RAF Eshott, Felton
RAF Eshott near Felton opened in November 1942 and for the duration of the war was home to 57 Operational Training Unit (O.T.U.) who specialised in training pilots on the Supermarine Spitfire. Eshott was unusual in that the main east/west runway was exceedingly large for a fighter station, at over 1,800 yards, and on several occasions it was used as a diversionary airfield for bombers who were unable to land at their parent station for one reason or another.
57 O.T.U. began moving from RAF Hawarden in north Wales in early November with the advance party consisting of 1 WAAF Officer and 38 Airwomen arriving on 3rd November and billeted at dispersed sites around the airfield and at Eshott Hall which had been requisitioned. The move had been completed by 11th November with all aircraft arriving safely.
The defence of the airfield was to be carried out by members of the RAF Regiment, but a last minute change meant that this duty was to be carried out by personnel of 57 O.T.U. who were given instruction and training on 16th November in the new defence plan covering Eshott and it’s satellite airfield at Boulmer, which was still under construction.
Further training was carried out in December with 120 personnel completing an 8 day course combining field training tactics, patrol, air defence and machine gun instruction.
Flying training began immediately and by the end of December a total of 774 flying hours had been accrued with no accidents recorded. The average course consisted of formation flying, battle formation training, low level flying, gunnery training, practise interception exercises, dogfighting and each student was expected to complete at least one long range cross country exercise.
By the end of January 1943 six accidents had been reported with the most serious involving Miles Master N7575 on the 15th which suffered engine failure whilst approaching to land, struck the ground hard, ploughed through a hedge and broke up. The pilot Sgt Neil “Dutch” Van Wyk of the Royal Canadian Air Force, but actually an American citizen, was miraculously unhurt, his aircraft however was a total write off.
The first fatal accident occurred on 3rd February 1943 when young French pilot Sgt H.R.E. Moureaux was killed when his Spitfire flew into high ground near Rothbury whilst carrying out aerobatics. The crash had been witnessed by a shepherd but it was a number of days before the wreckage was found when dense fog descended on the area.
As the war progressed accidents and fatalities increased until the 57 Operatioal Training Unit ceased operations on 15th May 1945. The final course was wound up before the completion of phase 2 and the station closed down shortly afterwards and was put into care and maintainence.
The airfield is still in use today privately and some of the original buildings can still be seen, although many have been demolished.
Accident Summary
1942
Nov – 1 accident / 0 fatal
Dec – 0 accidents
1943
Jan – 6 accidents / 0 fatal
Feb – 13 accidents / 3 fatal
Mar – 16 accidents / 3 fatal
Apr – 11 accidents / 3 fatal
May – 12 accidents / 1 fatal
Jun – 9 accidents / 1 fatal
Jul – 16 accidents / 3 fatal
Aug – 13 accidents / 0 fatal
Sep – 9 accidents / 0 fatal
Oct – 6 accidents / 2 fatal
Nov – 12 accidents / 4 fatal
Dec – 3 accidents / 0 fatal
1944
Jan – 9 accidents / 0 fatal
Feb – 9 accidents / 0 fatal
Mar – 6 accidents / 1 fatal
Apr – 7 accidents / 2 fatal
May – 4 accidents / 1 fatal
Jun – 6 accidents / 1 fatal
Jul – 4 accidents / 0 fatal
Aug – 11 accidents / 0 fatal
Sep – 6 accidents / 1 fatal
Oct – 7 accidents / 1 fatal
Nov – 7 accidents / 0 fatal
Dec – 10 accidents / 1 fatal
1945
Jan – 7 accidents / 0 fatal
Feb – 14 accidents / 1 fatal
Mar – 20 accidents / 0 fatal
Apr – 9 accidents / 3 fatal
May – 7 accidents / 0 fatal
Jun – 0 accidents
Jul – 0 accidents
Aug – 1 accident / 0 fatal
Total accidents 271 / 32 fatalities
