37 (HD) Headquarters at Woodham Mortimer (Essex)

[stephen p nunn]

Back in the 1970s, when I first started researching 37 (HD) Squadron, I pulled together material about the original 1916 Flight Stations at Goldhanger (C), Stow Maries (B) and Rochford (A), but couldn’t find very much about the Squadron Headquarters at Woodham Mortimer. I did, however, find out that the HQ was at ‘The Grange’, an attractive Queen Anne residence on the Southend Road. I plucked up courage one day and knocked on the door. I was greeted by the then owner, a lovely chap called Geoffrey Bovill. He took pity on me and showed me around the grounds. I distinctly remember seeing a number of concrete bases. Geoffrey said that he thought that workshops once stood there. Apart from that, there was very little else to see. Over the subsequent years, I have often wondered what the site looked like during the GW. More importantly, was there ever a landing strip there and (if there was) where was it located? (There are open fields still to the rear of the house). Here is a picture from my snaps of ‘The Grange’ taken at the time and a map (‘The Grange’ is unmarked but is near ‘Tyndales’). Does anyone know any more about the HQ at Woodham Mortimer please?

Regards.

Stephen (Maldon)

[Open Bolt]

Good question... I see the Stow Maries buildings are visible on the OS but not much to be seen at The Grange.

[stephen p nunn]

Thank you very much Open Bolt. Good map and picture. Looks like 'The Grange' has recently been hugely restored inside and has been on the market/sold. Yes, the Stow site is well preserved and well known, there isn't much at Goldhanger and Rochford is now London Southend Airport. Here is an aerial shot I took of Stow, but there isn't anything to be seen from the air at Woodham Mortimer. Regards. Stephen (Maldon).

Edited 2 February by stephen p nunn

[stephen p nunn]

Interesting comment on the ukairfield.net site about Woodham Mortimer:

"In 2018 I found compelling evidence that this site did not have an aerodrome, it being purely the administrative centre. I will very much welcome advice on this. Especially because, if although not an operational Station, this might not preclude aircaft sometimes landing here on communications duties and so on. And of course a 'landing run' of 300 metres or even less, would have been quite acceptable".

[GROBBY]

As far as I can find out and have asked some people at Stow ,Woodham Mortimer never had a landing ground  and a landing run of 300 mtrs or less would have had to have been that distance all ways to take in the different wind directions. Thank you for the topic it is interesting

[stephen p nunn]

Thanks Grobby. Yes, I think 300 meters square would still fit. I have a vague recolection that Geoffrey Bovill told me that aircraft landed for some repair and maintenance?

Regards.

Stephen (Maldon).

[stephen p nunn]

So I assume that ‘The Grange’, Woodham Mortimer, became 37 Squadron’s HQ from the September of 1916 and continued as such until June 1918, when it transferred to Stow Maries?

Maldon Draper; Charles Isdore Bentall (1852-1925) was at ‘The Grange’ from around 1912 with his wife, Elizabeth (née Firmin) and their family of eight children. They were all still there at the start of 1914, but then relocated to Worthing.

Regards.

Stephen (Maldon).

 

[Red Gate]

It was quite late in the formation of 37 Squadron that The Grange was made HQ.  Initially the HQ was going to be Creeksea at Burnham-on-Crouch. 

[stephen p nunn]

10 minutes ago, Red Gate said:

It was quite late in the formation of 37 Squadron that The Grange was made HQ.  Initially the HQ was going to be Creeksea at Burnham-on-Crouch. 

So are you saying that 'The Grange' wasn't commandeered in September 1916?

[Red Gate]

Just to clarify that The Grange had been selected as the HQ by September 1916 and was then used by the Squadron until the HQ was moved to the Stiw Maries site. The original choice of Creeksea had been rejected a short time beforehand.  

[stephen p nunn]

Just now, Red Gate said:

Just to clarify that The Grange had been selected as the HQ by September 1916 and was then used by the Squadron until the HQ was moved to the Stiw Maries site. The original choice of Creeksea had been rejected a short time beforehand.  

i think that is what I said in my post?

[stephen p nunn]

So - to clarify. 37 was re-formed as a Home Defence Squadron on the 15/9/1916. They established their HQ at 'The Grange' that very same month and continued to use it until June 1918.

Regards.

Stephen (Maldon).

[GROBBY]

Yes

[stephen p nunn]

'The Grange' (literally) "today".

[stephen p nunn]

In today's local paper.....

[stephen p nunn]

Visited Maldon Cemetery today (for another reson) and happened to notice this grave at position 42.59.

As you can see it is to a William Frederick BIGGS.

Turns out he was an Air Mechanic 2nd Class (41197) with 75 Squadron RFC.

Born in Tottenham, he joined 75 Squadron - formed at Goldington, Bedfordshire, on 1/10/1916.

During the evening of Wednesday 29/11/1916 he was at The Grange, Woodham Mortimer (the Headquarters for 37 Squadron) when he was accidentally killed.

He was lighting the rear lamp of an army lorry when another, about 3-4 yards away, began rolling forward because the handbrake had not been firmly applied. His head was crushed between the two vehicles causing fatal laceration of the skull and compression of the brain.

He is recorded as having previously served in Gallipoli, and had volunteered for the Royal Naval Armoured Car Division in 1914. 

He is also commemorated on the Wanstead War Memorial.

What a story and just discovered by chance.

What was someone from 75 Squadron doing at the 37 Squadron HQ?

Stephen (Maldon).