| The Event | RAF Croft | |||
| Croft
Race Circuit, Durham Tees Valley Military Vehicle Trust & Teesside
Yesteryear Motor Club, invite owners of historic vehicles to
another exiting weekend of motoring and military nostalgia.
Held
at Croft Circuit, a former WW2 RAF bomber airfield, and following on from the
success of the 2010 event, this promises to be another weekend to
remember. |
RAF
Croft, known locally as Croft Aerodrome or Neasham, opened in 1941 and
served as a Second World War RAF Bomber Command station. In 1943, Croft
became a sub-station of RAF Middleton St. George which was allocated to
No. 6 Group, Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).
After the RCAF left in 1945, Croft saw little wartime activity. Later in 1945 the aerodrome became a satellite of No. 13 Operational Training Unit based at Middleton St. George, flying de Havilland Mosquitoes. The station was closed in the summer of 1946. ( Text from Wikipedia ) |
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The
sunset looking West along the old main runway, which is also the military
display area. |
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| Bomber Types used at Croft | ||||
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A
huge Military display will be parked along the old east west runway with living
history displays and re-enactor groups adding to the atmosphere of the event. Trade
stalls will be selling a variety of period
items and clothing from a bygone age. The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight has been applied for and we hope to get conformation in the near future. This would indeed be a memorable display over the old RAF airfield. |
RAF Hendon Wellington |
Yorkshire Air Museum Halifax |
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Period dress is
encouraged for both participants and visitors. Many people entered into the
spirit of the event last year, including the children, which all added to the
atmosphere and spectacle.
There will be many additional attractions to keep the whole family entertained during the weekend. A 1940’s fashion show will be held in the marquee giving an amusing look back at the days of ‘make do and mend.’ |
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Memories
from Croft
1671763, Leading Aircraftman Frederick Higgins Reading through recollections of service during WW2 it is interesting how frequently there is some mention of where the author "kipped" down. Tents, Nissen Huts, luxury flats, native huts, back of a lorry, under the stars and so on, they all have a mention or two. No matter how primitive or basic the conditions we all managed to survive and move on to the next billet always hoping for "a better hole". In my own case my last posting before leaving the RAF was, in every sense of the phrase, a one off. I had been posted to Middleton St.George an RAF Station in the North East of England. On arriving a day late I had to see the CO and when he learnt that I had come off repatriation leave he said 1 should have requested a week's extension of leave for any good reason that sprang to mind. A fine time to tell me, I thought. |
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Entry for participants is strictly via the official entry forms on the Home Page of this website. Members of the public will have the opportunity to obtain reduced price entry ticket if ordered via the advanced ticket booking system directly from CROFT CIRCUIT.co.uk or Tel no. 01325 721 819 Croft Circuit Rules apply and dictate that NO ANIMALS ARE ALLOWED |
To cap it all I was told that the Signals Office was well overstaffed and there was no job that could be given to me. But at least, unlike redundant aircrew who were made to revert to a GD Trade, it was not suggested that I should become an ACH/GD. After a week or so of idleness trying to keep a low profile I must have mentioned to someone in the Signals Office that when I first started work after leaving school I worked in a Solicitors' Office.... | |||
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| Durham
Tees Valley Military Vehicle Trust
The DTV MVT is the local area of the Military Vehicle Trust. The group is for owners and those interested in military vehicles of all eras. They attend many events around the North East and Yorkshire throughout the year supporting charities where possible. On Sunday morning, there is a ' Parade Lap' of the track by the military vehicles so the public get to see more than a static display, and there will be a 1940's fashion show on Sunday showing clothing from all walks of life during the war years. Croft Circuit Rules and MVT Code of Conduct applies.
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