce Barrymore Halpenny about the English Electric Canberra...
- The Avro Vulcan Adventure (Paperback) (ISBN 978-0954777432)