RAF Cranborne Rhodesia

[penny59]

hi there, would you have any photos of the raf camp as my dad was stationed there for 4 years and im trying to get a scrap book up for him, he remembers the big clock where he would meet my mum, and the base and the train that ran thru there, he ws a mechanic on the vehicles,

regards penny

[SkydiveZimbabwe]

https://www.
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(Moderator's note: see below but url is long because the site is still under construction.)

[BryanE1922]

I served in WW2 at Thorn Hill. I'm 91 and may need help to get around this site and use it after today. At the moment my daughter is helping me. I would be happy to be in contact with Maltonboy as I was ground crew as well. I have pictures and memories I'm happy to share.

Bryan

[Sue Mackay]

I served in WW2 at Thorn Hill. I'm 91 and may need help to get around this site and use it after today. At the moment my daughter is helping me. I would be happy to be in contact with Maltonboy as I was ground crew as well. I have pictures and memories I'm happy to share.

Bryan

How marvellous to hear from one with first hand experience. Maltonboy hasn't visited the forum for a couple of years, but hopefully your post will generate an e-mail to him and you will be able to get in touch.

[BabsW17]

My father spent most of early WW2 in Rhodesia where they were training pilots. I have his wonderful photograph album with many photos of the people who were there. Is there anyone else out there with similar. Would love to hear from you if your father was there too.
Jen

Hi There. My father trained to fly Spitfires in Rhodesia - not sure of the dates but prob 1942. He used to play tennis with the family of local people and was well known for playing the piano. His name is/was Granville Hewitt. He loved Rhodesia and would have returned had he not broken both his legs while test driving a motorbike one morning after he returned from reconnaissance over Suez/Med while based in Egypt.
My biggest regret is that I never talked to him about his time in the RAF.
Would love to hear from anyone who may have had photos of people out there during this time.

Babs

[BabsW17]

Hello, did you ever come across a trainee called Granville Hewitt. He trained and qualified as a spitfire pilot, was well know for his amazing piano playing - often used to play in the Mess. Also played tennis and was generally very sporty.
Prob out there around 1941/42.
Love to hear from you
Babs

[BabsW17]

Hello while clearing out my mother's house - she now has dementia and is in a care home - I found an old photo album that belonged to my father. He trained to fly at Cranborne in S Rhodesia and then went on to fly spitfires on reconnaissance. The photos are dated 1944-46. He was well known there for being an excellent pianist and often played in the mess hall. He also played tennis with a Mrs Hunter - her and her husband were very kind to the boys at Cranborne and often invited them to their house to swim and play tennis. I think his war was considerably more pleasant than the one I have read in the excellent book Spitfire!! My father's name was Granville Hewitt. Sadly he died in 1997 and my greatest regret is that I never talked to him about his time in the RAF. I would love to know more if anyone still has a relative who was there and knew him. He would have been 95 this year. Babs

[Lesley Robertson]

Why don't you buy a copy of his records from the MOD? You will meed 30 pounds and a copy of his death cert.
See HERE.

My Dad was at Cranborne periodically between 1945-49, but he was RAF Signals. I have what seems to be the mandatory book of photos, but he rarely wrote more "than "Bob" or "Jimmy at the beach" or that sort of thing. One day, I'll get around to scanning them.

[Phillipevn]

Hi There. My father trained to fly Spitfires in Rhodesia - not sure of the dates but prob 1942. He used to play tennis with the family of local people and was well known for playing the piano. His name is/was Granville Hewitt. He loved Rhodesia and would have returned had he not broken both his legs while test driving a motorbike one morning after he returned from reconnaissance over Suez/Med while based in Egypt.
My biggest regret is that I never talked to him about his time in the RAF.
Would love to hear from anyone who may have had photos of people out there during this time.

Babs

Hello Babs. Unfortunately the RATG did not have Spitfires in Rhodesia. They only had Harvards and Tiger Moths, therefore your father must have trained on Spitfires in the UK or in another commonwealth country.

[Phillipevn]

This RAF airfield of the RATG was just outside Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia. Some of the buildings still remain and can be seen at the following location on Google Earth: 17°51'4.27"S 31° 4'20.94"E 3 x hangars, 17°50'51.60"S 31° 4'22.16"E location of entrance. I also have an old aerial photo showing RAF Cranborne but don't know how to post it.