St Aubins Bay
St AUBINS BAY: Civil seawater and also beach aerodrome/airport (Aka WEST PARK)
Note: Seen here at high tide, to the top left hand of this picture of St Helier.
British airline users: 1930s: Jersey Airways, Kirston & Mace Ltd, and possibly, Lundy & Atlantic Coast Air Services
Post 1945: Aquila
Location: Adjacent to & W of St Helier
Period of operation: For airline use 1933 to 1937 (After which JERSEY airport opened)
Note: Other ad-hoc visits occurred from 1930 to 1951
NOTES: In 1930 at least Kirston & Mace Ltd operated a Saunders-Roe ‘Cutty Sark’ G-AAIP from here to Southampton. Converted Short Sunderland flying boats were used for the Aquila services later on, after WW2. Jersey Airways used the beach in the 1930s (1933 to 1937) often with several DH.84 Dragons flying in formation from HESTON and lining up abreast on the beach after landing. Later other De Havilland airliner types were also employed. An incredible spectacle both in the air and on the beach.
Typically it appears the truth of the matter is rather more complicated. In his book The Triple Alliance Neville Doyle states: “Probably the first landing by a Dragon on the beach of St. Aubin’s Bay in Jersey took place on June 19th 1933, when Hillman’s Airways Capt Flowerday arrived to collect Mrs Hidden of Holland-on-Sea who had been taken ill on holiday. Seats were removed to make room for a stretcher …” This would make sense as the Kirston and Mace Saunders-Roe ‘Cutty Sark’ was an amphibious type, and although it was pictured on the beach, at high tide it might well have ‘moored’ near a pontoon or pier? Indeed, the same might had applied to the Supermarine Seagull, which Neville Doyle mentions, operated briefly by the ‘Tour and Travel Association’ from Southampton.
I had made this note: In 1934 Jersey Airways were operating a fleet of eight DH Dragons flying from both Southampton (EASTLEIGH) and HESTON. They landed on the beach of course and due to the tide, which can rise to 40ft, no doubt their stay was fairly short? “At the height of the season, it was not unknown for all Jersey’s eight Dragons to be in the air at once.” And, Jersey Airways had exclusive rights to operate from the ‘St Helier beach’.
As Mike Charltons fabulous pictures prove, Jersey Airways also later flew their DH86 Express' and DH89 Dragon Rapides onto this beach.
A MIKE CHARLTON GALLERY
Up until February 2018 I had lived in hope of getting a picture of aircraft on this beach to add to this listing - I had seen a couple of pictures over the last twenty years. Then - wham! - Mike sent me twelve. What a treasure trove, and I trust you will agree.
A far as I am aware nothing like this has ever occurred in the UK - with so many 'airliners' descending on a beach. Seven in this picture! These pictures are all from postcards and Mike Charlton has an amazing collection. See, www.aviationpostcard.co.uk
First picture: In the foreground is the DH89A Dragon Rapide G-ADBW. Jersey Airways, based at HESTON in west London, operated G-ADBW from the 28th May 1935 until the 21st of July 1938. Airwork at HESTON then acquired 'BW' from the 30th of January 1939 until the 15th July 1040, basing it at SHOREHAM AIRPORT.
The DH86 Express G-ACZR was registered to Jersey Airways, on Jersey, from the 27th of January 1934 until the 21st of July 1940, and was based at SOUTHAMPTON (EASTLEIGH). The DH86 Express G-ACYG was based at HESTON.
Third picture. What can be made of this? It appears the first Dragon in this picture, G-ACNH, was registered to Northern & Scottish Airways, and based at RENFREW from the 4th July 1935 until January 1937. The second in line, G-ACNG, was first registered with Spartan Airlines (COWES) on the Isle of Wight, then British Airways (ABRIDGE - ESSEX). Finally ending up with Northern & Scottish at RENFREW and British Airways also at RENFREW.
The third in line, G-ACMP, was registered to Jersey Airways, and based at Jersey, from the 31st January 1934 to the 30th December 1937. Presumably they decamped after the summer season to find another source of revenue elsewhere?
The fourth in line, G-ACMO was also registered to Northern & Scottish Airways at RENFREW from February 1934 to September 1940. What are we to make of this? Presumably Jersey Airways hired in aircraft to cope with their 'high season' workload? It has to be remembered that in those days holiday periods were generally strictly controlled, and August was the high season. In Scotland, especially in the west, August has abysmal weather by and large, so it made sense to send some of their aircraft south where they could work quite profitably.
Fourth picture. Eight Dragons on the beach! What a fabulous scene. The postcard was captioned "Jersey Airways" but here again the DH84 Dragon in the foreground, G-ACCR, was registered to Doris Godley who ran Commercial Air Hire from CROYDON. So presumably a 'subbie' to Jersey Airways? Commercial Air Hire operated it from the 13th December 1934 until the 21st January 1936 when it crashed in the Channel.
The second DH84 Dragon, G-ACMP, was registered to Jersey Airways from the 1st December 1933 until the 22nd of July 1935, when it crashed onto mudflats near Cardiff.
Sixth picture: Here again you might expect these DH84 Dragons were belonging to Jersey Airways. But in fact G-ACNI was registered initially to British AW Ltd, (HESTON) from February 1934. Then to Airwork at HESTON, from the 31st December 1936 until March 1937.
G-ACNH was registered to Northern and Scottish Airways - see above.
G-ACNJ was registered to A.C. Pearson at HESTON from the 1st February 1934 when it went to Allied Airways DYCE (ABERDEEN) from the 6th December 1937 until the 29th June 1945. An example of a civil aircraft operating throughout WW2. Here yet again, proof that Jersey Airways relied heavily on sub-contractors to fulfil their scheduled services.
Seventh picture: The first picture shows the DH.86 Express G-ACZR in the foreground and this was registered to Jersey Airways from the 21st January 1934 until the 21st July 1940. The second Express, G-ACZO, was actually registered a few months later, on the 7th July 1934 - which seems a bit odd. As with 'Zulu Romeo' this registration was cancelled on the 21st July 1940. Presumaby when the Jersey Airways fleet was impressed into military service.
G-ACZO was impressed as AX841 and G-ACZR as AX844. Neither survived WW2.
Note that the Jersey Airways coach gives Paris as a destination. Seeing this I suppose Jersey Airways flew to other destinations in northern France - and perhaps to Belgium too? I also wonder if the bonfire, (seen in the mid-ground), was lit in lieu of a windsock? Smoke can give a much better indication of wind direction in light wind conditions.
One small detail, the batch of DH86 Express, G-ACZN, G-ACZO, G-ACZP and G-ACZR were all registered to Jersey Airways PORTSMOUTH.
Ninth picture: The Dragon C-ACMJ was registered to Jersey Airways from the 7th of December 1933. Later it went to WESTON (Weston-Super-Mare) and appears to have been registered to a private/company owner before being registered to Western Airways, also at WESTON, from the 1st July 1938 until the 2nd April 1940. It was then impressed into military service as X9396.
JERSEY AIRWAYS FLEET
Jersey Airways 1930s fleet:
DH84 Dragon: G-ACMC, G-ACMJ, G-ACMP and G-ACNH
DH86 Express: G-ACYF, G-ACYG, G-ACZN, G-ACZO, G-ACZP and G-ACZR
DH89A Dragon Rapide: G-ADBW
TWO BONUS PICTURES FROM MIKE CHARLTON
In October 2018 Mike came across these two lovely pictures.
QUITE A CONTROVERSEY
It appears that in 1934 there was quite a battle going on regarding flying ‘rights’ onto Jersey. Previously the railways companies had enjoyed virtually a monopoly with SR (Southern Railways) having a ferry from Southampton and GWR (Great Western Railways) a ferry from Weymouth. The railway companies decided that using Saro Cloud amphibians was the best option before an airport could be constructed.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
In May 2020 I was kindly contacted by Mr Mike Bisson who is the editor of Jerripedia.
He sent me this link:
www.theislandwiki.org/index.php/Aviation pictures_-_on_the_beach
Without any doubt the finest collection of pictures to be found anywhere and such a delight to scroll through - with some surprising visitors.
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