The Wartime Memories Project

- RAF Ringway during the Second World War -


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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

RAF Ringway



   RAF Ringway was a satellite airfield at Ringway in Cheshire, it became home to No. 1 Parachute Training School, RAF which was responsible for initial training all the parachutists who would take part in the Normandy Landings. It was also home to No. 14 Ferry Pilot Pool of the Air Transport Auxiliary who delivered the thousands of aircraft, built and modified on site Today the site is in civilian use as Manchester Airport. None of the wartime building survive but there is a memorial garden outside Olympic House, near Terminal 1.

 

23rd Oct 1939 Guns

23rd August 1940 Agent dropped into Holland

20th Dec 1940 Aircraft

10th February 1941 Operation Colossus

19th Dec 1941 Accident

19th Jan 1942 Attachment

29th January 1942 SOE mission failed to return


If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.



Those known to have served at

RAF Ringway

during the Second World War 1939-1945.

The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List



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Want to know more about RAF Ringway?


There are:8 items tagged RAF Ringway available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War.


Skinner 10 Commando

My late father was in 10 Commando and was attached to SIS. It has been reported to me via one of his old army comrades that he was at Ringway Airfield in late 1943 doing parachute training and that my father was not staying with the other units, but at a large country house near the airfield. It could have been either, Milton Ernest Hall or North Cliffe Hall. If you have any knowledge of the area at that time, or know anyone who does, I would be most grateful if you would let me know. I am writing the story of my father and his war and it would be most helpful to solve the mystery of his stay and training at Ringway.

Sylvia Skinner



Pte. Richard R Maryan 2nd Btn. A Coy. 1 Pltn. Parachute Regiment

My brother Richard Maryan, and Sgt. Neville Ashley were the best of friends they both were taken to Stalag 12a, but got split up from there. Richard was called up in 1939, he served with the Welch Regiment, when Winston Churchill called for volunteers to form an airborne army, he was interested, and signed up. He was sent to Ringway, where they trained jumping from a tower, and then from an Aircraft, after training, he was put in No. 1 Platoon "A" Company, 2nd. Parachute Battalion. His best friend through most of the action was Sgt. Neville Ashley, who saved Richards life in Sicily, although Richard was wounded he could have been killed but for Neville, who firing a Bren Gun stopped a German advance.

An extract from my Brothers Diary who served with the 1st. Airborne division, in the 2nd. world war "The landing on Catania Plain was a terrifying experience, our R.A.F Pilot never deviated, he flew through sustained Anti-Aircraft fire, on the coast and up to Catania the Aircraft was shaking and vibrating all the way from Ack Ack fire that came very close, we dropped down to 600 feet which would give us a suitable height for our 'Chutes to open and get us to the ground quickly, we were met with rapid firing guns that fired tracer bullets."

The Diary goes through from Sicily, to Arnhem, where he was captured serving with the 2nd. Battalion, and then on to his life in stalag 12a. prison camp, and events leading up to it. When my brother Richard was taken Prisoner at Arnhem, he was taken by Cattle Truck to Stalag 12a, When the R.A.F raided one night all the perimeter lights were turned off, Richard and a friend escaped. Some French people took them in and hid them under the stage in a Village Hall, they gave them overalls to hide their Uniforms, when the American Army arrived, they Airlifted them back to Grantham England.

C. Maryan



Sgt. Neville Leonard Ashley 2nd Btn. A Coy. 2 Pltn. Parachute Regiment

Neville Ashley had served with the TA, 7th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment before the war. He saw action with the British Expeditionary Force in Belgium and France during the retreat to Dunkirk. He was evacuated from beache at La Panne on the Dutch ship, Horst and taken to Margate. He was discharged from the army, but later re-enlisted and joined No.2 Platoon, A Company, 2nd Parachute Battalion. He was taken Prisoner of War near Arnhem in September 1944 and held in Stalag 12a and Stalag 18c.

C. Maryan







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