Did you serve at St Eval? (From Gazette)

Did you serve at St Eval?

1:39pm Tuesday 7th February 2012 in Letters

The RAF St Eval Friends Reunited Association is trying to contact all ex- RAF St Eval personnel and invite them to our next reunion, which will be held at the Trebarwith Hotel, in Newquay, Cornwall, in September.

All members receive two newsletters each year and we can also do a search for your ex-St Eval pals.

RAF St Eval (Cornwall) airfield opened in 1939 and closed in March 1959. It was one of the largest coastal command stations in the country, situated about seven miles from Newquay.

So the airfield could be built, a Cornish hamlet consisting of seven cottages and the public house, the Spry Arms, which was situated where the runway was to be built, were demolished.

It was strongly rumoured the Norman church situated on the periphery of the airfield was to be demolished.

But it survived to become the centrepiece of the station badge.

More than 1,000 personnel lost their lives while serving at RAF St Eval and in the churchyard is a poignant reminder of the past where many brave RAF personnel are buried.

For more information, phone 01202 423292

David Lockyer
Bournemouth