RAF in Ireland

[Blue-Spirit]

My father a LAC was for a while in wwii was based in Ireland, but I am not sure where, so I am going on what I remember him telling me , He visited Ballymena almost all of his short stay in Ireland.
Would anyone know of the nearest base to Ballymena please.

[Martin Briscoe]

There was not an airfield at Ballymena but various ones in the surrounding area - Mullaghmore, Toome, Aldergrove, Cluntoe, Nutt's Corner, Lanford Lodge, Sandy Bay.  There could also be Maintenance Units and comms /  radar stations in the area.

I suspect that you will need more information before you can get anywhere.

Martin Briscoe

[aghadowey]

This site is U.S. stationed in Northern Ireland but it might be useful if you do get some more information as sometimes U.S. and U.K. airmen were stationed at same place.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~herz/trace/n_ire.htm

Also found this site which might help if you can find your way around it:
www.rafcommands.currantbun.com/home.html

My brother-in-law's father was stationed in Northern Ireland during World War II and said they were 'at the bottom of Lough Neagh' which always made us laugh and picture him underwater but he also mentioned going to Ballymena.

[YvonneR]

Hi Blue Spirit


I'm not sure if this will help but my father who was American and in the 121st Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division was stationed in Northern Ireland from December 1943 until arriving in France in July 1944.

I am a member of the 8th ID group and thought that this might be useful as background information and as a follow on from what Aghadowey has found for you.


http://www.techwarrior.cx/~roliver/8th/8th-chapter2.htm

Quote:

"Every two weeks during the period in Northern Ireland, the Division sent seventy-five enlisted men and fifteen officers to the British 55th Division and received an equal number of United Kingdom troops for a two-week period. This was in accordance with an exchange plan worked out by military authorities of both nations. It proved beneficial from a training standpoint, and helped promote better understanding among Allied soldiers."

Of course I do not know what division your father was in but this shows that these exchanges took place.


Best wishes

Agnes

[Blue-Spirit]

Thank you all for the imput, sorry but i have onlly just discovered that there was a reply to this subject.

 Not that I have my answers but it certainly looks like i need some more info, which will be almost inpossible as my father is deceased, however there is some interesting reading discovered from your links. RAF Commands, I have been a member there for quite a few yrs now, but never got any replies.

Thank you all kindly for your efforts.

[IMBER]

My mother was in the WAAF in WW2 and based at Long Kesh for a while.  I'm going to be applying for a copy of her service record shortly.  Perhaps you should do the same for your father?

[Blue-Spirit]

Hi;
I received my fathers service records some yrs ago along with unclaimed medals, but the  service records had much missing, so beware that you do not find the same.

regards

[Bonnie66]

Hi

My Dad was based in Ballymena and he was working on Radar with the REME - he also played for the British Forces Football team as the goalie against a Northern Irish side (mainly pros) Dad got a sore back from getting the ball out of the back of the net.........

If you are looking for info on the RAF Commands Board try contacting a guy called Dennis Burke - he has all the Irish stuff at his finger tips - he found my cousins crash site in the Blue Stacks for me.

Dyan