Ringway

https://www.paradata.org.uk/unit/no-1-pts-raf-ringway

Screen Shot 2018-09-08 at 11.54.27 — First OC PTS: 24.6.1940 – 12.5. 1941. Wg. Cdr. Louis Strange DSO MC DFC

Strange as WW1 pilot. Frontispiece to Louis Strange autobiography, published by John Hamilton Ltd, London 1933

As civilian Instructor at Hendon 1913. Louis Strange autobiography, as above p.20

Screen Shot 2018-09-08 at 11.48.41 — DFC Investiture 1922. Photograph courtesy Peter Hearn

TIMES 2 ss — The Times 1 August 2019. Article courtesy Graham Hand

MEMORIAL CROSS — Photographs courtesy the Bournemouth Echo

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/17811431.lost-grave-heroic-war-pilot-cheated-death-twice-discovered-purbeck/

REBEL 2ss — Biography 1994 courtesy Peter Hearn

SECOND OC PTS

ACCIDENT REPORT

Entry from Aviation Safety Network. Wg. Cdr. Benham lost his life in this aircraft crash on 24.1. 1942. Information courtesy Darren Cookson

Historic period watercolour

PTS Establishment 1941

WG.CDR MAURICE NEWNHAM OBE DFC — Wg. Cdr. Maurice Newnham OBE DFC. OC PTS Ringway 4.8.41 – 20.5.44

Maurice Newnham Parachuting Logbook – note exit heights

NEWNHAM LOGBOOK 2 ss E — **NB Jump number 10 dated 19.2.42** – see excerpt from Fatality Stats below. Newnham was also injured, hence made only water jumps thereafter

FATALITY STATS SEPT '41 - MARCH '42 — Ringway Annex – STATIC LINE FATALITIES UNDER TRAINING (excerpt)

VE DAY NEWNHAM ss — VE Day 8 May 1945, jump number 28. Newnham 3rd from left

Staff history and awards

WO JOE SUNDERLANDFLT.LT HARRY WARD E ss — WO Joe Sunderland (i/c Packing Section) and Flt.Lt. Harry Ward (i/c Parachute Training)

SOSABOWSKI ss — Harry Ward with General Sosabowski. Note Polish parachutist wings

WARD WINGS ss — Harry Ward – pre-war Birdman.

WARDCOVER ss — Biography 1990 courtesy Peter Hearn

SPECIAL OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE (SOE)

PJI s not only trained SOE agents to parachute but despatched them more often than not behind enemy lines. Agents were despatched at night and at low altitudes all over the world on covert operations. SOE as an organisation carried more operational descents than the British Army but they only jumped in small numbers due to the nature of their work.

PJIs were involved in the training of Odette Churchill.

Having left the relative safety of Britain behind, Odette Churchill (nee Sansom) landed in occupied France near Cannes by parachute in 1942 before heading to the rendezvous point to meet her supervisor, Peter Churchill. Churchill had entered the country some months earlier to co-ordinate the activities of the SOE’s “F” Section Spindle network in Montpellier. Odette was based in this area and tasked with assisting the French Resistance.

On the 16^th April 1943, however Odette’s luck ran out. Betrayed by a double agent, they were arrested and tortured by the Gestapo. She was condemned to death in June 1943 but not given a specific execution date. Odette’s cover story was that Peter Churchill was Sir Winston Churchill’s nephew and she was his wife. She subsequently spent the rest of the war in a concentration camp and survived to testify against her captors.

(Extract courtesy Howard Marsh)