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RNAS Stretton (HMS Blackcap)
Encyclopedia
Royal Naval Air Station Stretton (HMS Blackcap), was an airfield in the village of Appleton Thorn, close to the village of Stretton
, south of Warrington
, in Cheshire
.
The airfield's site was located to the south west of junction 9 of the later M56 motorway
.
night fighter station to protect Liverpool
and Manchester
from Luftwaffe
air raids during World War II
. However changes in German tactics meant that the airfield was not required so it was transferred to the Admiralty on completion. Three runways and numerous hangars had been built.
HMS Blackcap was commissioned on 1 June 1942 and forty-one Fleet Air Arm
Squadrons were based here for varying periods with some aircraft being flown directly to and from aircraft carriers operating in the Irish Sea and other nearby waters.
Fairey Aviation
used a hangar on the northeast edge of the airfield for the modification, repair and flight-testing of Barracudas
, Fireflies
and Fulmars
before they were despatched to their operational squadrons. From 1944 HMS Blackcap was also used as an Aircraft Maintenance Yard, a large hangar complex being constructed to the northwest of the airfield for this activity.
In 1947 the Fleet Air Arm
decided to form Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Squadrons. The first to be based at Stretton was 1831 Naval Air Squadron, a fighter squadron, which was reformed here on 1 June 1947. It was joined on 18 August 1952 by 1841 Naval Air Squadron, an anti-submarine squadron. Together, these Squadrons comprised the Northern Air Division which was formed at Stretton on 1 June 1952 and disbanded on 10 March 1957 together with its constituent units.
767 Naval Air Squadron who operated Supermarine Attacker
s was also based in Stretton. The most notable incident when Attacker FB Mk.1, WA535 crashed on 05.02.1953 near Winwick fatally killing the pilot Mr Roy Edwin Collingwood aged 22.
The last squadron based at HMS Blackcap was 728B Naval Air Squadron, formed in January 1958. The squadron was relocated on 15 February 1958 to HMS Falcon, Hal Far
, Malta
.
The airfield was closed on 4 November 1958.
ratings were killed as the truck in which they were travelling lost control and overturned. The Wrens were returning from a local dance to the wrennery at HMS Blackcap.
Seven of the Wrens were buried by their families in their home towns. Anne McCormick, aged 17, was buried by the Royal Navy
with full military honours, in the graveyard of the local church - St Cross Church
, Appleton Thorn.
The Manchester branch of the Fleet Air Arm Association continue to celebrate the life of Anne McCormick in the annual remembrance service held at St Cross Church in June.
Stretton, Cheshire
Stretton is a village and civil parish in Cheshire, England not far from Warrington. The parish includes the village of Lower Stretton. It is at the very southern tip of Warrington, about seven miles south of the town centre. It has a large hotel and is the site of Warrington's private hospital,...
, south of Warrington
Warrington
Warrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens...
, in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
.
The airfield's site was located to the south west of junction 9 of the later M56 motorway
M56 motorway
The M56 Motorway, also known as the North Cheshire motorway, is in Cheshire and Greater Manchester, England. It runs from Junction 4 of the M60 to Dunkirk, Cheshire and is in length. It is often busy with long-distance commuter traffic towards North Wales...
.
World War II
RNAS Stretton was originally planned as a Royal Air ForceRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
night fighter station to protect Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
from Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
air raids during 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...
. However changes in German tactics meant that the airfield was not required so it was transferred to the Admiralty on completion. Three runways and numerous hangars had been built.
HMS Blackcap was commissioned on 1 June 1942 and forty-one Fleet Air Arm
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
Squadrons were based here for varying periods with some aircraft being flown directly to and from aircraft carriers operating in the Irish Sea and other nearby waters.
Fairey Aviation
Fairey Aviation
The Fairey Aviation Company Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer of the first half of the 20th century based in Hayes in Greater London and Heaton Chapel and RAF Ringway in Greater Manchester...
used a hangar on the northeast edge of the airfield for the modification, repair and flight-testing of Barracudas
Fairey Barracuda
The Fairey Barracuda was a British carrier-borne torpedo- and dive bomber used during the Second World War, the first of its type used by the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm to be fabricated entirely from metal. It was introduced as a replacement for the Fairey Swordfish and Fairey Albacore biplanes...
, Fireflies
Fairey Firefly
The Fairey Firefly was a British Second World War-era carrier-borne fighter aircraft and anti-submarine aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm ....
and Fulmars
Fairey Fulmar
The Fairey Fulmar was a British carrier-borne fighter aircraft that served with the Fleet Air Arm during the Second World War. A total of 600 were built by Fairey Aviation at its Stockport factory between January 1940 and December 1942...
before they were despatched to their operational squadrons. From 1944 HMS Blackcap was also used as an Aircraft Maintenance Yard, a large hangar complex being constructed to the northwest of the airfield for this activity.
Post War Operations
At the end of the war American Naval Aircraft were flown into Blackcap to be broken up for disposal. The Aircraft Maintenance Yard at Blackcap meant that the airfield continued to operate and, at its peak, handled one third of all Fleet Air Arm Aircraft and all its spare engines.In 1947 the Fleet Air Arm
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
decided to form Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Squadrons. The first to be based at Stretton was 1831 Naval Air Squadron, a fighter squadron, which was reformed here on 1 June 1947. It was joined on 18 August 1952 by 1841 Naval Air Squadron, an anti-submarine squadron. Together, these Squadrons comprised the Northern Air Division which was formed at Stretton on 1 June 1952 and disbanded on 10 March 1957 together with its constituent units.
767 Naval Air Squadron who operated Supermarine Attacker
Supermarine Attacker
The Supermarine Attacker was a British single-seat naval jet fighter built by Supermarine for the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm . It was the FAA's first jet fighter.-Design and development:...
s was also based in Stretton. The most notable incident when Attacker FB Mk.1, WA535 crashed on 05.02.1953 near Winwick fatally killing the pilot Mr Roy Edwin Collingwood aged 22.
The last squadron based at HMS Blackcap was 728B Naval Air Squadron, formed in January 1958. The squadron was relocated on 15 February 1958 to HMS Falcon, Hal Far
Hal Far
Ħal Far , is one of the main industrial estates in Malta. It is at the southern extreme of Malta, between the localities of Birżebbuġa and Żurrieq....
, Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
.
The airfield was closed on 4 November 1958.
Personnel
On 31 May 1943 eight WRNSWomen's Royal Naval Service
The Women's Royal Naval Service was the women's branch of the Royal Navy.Members included cooks, clerks, wireless telegraphists, radar plotters, weapons analysts, range assessors, electricians and air mechanics...
ratings were killed as the truck in which they were travelling lost control and overturned. The Wrens were returning from a local dance to the wrennery at HMS Blackcap.
Seven of the Wrens were buried by their families in their home towns. Anne McCormick, aged 17, was buried by the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
with full military honours, in the graveyard of the local church - St Cross Church
St Cross Church, Appleton Thorn
St Cross Church, Appleton Thorn is in the village of Appleton Thorn, Cheshire, England. The church has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II listed building. It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of Chester and the deanery of Great...
, Appleton Thorn.
The Manchester branch of the Fleet Air Arm Association continue to celebrate the life of Anne McCormick in the annual remembrance service held at St Cross Church in June.