Haunted Wartime Airbases

[Dave Homewood]

I was thinking last night about how it was odd that having lived on several wartime bases here in NZ that I'd never heard of ghosts on them. Then sudenly I remembered something I haven't thought of for over ten years.

One of my jobs in the RNZAF was packing parachutes, and the Paracute Bay at RNZAF Base Whenuapai in Auckland was in one of the two huge concrete hangars there. Just before I had joined the RNZAF, I think in 1988, a chap who had been in my trade and then had remustered to become a parachute jumpmaster, was killed in a parachute accident.

This was the only fatal parachuting accident the RNZAF had had since the war, a pretty good record. His name was Mark. Anyway, sadly his main chute hadn't opened and he did the drills wrong surprisingly as he'd jumped thousands of times previously, and his reserve was not deployed. It was two days before he was even found after a large and well publicised search.

The thing is when I worked in the parachute section in 1989, a few freaky things would happen. It was a long thin section with a smoko room at one end, then the main packing area with three packing tables and storage, etc, and on the far end was the drying tower where chutes were hung to air.

If you were in the smoko room and there was no-one else in the Bay, banging, bumping and even doors shutting could be heard from the tower end. Oddly, it didn't have 'shutting' type doors, it had doors that swung both ways and didn't slam. The other guys used to joke that the noises you heard were Mark's ghost, as he was disgruntled with the parachute packers. We all treated it as a joke and laughed about it, but after this forum I'm beginning to take it more seriously. If you were ever by yourself in the Bay there was a bit of an odd feeling, like someone else was there just out of sight, watching. And you heard these unexplainable noises that cannot have come from nextdoor in the main part of the hangar or its other workshops because of the thick concrete walls making it soundproof.

The thing is, it may have been a ghost but not necessarily Mark. A lot of guys died on the base, and in that very hangar when a Hudson crashed into the roof while in a dive. The patched hole in the concrete was, and is, still visible. Who knows, our joke ghost may really have been the boogeyman.

I remember one day when we were talking about 'Mark's ghost' my F/Sgt said that at his funeral, the priest or vicar was Keith Elliott, who'd won the VC in the war, and he was making a very dramatic eulogy. At the height of it, the most drmatic point, a crack of thunder sounded and the power went out! Makes me think now, perhaps poor Mark was haunting us.

[DazDaMan]

I've just checked the movie, and there IS something in the background - it appears on the right hand side of the screen, behind Gibson's (Todd's) cap and moves fairly quickly into shot.

Definitely an animal, big enough to be, and moving like, a black Lab!!

[Archer]

Originally posted by Merlin3945
On the banks of Loch Ness there was a guy talking a walk when he became aware of a figure in front of him walking towards him. As they got closer he realised that he was dressed in a flying suit and flying boots. I cant remember the rest of the story but he may have been dragging a parachute behind him. Anyway the figure dissapeared in a mist that swept between them.

Can anyone remember which aircraft he was supposed to be from if you have heard this story before. I think he was the only one that died on this particular aircraft and it was a bomber.

Could've been the Wellington that is now restored at Brooklands. I think it was the tail gunner who died but the rest of the crew survived. The props on the aircraft were never straightened as a tribute to the deceased crew member.

[Melvyn Hiscock]

Hendon is known to be hauunted and there are a number of stories. I took my Dad there in the mid 1980s and he found the ghost with no problem. Dad is very 'aware' of these things and I had not told him there was supposed to be a ghost or two there. As we walked past the bottom of the stairs that lead up to the first floor display level he shuddered as if someone had poured ice down his neck. It is at that point an airman was said to have been killed when he ran his motorbike into a parked a/c.

The Lanc was also supposed to be haunted and Dad said later that he felt a presence but on a subsequent visit he told me the Lanc man had gone and was now over by the 8th AF Memorial.

Someone in flying gear has been seen at Brooklands, on the banking.

Mention of the ghost in Dambusters reminds me there is said to be one in "three men and a baby". It is quite visible and a young girl.

I also seem to remember that Montrose is said to be haunted too.

MH

[Dave Homewood]

Archer, nice photo of the Wellington. I hadn't seen it with any skin on before. Is that a second Wellington fuselage in the background? Or is it a mockup so the public understand the geodetic structure?

Cheers
Dave

[DazDaMan]

Melvyn - apparently the 3 Men and a Baby ghost is an urban myth. Check it out here

I don't scare too easily, but seeing the "ghost" Nigger on the screen did give me the shivers!

[Dave Homewood]

Archer, nice photo of the Wellington. I hadn't seen it with any skin on before. Is that a second Wellington fuselage in the background? Or is it a mockup so the public understand the geodetic structure?

Cheers
Dave

[Archer]

The bit in the back is a mockup which incorporates some leftover bits from the restoration. It is built as a 'walk-through' feature so people get an impression of the inside of the aircraft. You can see a small doorway underneath the nose turret, and a stairway emerging on the right side of the photo.

Actually R for Robert will remain largely uncovered and the mock-up will be (or already is, haven't seen it for a while) completely covered.

As a sidenote, enough of the tubing that was fabricated for the Wellington restoration remained for it to be used in the mock-up, but also the fuselage of the Hawker Fury replica is also largely built from the stuff!

Very interesting thread this!

[Melvyn Hiscock]

Originally posted by DazDaMan
Melvyn - apparently the 3 Men and a Baby ghost is an urban myth. Check it out here

I don't scare too easily, but seeing the "ghost" Nigger on the screen did give me the shivers!

I thiought that onemight have been as it was a bit too obvious. More marketing ploy than phantom kid.

I must check out Dambusters again.

Melvyn

[Dave Homewood]

I haven't seen Dambusters for years, but I don't supose it is the actor dog who played Nigger briefly appearing in shot? The scenes were probably shot at the same time I'd imagine, and he may have simply run through the shot. Is this plausable or is it not a natural movement?

[DazDaMan]

I never thought of that, but I can't really imagine the film crew letting the dog run about on set during filming. A very famous incident during the filming of Battle of Britain springs to mind!

Right before the shot changes, however, the dog goes behind a tree in the back ground, then reappears but not in a fluid way, it's as though it's just there, emerging from behind the tree, as though the camera's stopped rolling and then started again, but it hasn't as the shot hasn't changed.

[DazDaMan]

Get's a bit weirder...

http://www.computing.dundee.ac.uk/st...ay/dambust.asp

I think this is where I originally read about the "ghost of Nigger".

Does anyone have a copy of the aforementioned photo showing the dog?

[Ashley]

I have been working in our film vaults (formerly the airmen's quarters) when doors have suddenly opened or slammed shut, and I am 100% positive no other earthly being has been in the building with me.

When in the unrestored sections of the Officers' Mess too (the sections on the left and right of the building), I have felt a prescence. Of course it makes one's spine tingle going exploring in these parts of the Officers' Mess anyway, but the further away from the restored sections I get, the more I "sense" someone there...almost as though there is a group of officers sat round a fireplace with their beers and whiskeys, wondering what I'm doing there, and if I'm a WAAF looking for mischief...My colleagues don't understand why I get so excited about a group of old deserted rooms, light switches hanging off the walls, toilets filled in with concrete, and paint peeling off the wall.

I must bring my camera this week and take some photos before all this disappears...(and yes, of course I'll post them here!)

Becka

[Ashley]

Originally posted by AdamK
a group of people stayed in the control tower at duxford last year and reported numerous paranormal experiences in there during the night. i believe that a b-17 was seen crashing on the runway, but having not been present, i cant be sure. hanger three is aslo reporttedly haunted.

cheers
adam

I would love to have stayed in the Control Tower that night, but the first I heard about it was afterwards. Great communcication between the south and northside as usual huh?

[Learning_Slowly]

A friend was in hangar 5 at duxford early one morning before the doors were unlocked. He let himself in and was working opposite the spray bay when he heard the door open, steps come towards him, but when he came round the aircraft there was no one there.

Myself and a friend also heard several radial engined aircraft come in late one Leg Ends night, we were staying North side and so ran up to the Bailey bridge, it was seemed to late for normal flying and when we got to the bridge there was no aircraft to be found.

The ghosts of the tower are meant to be the guys that died on the B17 that clipped the tower and crashed behind hangar 3. There were on there way to a party i believe.

[Moggy C]

Originally posted by duxfordhawk
THE OFFICERS MESS at DX is a very moving place i find.

I've told this before, but some of you may have missed it.

Mrs Moggy and I had our wedding in the Officers Mess.

It was 1940s themed, and Lofty blagged us a pair of genuine period uniforms.

Late in the evening, and a little mellow from the drink, I took a short break from the reception and wandered along the darkened corridor. The sounds of Glenn Miller accompanied my footsteps on the wooden floor.

The dawning realisation that Bader and his chaps had very probably walked the same boards, in the same uniform, with almost certainly the same music in the background, brought the most amazing attack of prickly neck hairs that I''ve ever experienced.

Not unpleasant though, I stayed there for quite a while, just relishing that feeling and thinking of those perilous days.

Scrooky!

Moggy

[Ashley]

Learning Slowly...the B-17 actually crashed on the northside, into a building north of Building 213 (the former WAAF's quarters) The building in question was the same design as 213 and the remains were demolished not long after the accident. However, to this day, access to the basement can be gained (you're not supposed to though)...next time you're on the north side, look out for the fence surround a square of concrete...the basement is down there. It's quite strange really to stand in front of the crash site, and still see the concrete paths to where the main door and side doors would have been...

Becka

[Learning_Slowly]

I thought it went in that general direction...whats worrying me is I camped right next to it for Leg Ends... had to wonder round to the cinema in the middle of the night (to much beer, long story) and I remember feeling a little uneasy.

[Graeme C]

i didnt know a b-17 crashed at duxford, there are alot of parts of Duxford which is spooky. There is something about the land warfare museum, and hanger 5 that has a presence.

I heard a story a while back about a Boston that is heard on a airfield somewhere, the aircraft never returned from a mission, and people have apparently seen and heard the aircraft?

[Ashley]

Originally posted by Learning_Slowly
I thought it went in that general direction...whats worrying me is I camped right next to it for Leg Ends... had to wonder round to the cinema in the middle of the night (to much beer, long story) and I remember feeling a little uneasy.

And how many M.A's camped out in the Cinema did you trip over on your way there?

But seriously...it's lucky that the building was virtually empty at the time (I think dinner was being served in Building 215, opposite...now the home of the Department of Exhibits and Firearms) There was only one person inside the building and they tragically lost their life, but it could have been a lot worse than it was.

[Learning_Slowly]

Don't think I was in any state to notice the MA's... oh yes i remember they told us to 'keep it down' about 2am

[SADSACK]

I can assure you, East Kirkbys tower is terrifying, especially to a sensitive 9 year old. Its not about ghosts, its a case of you really can feel the tension in there.

I hear that Coleby Granges tower is so bad, that even those who scoff at ghosts have run out of it.

The most peaceful I have been in is Metheringhams ruined tower.

I have heard that Hendon is notorious as 2 workman were killed while building the RAf museum. Official books have said that when the Defiant was stored (Fulbeck, I think?) workers noticed its cockpit lit up. Hendon visitors have been punched or taken back by bright flashes.

I heard of a Phantom engineer at Conningsby who was bodily hurled off the wing he was working on.

A pilot in WW2 uniform stared through 85 squadrons mess window at West Malling in the 1950s...

[DazDaMan]

Looking at some of the links posted earlier, it appears Lancaster S-Sugar at Hendon is haunted, too!

[Learning_Slowly]

Sorry Adam!! It wasn't me really it was the ghosts wandering around. Oh and the cadets!!

[Ashley]

Adam...I'll keep a look out in the diary then Oh and don't tell me they haven't sorted out the little problem with the leaky roof in the LWH yet? It was bad enough with the original building, but when the new extension started leaking only weeks after the grand opening, well...there's just no excuse really is there?

Ashley

P.S. I'm not the only one who would like to give some of those cadets a damn good smack in the mouth sometimes then?

[John Cooper]

This is a very interesting thread, loads of different spooky themes.

If any of you get the chance to do it, go to a disused WWII airfield on a still day, I will almost guarantee that if you can stand in the middle of an old runway you will hear the sound of Lancs, Halibags or B-17's side slipping into the sky and off on another mission.

Some of those aerodromes with museums in the Control Tower: just stand on the balcony to count those shot up kites in, imagine the groundcrew activity, the ops people, the MT drivers, the debriefs, the next mission. It's all there, go get it!

[ageorge]

I've walked round the old dispersals at Upper Dallachy - where some of the Banff Strike wing was based , there is a beautiful memorial up there and directly behind it are the old dispersals and the concrete foundations for some buildings , I walked round for an hour or so at dusk - very atmospheric - but not in a creepy way - hard to explain , but just a content feeling , glad I did it and I hope to have a wander around there again.

[Moggy C]

Old fields at dusk are never frightening or threatening.

I'm sure that whatever spirits remain are only too pleased to see that someone is taking the trouble to remember.

Magic places

Remember the opening scenes of 12 O'clock High?

Moggy

[Learning_Slowly]

Cool we can bring the acustic... beer round the bbq I thinks.

[ageorge]

If you are up in Scotland have a wander round the old hospital at East Fortune , all of the buildings are ex RAF and there is definately a "presence" there , we have a caravan a couple of miles down the road in North Berwick and I have walked the dog around there at dusk , it's just very atmospheric , peace and quiet , you can just drink in the feeling , and imagine the crackling noises as somebody fires up a Blenheim or two ...............