Does anyone recall the RAF air-sea rescue launches which were based at Blyth, both during the war, and afterwards, possibly into the late fifties. If we were down at the beach, and especially the small beach between the piers, to see the launch come down the river, then pass the harbour bar, it would open up full power, and it was a sight to see. There was an article in the Mail on Sunday, "Live" magazine a few months back about the launches, and I think one featured, and which had been fully restored, had, in fact, been based at Blyth. It was a very good article with several colour photographs.
I also recall the tide tables, and the ship arrivals and departures lists, which were published in the Blyth News - Mondays and Thursdays?, because I am sure it was published twice a week in the 40s & 50s. When we were down at the beach in the summer ships seemed to be coming into harbour, and sailing out every half hour. But that might be my memory playing tricks. One collier was a 10,000 tons, and it looked massive compared to the usual ones. It may have been the 'Nairnbank'. We used to fish for poddlers on the Cambois side. Go across on the small ferry, and fish from one of the jetties near the Seven Stars Pub. I was told "when Aa was a lad" that the Seven Stars was the nearest pub in England to Norway. That gem of information has stuck with me all my life, but I do not know if it was true. Any observations, anyone ? Also we used to winkling on the rocks at Cambois. Those ladders on the sea side of the sea wall seemed never ending when you were 7-8 years of age.
Yes, I not only remember the Air Sea Rescue Base in Blyth but was taken on board one of them one day by 'Uncle' Frank who was in Command of that Base. 'Uncle' Frank was not a family uncle but one of the best friends my Mam and Dad ever had. They shared lodgings in Hunstanton about 1930 during the depression.
I had been sent back to Consett where I was born in 1933, from about 1940 to the end of 1943 so it would have been 1943 when Frank and Dolly asked us to stay with them for the weekend in Blyth.
Frank was a typical seaman of old with so many stories for us nippers. He got his Master's ticket in 1930 when only 23 years old - youngest at that time to do so. When the war came they put him in the RAF!! Anyway he was a Squadron Leader acting Wing Commander when in Blyth. I cannot recall much more than the interior of the Air Sea Rescue boat and that only vaguely.
But I do remember well the night we were woken by German Fighters shooting down the Naval Barrage Balloons. The flames lit up the night sky. A woman across the street from us opened her front door and a bullet hit the stone wall next to the door.
Can anyone recall this incident at all? It must have been in the news at the time. If so what was the name of the street we were in?
I really came looking through the Dixon pages as am on the hunt for another one right now. John Dixon born about 1844/1845 in Haydon Bridge or Allendale.
