Little Holland
LITTLE HOLLAND: Temporary Landing Ground (Much later renamed HOLLAND-on-SEA)
Operated by: Lt. 'Reggie' Marix (RNAS)
Location: Roughly 1.25nm ENE of Clacton-on-Sea town centre
Period of operation: 12th May 1914, and also, it appears, in May 1913
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
We have Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide', to thank for both discovering this location and providing the following items. It is yet another example, (and quite a few have been listed), of a service pilot being allowed to use a front-line aircraft as a run-about to visit family and friends -a practice that continued up to, and including (!) WW2.
These two maps are a great illustration of how so many rural towns quickly expanded during the 20th century.
The article and Photo One was published in the Clacton Graphic and East Coast Illustrated News on the 16th May 1914. Note how the reporter misspelt his surmame.
The Photo One is of the Short Type D, (No.104), being operated at EASTCHURCH on the Isle of Sheppey in KENT. The portrait photo of Lt. Marix is from, "Reggie - the life of Air Vice Marshall R L G Marix." by John Lea.
The area view is from my Google Earth © derived database. Please note that a great many flying sites listed in this 'Guide' are not pinned on this database.
NOTES: The attitudes of the public, and indeed land-owners, have changed massively in recent decades. Back in the days before WW1 especially, and for that matter prior to WW2, military pilots were of the officer class. Wealthy middle class or above mostly. So, taking the liberty to land pretty much anywhere they chose, was generally welcomed - or - at least put up with.
In the early days, even if making a forced landing, an aeroplane, (or machine as they were called), could very quickly attract large crowds.And, the most famous aviators of the day really were 'super-stars'. Indeed, if a public 'exhibition of flying' had been arranged,(even for one machine and pilot), it could attract huge numbers of spectators.
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