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Air Training Corps

Written by Gerry White

No 1440 squadron Air training Corps ATC ,was founded at Middle Road School in 1941, At wars end in 1946 the Squadron was given premises at the Dome on the Airport, there were a number of associated wooden Huts used as lecture rooms , When I joined in 1951, the meetings were Tues and Thurs 7 til 9 30 pm. The Commanding Officer was Flt Lt Sidney Cole a wartime RAF Officer Flight Commanders were Flt Lt Kenneth Winstone,Fg Off Norman Finch and Fg Off Kenneth Guest , the Squadron had three flights Shoreham Lancing and Steyning. at that time membership was approximately 60 , an Adult  Warrant Officer Wilfred Stephenson  and Civilian Instructors  Gerald Woolvern Alan Morgan and Thomas Pollington , Lectures on dress deportment, and drill were given , the squadron had approx. 25 .303 Lee Enfield Rifles of WW1 vintage. The Squadron members were taught Morse Code, basic Engine function , and map reading , hobbyists took part in model making on Sunday Mornings as did the Drum and Bugle Band ,The Squadron took part in Annual Summer Camps held at RAF Stations for one week  duration each cadet was given a flight in service aircraft and fired  on the weapons range ,The joining age was 13 years leaving at age 18.

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Oldest Shoreham photo?

An atmospheric photo that oozes antiquity! The title is ‘Smacks and Vessels on the Beach at Shoreham’ taken by Samuel Buckle, a British photographer 1808 – 1860 and the photo was taken in 1853. Just about the oldest Shoreham photo I’ve seen.
(From the J Paul Getty Museum Collection – copyright)

Getty Museum: Smacks and Vessels on the Beach at Shoreham

Smacks and Vessels on the Beach, Shoreham; Samuel Buckle (British, 1808 – 1860); 1853; Salted paper print from a paper negative; 16 × 19.8 cm (6 5/16 × 7 13/16 in.); 84.XO.288.25; No Copyright – United States (http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/)
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Tracing photographs

From right to left, anti-clockwise:- A newspaper cutting of an otherwise anonymous group and Shoreham location has ‘Standen Family’ written on it. A check through our street directories shows the Standen Brothers at Southdown Nurseries in Mill Lane (where the greenhouses are in the aerial photograph). A 1950’s parade of Morris dancers provides a closer view of the nursery just beyond the lodge to the cemetery and lastly a view of the entrance and shop in the 1930’s.

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The Lindupp brothers

The story of Reuben Lindupp is included in ‘More Shoreham Characters’ on this website http://www.shorehambysea.com/more-shoreham-characters/ Susan O’Leary has sent us this link to her fascinating story of Reuben’s brother Harry who left Shoreham to become one of the early pioneers in Australia. Well researched and beautifully illustrated with some stunning photos – well worth a read. Thank you Susan.
http://www.historysnoop.com/henry-harry-lindupp-1827-1905

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Lifeboat house on beach

A postcard that shows a fairly usual view west of the beach end of Ferry Road but one that unusually includes the old lifeboat house that stood there next to the coastguard cottages up to the 1920’s. On the extreme right of the card marked by the asterisk more bungalows nearer to the sea are just visible that were built after 1912 and narrows the probable date of the card.

The Ordnance Survey map of 1912 doesn’t show any buildings nearer the sea but obviously there must have been. Another example of even OS maps not being as accurate as you would think.
(The bungalows in question are marked in yellow)

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A flying mishap

The photograph which shows an upside-down aeroplane in a field, has been taken directly from a postcard that was issued at the time of the incident.
But what do we know about the event?

The aeroplane is a Sopwith D1 three-seater general purpose biplane.  From the number 27 on the tail, we can tell that this example was operated by the RNAS. With a wingspan of 40 feet, and powered by a 7-cylinder Gnome Lambda rotary engine, this type of aeroplane first flew on 7th February 1913.  On 16th June 1914 one of these aeroplanes achieved a new British altitude record of 12,900 feet whilst being flown by Sopwith’s chief test pilot Mr Harry Hawker.
This type of aeroplane carried two observers sitting side by side in the front, with the pilot behind.  Three celluloid transparent windows were fitted in each side of the fuselage to give the observers a downward view.

Continue reading “A flying mishap”
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Sussex Aero Club

We’ve often seen views across the old suspension bridge to New Salts Farm and barn on the west side of the river south of the railway line but it wasn’t until discussing one image with Paul (Spinalman) that I realised detail from a 1922 shot of the suspension bridge being demolished (top photo) included lettering on the long barn ‘Sussex Aero Club.’ This was a bit of advertising by the owner of the aero club on the main airfield who rented that barn in Easters Field from the farmer. Shortly after, the barn and the field was rented by the Miles brothers to develop and fly their aircraft for a short while in the early years of their Miles Aircraft company before they moved to the north side of the railway.