RAF Padgate (SRC Padgate)

[221bSlueth]

I have recently received my paternal Grandfather's RAF records. It shows he served at SRC Padgate. Is this the one based in Warrington or in West Kirby during WW2? What duties would have been carried out there?

[Sandyhall]

Coogle - RAF Padgate (SRC Padgate) Wikipedia gives you this about Padgate

RAF Station
During World War II, Padgate had a small RAF Station. RAF Padgate will be well-remembered by thousands of young men who were selected for RAF national service and on this site received their first taste of military discipline, ill-fitting uniforms and a severe haircut.

The site of the former RAF station is now largely covered by a housing estate, bordered by various other local amenities and suburbs of Warrington - Bennett's Rec (where the Cheshire Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps are based) and the railway line to the south, Fearnhead to the North-East, Blackbrook and Cinnamon Brow to the northern side. University Academy Warrington (a secondary school, originally known as Padgate High School and then renamed as Lysander Community High School) is also sited on this land.

The main entrance to the RAF camp was situated on what is now called Station Road North (re-named from its original Station Road title)

Although the RAF site is now largely invisible its legacy lives on in local place names and so on - Insall Road running east-west in parallel to the A574 is named after the one-time commanding officer of the site (Group Captain Insall), the local high school University Academy Warrington (originally named Padgate High School when it was opened in the late 1970s) was known from 2009 to 2013 as Lysander Community High School - the Westland Lysander being one of the aircraft linked to the former RAF base.

Remnants of the camp's presence can still be seen in some parts of the land for example the brickwork from the rifle range can still be seen close to the railway footbridge in the south-west corner of the former site.



RAF Padgate (SRC Padgate) - Image Results take a look at this lots of photos

[221bSlueth]

Thank you for your speedy reply!!! This is really helpful!!!! :-)

[helachau]

This doesn't contribute to your search but I thought this newspaper item very amusing

Newcastle Journal, 3 May 1989
"As a working mum in the 1950s ..... When my first born arrived, daddy was serving Queen and country washing dishes at RAF Padgate. He'd been dragged away screaming and kicking. They say National Service makes a man of you, and it certainly made a man of me."

[peter nicholl]

One of my uncles was a W.O. at Padgate during the War. He was killed in a RTA while seconded to the No. 1 Convalescent Depot in Blackpool. He is buried in the small church at Padgate.

[barbara lee]

My Dad (from Liverpool) volunteered for the RAF on Monday 3rd June 1940, Dunkirk weekend. The first posting on his record card is "3 RC Padgate", probably RC ="Recruiting Centre". By the 9th he was in Bexhill-on-Sea learning drill, and wrote to his sister.
"I was vaccinated and inoculated at Padgate last Tuesday and was sick all day Wednesday."
Barbara