Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust unveil war memorial at Greenhous High Ercall

We are delighted to have collaborated with Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust (ABCT), and other local organisations, to unveil a war memorial at our headquarters in High Ercall, Shropshire, to commemorate the High Ercall Airfield on Friday 12^th April.

Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust is the world’s first national airfield charity and the charity’s objective is to commemorate each known major airfield in the United Kingdom with a granite memorial.

High Ercall in Telford and Wrekin was a major combined Maintenance Unit (MU), night fighter and training airfield during World War Two. Opened in October 1940, notable units based here included No 29 MU, which prepared and stored many aircraft for RAF use, No 68 Squadron with mostly Bristol Beaufighters and No 60 Operational Training Unit for advanced intruder instruction with de Havilland Mosquitoes. After World War Two ended High Ercall’s MU role predominated until the airfield closed in February 1964.

A considerable part of the airfield, particularly the landing area, subsequently disappeared but the airfield has continued to play a part in the day-to-day operations of Greenhous Group with many buildings such as large MU hangars still surviving.

Ashley Passant, Managing Director, Greenhous Group Car and Van Operations commented: “We’re delighted to be able to commemorate the units and personnel based at High Ercall during World War Two. Greenhous Group has a history spanning over a century, supplying more than 70,000 vehicles a year across the passenger vehicle, light commercial and large commercial vehicle sectors and we’re proud to still use some of the main structures in our business operations that formed part of the airfield when it opened in October 1940.”