The next FoWT members meeting on 4th April 2022 will welcome guest speaker Aldon Ferguson who will tell us the story of RAF Sealand. As usual, the talk will be followed by an update on the latest Williamson Tunnels news and an illustrated presentation by one of the FoWT committee on another aspect of WIlliamson’s Tunnels, with lots of opportunities for questions and answers.
RAF Sealand opened in 1917 and remained open continuously until the RAF departed in 2006. In that time it played host to one of the most important flying training schools in the RAF and a huge engineering element supporting the RAF. Notable achievements include Johnny Johnson, the top scoring RAF fighter ace of WWII, learned to fly here; two round the world record breakers landing here, Willey Post and Harold Gatty, and Charles Lindbergh; American pilots forming the RAF Eagle squadrons trained here; there was a huge Polish element here at the end of WWII; the site was occupied by the USAF from 1951 to 1957.
This illustrated talk embraces the outline of the history of the station and its two airfields, from WWI, through WWII, The Cold War and right through to the current MoD use by the Defence Electronics & Components Agency.
Aldon Ferguson was brought up in Formby, forging a link with aviation via the air cadets at RAF Woodvale. He joined the RAF and served in the reserves for many years whilst qualifying as a Chartered Surveyor. Aldon started researching into UK military history and wrote many books and magazine articles, was consulted by radio and TV producers and became a respected expert on RAF history. His professional work took him to the Former Soviet Union where he operated for 17 years giving a unique insight into what could have been a potential enemy, and the current situation in Ukraine. He has written nine books including one on Sealand, Woodvale, Shawbury and two on RAF Burtonwood. He now works in conjunction with the RAF Air Historical Branch chronicling threatened RAF stations in great detail for the historical record and understanding of future generations.
If you’re already on our mailing list we’ll e-mail you with the Zoom link close to the date. If you want to be on the invitation list, or you’re unsure whether you already are, just fill in our form and we’ll do the rest.
- FoWT Monthly Members Meeting
- Guest Speaker Aldon Ferguson presents “The Story of RAF Sealand”
- Monday 4th April 2022
- 7:00pm
- Zoom (link will be e-mailed a few days before)