General Sir John Dill, Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS), inspecting parachute troops at the Central Landing Establishment at RAF Ringway near Manchester, December 1940. Photo Imperial War MuseumIn the training hangar. Sqn. Ldr. Louis Strange in attendance on right
April 1941 – Winston Churchill Visit to Ringway
With Mrs. ChurchillMr. and Mrs. Churchill, General Ismay, and Mr Averill Harriman USA, visit the Parachute School, Ringway, in April 1941. Group Captain “Stiffey” Harvey shows them round.
Ringway Training Hangar
Whitley exit trainingMockupChief Instructor John Kilkenny gives personal instruction to Major General Eric BolsA Flight Sergeant PJI with Air Marshall Sir Arthur Barratt and General Sir Bernard Paget. Note PJI arm badge pre-brevetPacking hallUnder supervision.
Photo courtesy Sheena Maclean
Tatton Park Drop Zone
Original DZ Airphoto 4 May 1943Balloon Tatton ParkOpen CageSide right approachSide right landingLandings at Tatton Park DZWg. Cdr. Maurice Newnham (second right) at Tatton Park DZWhitley kit up, guy on the right seems to have a problem…Whitleys on dispersalInside the WhitleyWhitley kitbag exit Tatton ParkCourtesy PJI Alan Brown “First to Go”C 47 DakotaAlan Brown “First to Go”Inside the DakotaDakota action stationsDakota kitbag exitWhitley and Dakota exitsWhitleys Salisbury Plain 1942. Photo courtesy Peter HearnStaff water descent 6 June 1945. Jimmy Blyth centre in uniformVIP water descent into Rosthene Mere. General K.N. Crawford third from right. Leslie Irvin third from left. 6 July 1945Gen. Crawford exit with kitbagLeslie Irvin exitChief Instructor John Kilkenny textbook exitRetrieval – Gen. Crawford centre, with Maurice Newnham and Leslie Irvin on rightGenerals Roy Urquhart, Richard Gale and K.N. Crawford with John Kilkenny, Maurice Newnham, and Tommy Hanlon of the Air Ministry. Dated 2 April 1945Arnhem Drop Zone X, north of Renkum 17 September 1944
Water descent Ringway V.E. Day 1945. Jimmy Blyth (OC PTS 1953-1958) is fourth from the right, Maurice Newnham third leftOpen Day headlinesRingway RAF Open Day 15 September 1945Open Day as aboveOpen day paradeRingway plaque
In 1945 Royal Air Force Parachute Jumping Instructors were awarded honorary aircrew status by virtue of their role as despatchers on Airborne Operations in the European and Far East theatres during the Second World War.
Endex
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Annex – Static line fatalities (training)
RAE Report. NB first two fatalities were with canopy first deployment, leading to the development of the X Type.
Shows example of canopy-first deployments. See below entries 1 and 2
Photo courtesy Leo Valentin “Birdman” (Hutchinson 1955)Unidentified malfunction
ENDEX
Ringway Album
Presented to No.1 PTS by Group Captain M.A. Newnham OBE DFC on the opening of the PTS Museum on 9 June 1973
Group Captain Newnham with OC PTS Wing Commander Peter Hearn. Photo courtesy Peter HearnCoverOriginal CrestFrontispieceAutumn 1941. Richard Gale, ‘Stiffey” Harvey, Maurice Newnham, Eric Down (wearing parachute), and Tim Hope-ThomsonHM King George VI and Queen ElizabethTatton Park BalloonBalloon standbyExitsPre emplane checkEmplaneInside the WhitleyAction stationsWhitley exits TattonX-type landings Tatton
Tatton demo undated
VE Day 8 May 1945
Station marchpastTaking the saluteGeneral Stanislaw Sosabowski (centre) commanded the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade at ArnhemMarchpastWAAF marchpast
Royal Air Force Day Saturday 15 September 1945
Airfield with sports field in foregroundRingway RAF Open Day 15 September 1945Demo descentsRingway Staff 12 October 1944
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