Memorial

Plaque R.A.F. Milfield 1941-47 Maelmin Heritage Trail

Milfield

Memorial Name: Plaque R.A.F. Milfield 1941-47 Maelmin Heritage Trail (M9.02)

NEWMP Ref No.: M9.02

Parish: Milfield

Original Location:

Maelmin Heritage Trail. In the car park.

Which War:

1939-45

Dedication, Creation or Publication date:

Unveiled 10th November 2006 by Sir John Willis, retired Chief Air Marshal;
dedicated by Rev. Brian Hurst, Vicar of Kirknewton.

Materials Used:

Stainless steel plaque on limestone boulder.

Card sheets on wood panels.

Who Commissioned:

Archaeological Research Services Ltd.

Cost:

Stone £500; plaque c£1,200; concrete c£160.

How Money was Raised:

English Heritage.

Inscription:

To honour the men and
women that served at
RAF Milfield 1941-1946
and to those that lost
their lives at this facility.

Royal Air Force Royal Canadian Air Force
(Names)

Memorial Description:

Plaque 36 inches high x 18 inches wide (91cms x 46cms) mounted on rough triangular boulder approx. 72 inches high (183cms).

The names are in two columns, those for Royal Air Force on the left and those for the Royal Canadian Air Force on the right, with a Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Force entry at the bottom.

Lettering is incised and blackened using serif capitals for the names and lower case for the dates.

Beside them are three panels which describe:
1. RAF Milfield
2. RAF Milfield Training Units and Aircraft
3. The Men & Women at R.A.F. Milfield

Names:

R.A.F.: 42 names and dates of death;
R.C.A.F.: 37 names and dates of death:
R.C.N.V.R. 1 name and date of death.
See transcript.

Notes:

1. The memorial was erected as part of the ‘Cheviot Quarry Public Outreach Project’ supported by English Heritage through the ALSF (Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund).

2. “RAF Milfield was opened in 1942, but we put 1941-1946 on the memorial to commemorate all the labourers and contractors who built the base before the arrival of the RAF crew. It lists the names of the British and Canadian dead which we were able to acquire from sources. The Canadian War Museum kindly sent us a list of Canadian war dead, which is more comprehensive than the otherwise admirable list compiled by Evans in his book”.

3. The steel plaque was missing for a few months but was replaced in 2022.

4. Information boards on RAF Milfield were placed on the Maelmin Heritage Trail to remind visitors of the military history of the region. These have disintegrated with the weather and scattered around. In 2022 only one of these was visible. There has been some restoration since.

5. The name of “M Bouquen (Bel)” is wrong. Simon Glancey says He is actually Marcel Bouguen (note spelling), D.F.C., a Free French ace with five kills to his name.

Sources:

Photos: J. Brown

Northumberland Gazette
16/11/2006 reports unveiling.

Additional Research Documents

Research Acknowledgements:

George and Janet Brown;
Kristian L.R. Pedersen (Archaeological Research Services Ltd.)

Research In Progress:

If you are researching this memorial please contact 2014@newmp.org.uk

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Names Documents:

To honour the men and
women that served at
RAF Milfield from 1941-1946
and to those that lost
their lives at this facility

Royal Air Force Royal Canadian Air Force.

M. Bouquen (Bel) 9th March 1944 A.C. Baker – 26th Jun 1942
L. Cullener – 27th Mar 1943 R.S. Bellis – 27th Mar 1945
P. Davies – 27th Apr 1943 P.N. Bernhart – 3rd Apr 1945
D. Dawson – 2nd Jun 1943 W.A. Campbell – 2nd Jun 1942
M. DeFreitas – 5th May 1943 R.C. Collins – 19th Feb 1943
C. Ellis – 5th Jul 1943 M.A. Dixon – 2nd Apr 1943
D.M. Flack – 29th Jun 1943 E. Eves – 21st Jan 1942
G.W.R. Ford – 13th Apr 1945 S.D. Fassino – 28th Oct 1941
P. Gledall – 20th Feb. 1942 D.M. Flack – 29th Jun 1943
A. Greenwood – 30th Oct 1945 N.L. Gordon – 1st Feb 1942
R.W. Hall – 13th Jan 1945 W.N. Hergott – 12th Jun 1942
P. Hartley – 23rd Sept 1942 R.R. Hines – 19th Jan 1941
M. Hobbs – 14th Jan 1943 W.O. Krueger – 17th Mar 1942
S. Holden – 6th Oct 1943 J.B.R. Lalonde – 5th Jan 1942
M. Humphrey – 14th Jul 1943 A.N. Laporte – 10th May 1942
T. Inglis – 24th Jun 1943 L.F. Le-Chien – 4th Jul 1943
F.R. Jeyes – 20th Jul 1945 A.H. Leuty – 21st Apr 1943
A.V. Jones – 29th Nov 1943 R.D. Maynard – 13th Jan 1943
M. Jones – 13th Jun 1943 D.L. Meisner – 7th Nov 1941
J. Kemp – 14th Jun 1943 F.W. Mossing – 12th May 1945
Y. Look-Yan – 14th Jan 1944 J.C. Nabors – 7th Jun 1943
M.C. Knight – 24th May 1943 G.H.F. Neate – 6th Nov 1942
T. Kyle – 15th Nov 1942 K.F. Peters – 20th Feb 1941
K. MacFadzen – 27th Mar 1943 N.C. Pow – 12th Dec 1941
R.G. Marshal – 27th Nov 1945 F.A. Pyatt – 22nd Jun 1942
L. McDermat – 15th Nov 1942 J.K. Roberts – 18th Jul 1941
M. McDougal – 5th Sep 1943 K.L. Shonk – 7th Jul 1941
A. McGregor – 28th Feb 1945 I.W. Smith – 9th Apr 1945
J. Methun – 1st Sept 1942 W.W. Smith – 17th Mar 1942
M. Mortimer – 7th Nov 1942 R.F.D. Smith – 8th Mar 1945
J. Neat – 23rd Sept 1942 G. Stevenson – 24th Jul 1941
C. O’Keeffe – 7th Aug 1943 G.A. Sullivan – 27th Mar 1945
W. Parker – 29th Jan 1946 M.C. Tagseth – 13th Aug 1941
B.S. Pollard – 18th May 1945 B.W. Taylor – 13th Apr 1942
A.B.E. Rutherford – 30th Sept 1944 D.T. Vail – 22nd Feb 1942
G. Serapiglia (USA) – 12th Apr 1944 H.H. Way – 26th May 1942
R.F.D. Smith – 1st Mar 1945 V.T. Wolfe – 7th May 1942
G.A. Sullivan – 7th Mar 1945
P. Taverner – 26th Jul 1943 Royal Canadian Naval
O. Thompson – 27th Apr 1943 Volunteer Reserve
R. Von Shalk – 20th Feb 1943
H. Wilkinson 2nd May 1944 D.R.B. Cosh 24th Jun 1944
NamesM9.02