This white pillar was placed by the Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust and situated outside the Village Hall in Jurby not far from the former RAF Station.
By its nature RAF Jurby as a training facility for navigators, bombers and air gunners there were a large number of accidents, many occurring on or around the airfield. Then there were accidents in other parts of the Island involving Jurby based aircraft, and those where bombers from other stations were training on the Jurby bombing ranges. The war graves in Jurby Churchyard remember just some of those who died.
There were also many stories of miraculous escapes, such as that told by a crewman of a damaged Sunderland bomber which had to crashland onto the runway and where all the crew escaped before the plane was blown to pieces when its depth charges exploded. The east window of Jurby Church was blown out by this explosion and was later replaced by the Air Ministry.
Jurby airfield in the north of the Isle of Man in the Parish of Jurby, also known as RAF Jurby.
The Air Ministry acquired the land where the airfield was to be located in 1937 and the RAF Jurby opened at the outbreak of World War Two on 18 September 1939.
RAF Jurby during WWII was mainly used for training as No.5 Armament Training School, No.5 Air Observer School, No.5 Bombing & Gunnery School and the Air Navigation & Bombing School.
The station was also an operational base and particularly in the summer of 1941.
RAF Jurby was originally a grass airfield but later it was equiped with 2 paved runways which are today clearly visible today particulary on the satellite photograph found at the link below.
In 1947 the station was put on a care and maintenance basia and three years late it became home for No. 1 Initial Training School. This School later became the RAF Officer Cadet Training Unit until it finally closed as RAF station in 1963.
Following the closur of the RAF Station the airfield became a diversion airfield for Ronaldsway airport when it was 'fogged out'.
To allow larger aircraft to land at the airfield, the main runway was lengthened to the east. This caused the runway to cross Sandygate Road, whic could be closed of when aircraft operations were in progress. The airfields role as an alternate ended in March 1973.
A satellite view of the airfield can be seen at the following link: (
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source: 'Isle of Man History at Jurby Church' by Sandra Kerrison for the Friends of Jurby Chuch