RAF Cardington Street Names.
The map (below) issued in 1945 to returning RAF personnel shows the area occupied by the 102 Personnel Dispersal Centre within the station. From this we can glean the road names. It was customary for all RAF sites at that time to name their roads after RAF VC holders many of whom lost their lives during WWII.
There must have been mixed feelings of pride and sadness for the staff when each new name was announced at a time when the outcome of the war was by no means clear. These roads later disappeared when the station was closed and the site became a residentil development. It is not certain if any of the roads were named at all prior to WW11 - a 1938 map of the site shows numerous buildings but no road or street names are indicated.
Below is a list of all the roads on the site named after VC holders and thanks to Den Burchmore who had kindly supplied a map of the whole of the station.
The following roads can be seen on the "demob" map above. All were named after RAF VC holders.
Aaron Road - Acting Flight Sergeant Arthur Louis Aaron - killed 12/13 Aug 1943. Aged 21 years.
Barton Road - Pilot Officer Cyril Joe Barton - killed 30/31 March 1944. Aged 22 years.
Campbell Road - Flying Officer Kenneth Campbell - killed 6 April 1944.
Cheshire Road - Group Captain Leonard Cheshire - completed over 100 bombing missions and survived the War.
Cruickshank Road - Flying Officer John Alexander Cruickshank - survived the War.
Hannah Road - Sgt John Hannah - Aged 18 years was the youngest holder of a VC. He was discharged from service in 1942 having contracted TB and died in 1947 at the age of just 25.
Malcolm Road - Wing Commander Hugh Gordon Malcolm - killed 4/12/1942. Aged 45 years.
Nettleton Road - Squadron Leader John Dering Nettleton - killed in action 13/7/1943..
Newton Road - Flight Lieutenant William Ellis Newton - killed 16/3/1943. Aged 24 years.
Thompson Road - Flight Sergeant George Thompson - died from wounds 23/1/1945.
The roads listed below were on the area around the two sheds.
Edwards Road - Acting Wing Commander Hughie Idwal Edwards - survived the war.
Garland Road - Flying Officer Donald Edward Garland - killed 12/5/1940. Aged 21 years.
Gibson Road - Wing Commader Guy Gibson, DSO, DFC - numerous exploits 1943. Aged 24 years. Killed in action 19/9/1944.
Gray Road - Sgt Thomas Gray - killed 12/5/1940. Aged 25 years.
Jackson Road (now Jackson Gate?) - Flight Engineer Sgt Norman Cyril Jackson - survived the war.
Learoyd Road - Flight Lieutenant Roderick Alistair Brook Learoyd - survived the War.
Manser Road - Flying Officer Leslie Thomas Manser - killed 30/31 May 1942. Aged 20 years.
Middleton Road - Flight Sergeant Rawdon Hume Middleton - killed 28/29 Nov 1942. Aged 26 years.
Nicolson Road - Flight Lieutenant Eric James Brindley Nicolson - killed in action 2/5/1945. Aged 28 years.
Palmer Road - Acting Sqdn Leader Robert Anthony Maurice Palmer - killed after 111 missions on 23/12/1944. Aged 24 yrs.
Reid Road - Acting Flight Lieutenant William Reid - survived the War.
Scarf Road - Squadron Leader Arthur Stewart King Scarf - killed 9/12/1941. Aged 28 years.
Trent Road - Squadron Leader Leonard Henryrent - survived the War.
Trigg Road - Flying Officer Lloyd Allan Trigg DFC - killed 11/8/1943. Aged 29 years.
Ward Road - Sergeant James Allen Ward - killed in action 15/9/1941.
Other RAF VC holders.
Apart from the 25 persons listed above there were other RAF servicemen who were awarded a VC for their bravery in the air who do not appear on the site map. Some served in the Fleet Air Arm.
Lieutenant Eugene Esmonde - Fleet Air Arm - killed 12/2/1942. Aged 23 years.
Pilot Officer Andrew Charles Mynarski - Royal Canadian Air Force - killed 12/6/1944. Aged 27 years. (Nb - records show that his VC was not awarded until Oct 1946.
Flight Lieutenant David Ernest Hornell - killed 24/06/1944. Aged 34 years.
Acting Sqdn Leader Ian Willoughby Bazalgette - killed 4/8/1944. Aged 25 years.
Flight Lieutenant David Samuel Anthony Lord - killed 19/9/1944. Aged 30 years.
Captain Edwin Swales - Sth African killed 23/2/1945. Aged 29 years.
Lieutenant Robert Hampton Gray (Canadian) - Fleet Air Arm - killed 9/8/1945. Aged 27 years.