South Shields flying sites
Note: This map gives the location of the Seaplane Station.
SOUTH SHIELDS see also WESTOE CRICKET GROUND
SOUTH SHIELDS: Military Seaplane Station
MIlitary users: RNAS/RAF (Royal Naval Air Service / Royal Air Force)
Seaplane Station (sub-stations at TEES BAY and SEATON CAREW)
Repair Depot and Acceptance Depot (sub-station to BROUGH)
Location: South side of River Tyne entrance, S of the seaboard Arbela Roman Fort site between South Groyne and start of South Pier, N and NE of the B1334
Period of operation: 1916 to 1919
Site area: 21 acres
NOTES: It does appear there might have been two water based sites in this area during WW1. The first being the military establishment listed above and the second being a site constructed by Dick, Kerr & Co which opened in February 1918 according to Ron Smith in his book British Built Aircraft Vol.5. The story he tells strikes me as being extraordinary, almost defying any attempt to be sensible let alone logical.
It appears Dick, Kerr & Co moved Felixstowe F.3 flying boats built in Preston across to South Shields, (where a number of seaplane and flying boat sheds had been erected), by steam-driven lorries for final assembly and flight-testing. This journey would have been a long and arduous task taking three days at least, possibly more in winter?
Ron Smith maintains that a total of 35 F.3 were assembled and tested here, the last on the 28th February 1919. At some point the site was taken over as a Marine Aircraft Acceptance Depot before eventually being handed over to the RAF in December 1919
Alan Cummings
This comment was written on: 2018-04-10 18:38:04Cobbham flew from Boldon Flats - my father (92) remembers him well and years later, met Cobbham's secretary whilst travelling.
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