WWII Cheshire, RAF Cranage, near Middlewich - pillbox (1)

Image: © Mike Searle Taken: 3 Aug 2017

- Pillbox (variant): DoB ID: S0000216 This large type 24 (variant) pillbox in the northeast corner of the former airfield, lies in a field on the south side of King's Lane. It has large stepped embrasures that enabled a 360 degree covering fire. RAF Cranage was built just before the outbreak of the Second World War for use as an aircraft storage facility, but became a Relief Landing Ground (RLG) for No.5 Flying Training School by August 1940. In November Cranage became the No. 2 School of Air Navigation using Avro Anson aircraft, and renamed the Central Navigation School in 1942, remaining at Cranage until 1944. From May 1941 Avro Manchester bombers were stored at Cranage, and Wellington bombers also operated from here where they were assembled at an adjacent Vickers-Armstrong shadow factory, and test flown from Cranage prior to delivery to their units. A fighter squadron was formed at Cranage during the latter half of 1940 No. 96 (Night Fighter) Squadron flying MkI Hurricanes in the defence of Liverpool. They moved from Cranage to RAF Wrexham in October 1941. The USAAF 14th Liaison Squadron arrived between May and June 1944 with Stinson L-5 Sentinal aircraft as part of the preparations for the D-Day landings. Flying and other activities at Cranage from mid June 1944 to the end of the war then gradually reduced, and then ceased altogether. After a period of use as a storage unit for the RAF until 1954, it reverted to the USAF who based a number of non-flying units here until they handed it back to the RAF in 1957. RAF Cranage was closed shortly after. Image

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