Page 12 • The HERALD • 27th October 2022 v EMAIL YOUR NEWS: editor@herald-publishing.co.uk v All joinery and carpentry requirements undertaken • Bespoke wooden windows, doors and staircases • PVCu windows and doors fitted • Decking, pergolas and out buildings • Custom made wardrobes and cupboards • Fencing and gates Contact us for advice and quotes Tel 023 8066 8021• Mobile 07467 594993 fillisjoinery@outlook.com Professional quality joinery for over 25 years EXPERT DOMESTICS APPLIANCE SERVICES Sales and Repairs to All Makes and Models 169-171 LONG LANE, HOLBURY • TEL (023) 8089 0054 POSSIBLY THE ONLY INDEPENDENT MAIN DEALER IN THE NEW FOREST For Bosch, Belling, Britannia, Candy, Ebac, Hotpoint, Hoover, Indesit, Ice King, LG, LEC, Liebherr, Miele, Neff, Sebo, Siemens, Stoves, Whirlpool, Zanussi and more... 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DIGITAL INSTALLS/SERVICE • DIGITAL AERIALS/FREEVIEW • SKY DIGITAL/FREESAT DIGITAL • EXTRA TELEVISION POINTS • TELEPHONE LINES/POINTS • TELEVISION SYSTEMS SETUP/TUNED • WALL MOUNTED TV’S QUALIFIED, FAST FRIENDLY SERVICE FREE SURVEYS/QUOTES BEAULIEU: 01590 611011 MOBILE: 07717 194441 Send your local news to The Editor, The Herald, 2 High Street, Hythe SO45 6AH The Magic (and Tragedy) of the Beaulieu Air Displays by Marc Heighway, local history enthusiast A er the Second World War, several celebratory air displays were put on around the country. Our local area was no di erent, with RAF Beaulieu being the venue of four annual “Battle of Britain” air shows in the years 1945, 1946, 1948, and 1949. To gain access to the displays at Beaulieu Heath, visitors could buy tickets for just one shilling per person (about 5 pence today). Money raised was donated to the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund. In return, visitors could witness incredible sights on and over the huge air eld. ese included acrobatic performances of newly invented jet aircra , parachute displays, y pasts with mock air battles, helicopters performing funny routines, captured German aircra on view, and various games and stalls you might expect at a village fete. Whilst cameras were banned, it was intended to be fun for all the family. Children could climb into ghter aircra , go in the large hangars, enter buildings, play with model racing cars, and adults could get refreshments in the various air eld dining halls and messes. e last Beaulieu Air Display was in 1949 and this one was by far the biggest, with an estimated 30,000 people in attendance. To picture a similar attendance, this is Sikorsky helicopter based at RAF Beaulieu was towing a banner over Lymington to advertise the event. e banner was attached to a trailing steel cable. During a trial ight, a Spit re came too close and struck the weight on the end of the cable. Whilst the helicopter and crew were not harmed, Flying O cer Eastman who was piloting the Spit re, crashed, and died behind the Waggon & Horses pub (now the Ferryman) on Undershore Road. Tragedy would again strike the Beaulieu Air Display in the following year. On the day of the 1946 show, Squadron Leader Robin Palmer undertook a risky spin manoeuvre in front of the spectators. He lost control and crashed his Supermarine Sea re (a naval version of a Spit re) on the air eld, losing his life in front of a horri ed audience. Despite these two accidents, the Beaulieu Air Displays continued to go ahead each year until the nal event in 1949. e only exception was 1947, when no show was organised. e Air Ministry would eventually relinquish control of RAF Beaulieu in late 1959. Buildings and tarmac were pulled down and torn up. No aircra or huge crowds would ever be seen again on this piece of New Forest land. If you have any memories of local history like this, or just want to get in touch, please do email me on mheighway@hotmail.com the type of numbers who attend a Southampton versus Manchester United game at St. Marys stadium in the modern day. Walking on Beaulieu Heath now, it’s hard to imagine not just the buildings and runways that used to be there, but also air shows like this occurring, with so many people turning up. e Beaulieu Air Displays will have stuck in the memory of many a small boy and girl who went in the mid to late 1940’s, and who will still recall those magical sights to this day. However, tragedy would strike the Beaulieu Air Displays on two occasions. e rst incident was August 1945 in the lead up to the rst annual September show. A The “circus ringmaster and elephants” routine practice. This was at the 1949 display and had a ringmaster with helicopters dressed as elephants doing silly stunts! Example programmes
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