RAF Burtonwood

[Gunny Hartmann]

A very important airbase but now seems to be very much forgotten, not a glamorous fighter or bomber field but it played a big part in the European theatre of WW2 and indeed the cold war.
I had many happy days there in my early teens dodging the MOD police and digging for relics, the place played a big part in my Fathers youth too, local kids would run errands for the Yank airmen and would quite often taken to one of the base canteens for a slap up meal, a huge treat during wartime British rationing.
I'k sure Harry the Mole (Steve) can add to this thread!...

Burtonwood

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Burtonwood

RAF Burtonwood - the largest WW2 military airfield - hidden remnants

[HARRY THE MOLE]

I know the location of most of those blast pens and bunkers which still survive, one of which is just across the road from me by the side of the railway line - but you have to know where to look to see it. I also know the location of buried aircraft parts - also next to the railway line, and by the side of a small pond. There is little left to see of the former base now, the museum is nothing like what was originally promised by the builders of Chapelford village. There was originally going to be a purpose-built building on Burtonwood road, but somehow that got quietly shelved and what we ended up with is a wooden shack (for the use of a better word) next to the Gullivers World theme park. The Burtonwood Association do their best and the staff at the museum are always on hand to help, and they all do their very best to keep the memories of the camp alive. During the war my aunty used to travel up to the base from Manchester to attend the dances.