RNAS Stretton (HMS Blackcap)

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Royal Naval Air Station Stretton (HMS Blackcap), was an airfield close to the village of Stretton, south of Warrington, in Cheshire.

The airfield is south west of junction 9 of the M56 motorway and originally had three runways.

1 War Years
2 Post War Years
3 Wren Anne McCormick
4 Links
5 References

[edit] War Years

RNAS Stretton was originally planned as a Royal Air Force night fighter station to protect Liverpool and Manchester from German air raids during World War II. However changes in German tactics meant that the airfield was not required so was transferred to the Admiralty on completion.

HMS Blackcap was commissioned on 1st June 1942 and forty-one Fleet Air Arm Squadrons were based here for periods as aircraft were flown directly to and from aircraft carriers based at Liverpool.

Fairey Aviation used the airfield for flight-testing Barracudas, Fireflies and Fulmars before they were despatched to their operational squadrons. In 1944 the air station was also used as an Aircraft Maintenance Yard.

[edit] Post War Years

At the end of the war American Naval Aircraft were flown into Blackcap to be broken up for disposal. The Aircraft Maintenance Yard at Blackcap meant that the airfield continued to operate and, at is peak, handled one third of all Fleet Air Arm Aircraft and all its spare engines.

In 1947 the Admiralty’s decided to form Royal Naval Reserve Squadrons. The first to be based at Stretton was 1831 Naval Air Squadron, a fighter squadron. It which was formed on the 1st June 1947. It was joined on the 18th August 1952 by 1841 Naval Air Squadron, an anti-submarine squadron. Both these Squadrons formed the Northern Air Division which was disbanded in March 1957.

The last squadron based at Blackcap was 728B Naval Air Squadron, formed in January 1958. The squadron was relocated on 15th February 1958 to HMS Falcon, Hal Far, Malta.

The airfield was closed down on 4th November 1958.

[edit] Wren Anne McCormick

On 31st May 1943 eight WRNS ratings were killed in as the truck in which they were travelling lost control and overturned^[1]. The Wrens were returning from local dance to the wrennery at HMS Blackcap.

Seven of the Wrens were buried by their families in their home towns. Anne McCormick, aged 17, was buried by the Royal Navy with full military honours, in the graveyard of the local church - St Cross Church, Appleton Thorn.

The Manchester branch of the Fleet Air Arm Association continue to celebrate the life of Anne McCormick in the annual remembrance service held at St Cross Church in June.