Event Organiser: Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome

The History of Military Communications.

Join us as we partner with the Essex Historic Military Vehicle Association to celebrate military communications of the last 100 years.

Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome has a long history with communications. From its inception, it worked at the cutting edge of radio. In fact, it was the first place to equip aircraft for Home Service with Wireless Communication  in 1918!

Now, to trace that long history from the Great War right up to recent conflicts in the 21st century, we are joining with the Essex Historic Military Vehicle Association. Alongside our popular ‘Words without Wires’ exhibition, you can enjoy a day among living historians, vehicles and enthusiasts that will clear away all the static from this fascinating part of our modern world that has come so far in such a short space of time.

For just your standard admission fee, you get to enjoy all our historians have to show and tell, as well as our range of exciting exhibitions and tours.

We would welcome enquiries from Living Historians with a radio set up of any 20th or 21st century period, radio clubs and relevant trading stands.

Please email us at info@stowmaries.org.uk. HMVA members please book through your club.

At Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome.

A chance for pilots and visitors to get together and enjoy the last of the summer weather at our Museum. Our Late Summer Fly-in is a perfect chance to catch a peek at the aircraft that fly throughout our area, all the time raising vital funds for our museum.

As you enjoy your visit to our site, strolling around the galleries and exhibitions, aircraft will be landing and parking up with metres of you on our flight line. While there will be no aerial displays, this a great chance to see our museum at its best with aircraft rolling down the strips.

Not only do you get to enjoy the aircraft, but your admission gains you all the benefits of enjoying our award-winning exhibitions, hangars and tours.

Please note that all air activity is weather-dependent.

At Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome.

Join us to explore key aspects of the Great War in our popular annual seminar.

This year’s theme – Key faces, spaces and their impact. Frontline is a one-day focused history seminar, on an original Great War site, in an original Great War building.

It’s an annual, must-go event for the Great War history enthusiast. You will join a restricted number of your peers as you explore a specific area of this wide ranging and complicated field.

This year’s confirmed speakers are:

Peter Hart – Peter worked for some 40 years as the oral historian for the Department of Sound Records, Imperial War Museum where he interviewed countless veterans. He has written several books on World War One and Two, is an experienced civilian/military tours guide and has appeared in numerous television documentaries. After retiring from the Imperial War Museum, Peter launched “Pete & Gary’s Military History” podcast. Peter’s Talk is titled: I’m Out: Escape from German POW Camps, 1914-18.

Neil Bond – Neil is a keen student of the role of Army Chaplains in the Great War and an active participant in living history activities including representing both the Royal Army’s Chaplains’ Museum and Talbot House at numerous events. He is Chair of the Hampshire & Isle of Wight branch of the Western Front Association. His talk is titled: Tubby and Talbot House.

Sarah Paterson – Sarah is a Curator (World War One and Early 20th Century) at the Imperial War Museum, and an expert on prisoners of war. She recently opened the First Great Escape exhibition at Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome and will be talking about The Escape from Holzminden prisoner of war camp.

The day includes up-close and personal tours of aircraft and object handling sessions, as well as lunch in the original 1917 mess, now The Airmen’s Mess café.

At Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome.

This autumn half term we have a special Family Nature Day focusing on our woodland areas, so if you fancy an alternative to endless Halloween pumpkins, come and join our Wildlife Team for a drop-in day of woodland-themed activities.

Included within the standard admission price, you can enjoy activities including a mini-beast safari, leaf trail, leaf and bark rubbings, autumn/woodland themed craft activities, fungi hunting, learning about hornets, and even dissecting some owl pellets to find out what our birds of prey have been having for their dinner.

Wear warm clothes and sensible footwear as activities will be outside in the woods come rain or shine.

Don’t worry if you get a bit chilly, though, The Airmen’s Mess café will be open with a warm welcome and hot food and drink to thaw you out at the end.

Children aged 10 and younger now go free! Your ticket also includes entry to all the Museum’s attractions.

At Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome.

Join us as we commemorate the Fallen at Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome, in the presence of the Lord Lieutenancy of Essex.

We welcome ticket holders to arrive from just before 11am, although our parade will begin in the early afternoon.

You can enjoy a quick visit to some of our exhibitions and perhaps grab a coffee before the event ‘proper’ begins. There will be a pause, and 2 minutes silence, at 11:00, but please remember, our parade is in the afternoon. You will need to be in place, parked and ready, by 13:45.

The Ceremony will be led by The Lord Lieutenancy of Essex, the King’s Representative in Essex. The Honour Party will include the Chairs of Essex County Council, Maldon District Council, The House of Commons and representatives from Colchester Garrison. As the last remaining functioning Great War aerodrome, hosting the largest collection of Great War Royal Flying Corps buildings, Stow Maries is a poignant and appropriate place to visit for this sensitive service.

Tickets are free but limited. All visitors and participants not on parade will require a ticket.

All those on parade will need to be in uniform.