WW1 Aviation Heritage Trust

We exist solely to keep the Aviation Legacy of World War 1 alive!

Category: Great War Stories

Recent Posts
  • The Poetry Plane 2025 – The People, Céline Plantain

    The Poetry Plane is about Remembrance – Lest We Forget. Children from around the World will be writing poems in recognition of the sacrifice of the Great War, The poem papers will be seeded with  Memorial Flowers – the Poppy, the Cornflower and the Forget-Me-Not. We will be making 3 drops of poems written by children from around the World on 1 July 2025 at the Great War Somme Commemorations at Lochnagar Crater and Thiepval Memorial and at the Kiwi Memorial in Le Quesnoy.  We also hope to drop poems at the Remembrance Service at the UK National Memorial Arboretum on 9 November 2025. I will be explaining the Plan, the Planes, the People and your Part in the Programme over the next 3 months. Help us build a network to pass the word on. We seek to make the Poetry Plane an annual global act of Remembrance.Where ever you are in the World, you have a part to play – pass the details of the Poetry Plane on or get involved. To School Teachers particularly, this programme is massively popular with children. You can get guidance, lesson plans, and poem paper at the links below.  If you have a question, contact info@ww1aviationheritagetrust.co.uk. The People – Céline PlantainCéline is a dynamic and inspiring teacher based in Hautmont in NE France. She is just the kind of person that you need in a voluntary project. Living in a part of France where the sacrifice of WW1 is all-around in the many cemeteries, she is dedicated to ensuring that her own students and others understand and respect the history of the Great War.  She is a staunch advocate of the Poetry Plane and by her own efforts has reached out 8 French schools who are all writing poems.  Not content with this, she has engaged 3 German schools, one Polish and one school in the USA.  She is a fantastic Ambassador who in her own words is seeking‘to bring to life the memory of World War I by embedding a strong message of peace, friendship, and brotherhood into a concrete, collective, and symbolic action. Through writing, nature, and connections with other children around the world, students will become carriers of memory and hope, both today and for the future.’Want to know more? Want to join in?https://ww1aviationheritagetrust.co.uk/index.php/ww1-poetry-registration/Buy Poem Paper?https://roamwildproducts.co.uk/collections/seeded-paper/products/roamwild-seeded-paperDownload Lesson Plan, Video and Slideshow?https://ww1aviationheritagetrust.co.uk/index.php/poetry-temporary-landing-page/Help us fund the project.https://wwoneaviationheritage.enthuse.com/cf/the-poetry-planeThe Plan The PoemsThe PoppyLe BleuetThe Forget-Me-NotLochnagarThiepvalLe QuesnoyThe PlanesDH9 – 1918DH9 – 2025Tiger Moth – 1943Tiger Moth – 2025The ClearancesThe People Clive DenneyWillie HarrisonThe TwinsDick ForsytheSally CrabtreeJean-Philippe FromentCéline PlantainYour PartFranceBritainNZGermanyCanadaUSA

  • WW1AHT Flying Day at Cambridge Aero Club 10 May 25

    https://youtube.com/shorts/y7kE1AlkUEQ?si=YYzuZDH3VOVstAqz From two of the Mums Big thanks from all of us, especially our daughter for arranging such a fantastic experience – it exceeded expectations and she was blown away by the flight. From the VR flight simulator to the flight itself, everyone involved went above and beyond, and after the flight (with the ever so talented and inspiration Amelia) our daughter had a big smile on her face. The weather was perfect, the views over Cambridge were stunning and the opportunity has definitely inspired our daughter and her younger sister who came along too (we have talked about aviation so much this weekend) – I can imagine that a great deal of work goes on behind the scenes and your charity has inspired many, and I hope you secure funding for future years. Thank you so much for a wonderfully memorable day on Saturday.  It was so well organised and everyone involved was so happy and helpful, they all had time for the children and answered any question big or small with so much enthusiasm, it was lovely to be a part of. We really do hope you get the funding you’re hoping for.  Her sister will be one of the children who would hopefully get to take part in 3 years time when she’s in year 6 and after witnessing the flight and seeing how buzzing her older sister was, shes super excited to hopefully be given the same opportunity!!  These things are so important to expand the children’s worlds and show them what else is out there as a potential hobby or career.   You can see from the photos that the smiles speak for themselves.  Thank you so much again, it was great to meet you all  WW1AHT has agreed with Cambridge Aero Club to offer 2 flying days a year in May and September, 2026-2029, if we can get the funding. Your letters will help. Thank you.

  • The Poetry Plane – A Childrens Story

    Our Poetry Plane will be flying to the Somme on 1 July 2025 to drop poems written by children from many countries at the annual commemorations for those lost in the Battle. We will follow English, French and German children as the story unfolds. If you would like to join in and write poems, follow the link ww1aviationheritagetrust.co.uk/index.php/ww1-…… Meet Kelly and Alex two of many children in Essex writing poems as part if WW1AHT School visits. #WW1 #History #Poppy #Somme #LestWeForget #Essex #PrimaryTeacher #PrimaryEducation #Poetry #ThePoetryPlane #aviation #plane

  • The Poetry Plane – a Unique act of Remembrance

    Meet Kelly and Alex, children from Essex who have been writing poems. If you would like to join in, follow the link below. The Poetry Plane – WW1 Aviation Heritage Trust Artwork by Roxane Foucart #WW1 #History #Poppy #Somme #LestWeForget #Essex #PrimaryTeacher #PrimaryEducation #Poetry #ThePoetryPlane #aviation #plane

  • The Poetry Plane 2025 – The People, Jean-Philippe Froment, Le Quesnoy

    communes.com The Poetry Plane is about Remembrance – Lest We Forget. Children from around the World will be writing poems in recognition of the sacrifice of the Great War, The poem papers will be seeded with  Memorial Flowers – the Poppy, the Cornflower and the Forget-Me-Not. We will be making 3 drops of poems written by children from around the World on 1 July 2025 at the Great War Somme Commemorations at Lochnagar Crater and Thiepval Memorial and at the Kiwi Memorial in Le Quesnoy.  We also hope to drop poems at the Remembrance Service at the UK National Memorial Arboretum on 9 November 2025. I will be explaining the Plan, the Planes, the People and your Part in the Programme over the next 3 months. Help us build a network to pass the word on. We seek to make the Poetry Plane an annual global act of Remembrance.Where ever you are in the World, you have a part to play – pass the details of the Poetry Plane on or get involved. To School Teachers particularly, this programme is massively popular with children. You can get guidance, lesson plans, and poem paper at the links below.  If you have a question, contact info@ww1aviationheritagetrust.co.uk. The People – Jean-Philippe FromentJean-Philippe FROMENT is President of the “Le Quesnoy Nouvelle-Zélande” AssociationOur association keeps alive the memory of the liberation of our town by New Zealand troops on November 4, 1918, and the bonds of friendship between our two countries. He is helping to arrange our poem drop at Le Quesnoy.The full story of the liberation of Le Quesnoy in the last week of World War 1 can be found here The Le Quesnoy Story – NZ Remembers.  The Town was fortified by the great architect, Vauban, and presented a very difficult target given that the towns people were all locked up inside.  However, using artillery sparingly and with the initiative of a subaltern in finding a discrete point of entry, they managed to liberate the town without a single civilian dying.  However it was at considerable cost to the Division as 196 soldier died in the assault.Want to know more? Want to join in?https://ww1aviationheritagetrust.co.uk/index.php/ww1-poetry-registration/Buy Poem Paper?https://roamwildproducts.co.uk/collections/seeded-paper/products/roamwild-seeded-paperDownload Lesson Plan, Video and Slideshow?https://ww1aviationheritagetrust.co.uk/index.php/poetry-temporary-landing-page/Help us fund the project.https://wwoneaviationheritage.enthuse.com/cf/the-poetry-planeThe Plan The PoemsThe PoppyLe BleuetThe Forget-Me-NotLochnagarThiepvalLe QuesnoyThe PlanesDH9 – 1918DH9 – 2025Tiger Moth – 1943Tiger Moth – 2025The ClearancesThe People Clive DenneyWillie HarrisonThe TwinsDick ForsytheSally CrabtreeJean-Philippe FromentCeline PlantainYour PartFranceBritainNZGermanyCanadaUSA

  • The Poetry Plane 2025 – The Plan, Thiepval

    Chris Hartford The Poetry Plane is about Remembrance – Lest We Forget. Children from around the World will be writing poems in recognition of the sacrifice of the Great War, The poem papers will be seeded with  Memorial Flowers – the Poppy, the Cornflower and the Forget-Me-Not. We will be making 3 drops of poems written by children from around the World on 1 July 2025 at the Great War Somme Commemorations at Lochnagar Crater and Thiepval Memorial and at the Kiwi Memorial in Le Quesnoy.  We also hope to drop poems at the Remembrance Service at the UK National Memorial Arboretum on 9 November 2025. I will be explaining the Plan, the Planes, the People and your Part in the Programme over the next 3 months.  Help us build a network to pass the word on. We seek to make the Poetry Plane an annual global act of Remembrance. Where ever you are in the World, you have a part to play – pass the details of the Poetry Plane on or get involved. To School Teachers particularly, this programme is massively popular with children. You can get guidance, lesson plans, and poem paper at the links below.  If you have a question, contact  info@ww1aviationheritagetrust.co.uk.  The Plan, Thiepval The Memorial to the Missing at Thiepval is an Anglo French Monument to those who died at the Battle of the Somme. The French launched their own offensive to the south of the River Somme at the same time. There are over 72000 names of the missing from Britain and South Africa inscribed on the lower supports of the monument.  Those missing in the Battle from Australia, New Zealand and Canada are recorded in their own National Memorials. The Thiepval Memorial which towers over the surrounding Somme landscape was designed by Edward Lutyens and built 1928-1932. It took some time to come into being as there was considerable debate about the scale of structure needed to reflect the enormity of the sacrifice.The first day of the Battle was a disaster with over 56000 dead, wounded and missing – a figure that seems unbelievable today.  It was preceded by a 7-day artillery bombardment expected to clear paths through the minefields and wire obstacles and destroy the enemy in their trenches.  It did not work and merely signalled the allied intent so the Germans were forewarned.  It churned up the ground and did not remove the wire obstacles as expected. The result was the enormous loss of life on the first day. The Germans tenaciously held on to Thiepval, the first day objective, for 3 months till the end of September 1916. As winter approached, the Germans retreated to the newly prepared Hindenburg Line but there was more fighting over the Somme Battlefields when the Germans launched their Spring Offensive on 21 March 1918. The names on the Memorial include those who died at the Somme up to this date. Want to know more? Want to join in? https://ww1aviationheritagetrust.co.uk/index.php/ww1-poetry-registration/ Buy Poem Paper? https://roamwildproducts.co.uk/collections/seeded-paper/products/roamwild-seeded-paper Download Lesson Plan, Video and Slideshow? https://ww1aviationheritagetrust.co.uk/index.php/poetry-temporary-landing-page/ Help us fund the project. https://wwoneaviationheritage.enthuse.com/cf/the-poetry-planeThe Plan The PoemsThe PoppyLe BleuetThe Forget-Me-NotLochnagarThiepvalLe QuesnoyThe PlanesDH9 – 1918DH9 – 2025Tiger Moth – 1943Tiger Moth – 2025The ClearancesThe People Clive DenneyWillie HarrisonThe TwinsDick ForsytheSally CrabtreeJean-Philippe FromentCeline PlantainYour PartFranceBritainNZGermanyCanadaUSA

  • The Poetry Plane 2025 – The People -Sally Crabtree

    The Poetry Plane is about Remembrance – Lest We Forget. Children from around the World will be writing poems in recognition of the sacrifice of the Great War, The poem papers will be seeded with  Memorial Flowers – the Poppy, the Cornflower and the Forget-Me-Not. We will be making 3 drops of poems written by children from around the World on 1 July 2025 at the Great War Somme Commemorations at Lochnagar Crater and Thiepval Memorial and at the Kiwi Memorial in Le Quesnoy.  We also hope to drop poems at the Remembrance Service at the UK National Memorial Arboretum on 9 November 2025. I will be explaining the Plan, the Planes, the People and your Part in the Programme over the next 3 months.  Help us build a network to pass the word on. We seek to make the Poetry Plane an annual global act of Remembrance. Where ever you are in the World, you have a part to play – pass the details of the Poetry Plane on or get involved. To School Teachers particularly, this programme is massively popular with children. You can get guidance, lesson plans, and poem paper at the links below.  If you have a question, contact  info@ww1aviationheritagetrust.co.uk.  The People – Sally Crabtree Sally Crabtree was once a world class gymnast, winning a scholarship to train in the USSR at the age of 14, before going on to become the youngest ever member of the GB Women’s gymnastics team, performing around the world. Since then, she has been turning the poetry world upside down with her cartwheeling poems and colourful, quirky performances, interactive installations and projects that inspire whole communities to get involved and discover the poetic heart within themselves. She is an official Ambassador for National Poetry Day “You advocate beautifully for poetry every single day” (Director) and has been poet in residence for the Matisse Museum in France as well as being invited to deliver creative ‘boosts’ to staff at Spotify’s HQ in Sweden. She writes and design children’s books and as the Creative Director of Artconnexion UK, she devises and delivers award winning creative literacy projects internationally. The latest of theses has been Poetry Postie – delivering poetic inspiration to the Nation and beyond, including to the United Nations. As the originator of the Poetry Plane concept, she is now able to deliver the post via airmail! Want to know more? Want to join in? https://ww1aviationheritagetrust.co.uk/index.php/ww1-poetry-registration/ Buy Poem Paper? https://roamwildproducts.co.uk/collections/seeded-paper/products/roamwild-seeded-paper Download Lesson Plan, Video and Slideshow? https://ww1aviationheritagetrust.co.uk/index.php/poetry-temporary-landing-page/ Help us fund the project. https://wwoneaviationheritage.enthuse.com/cf/the-poetry-planeThe Plan The PoemsThe PoppyLe BleuetThe Forget-Me-NotLochnagarThiepvalLe QuesnoyThe PlanesDH9 – 1918DH9 – 2025Tiger Moth – 1943Tiger Moth – 2025The ClearancesThe TransitThe People Clive DenneyWillie HarrisonThe TwinsDick ForsytheSally CrabtreeCeline PlantainJean-Philippe FromentYour PartFranceBritainGermanyNZCanadaUSA

  • The Poetry Plane 2025 – The Planes – Air Clearances

    The Poetry Plane is about Remembrance – Lest We Forget. Children from around the World will be writing poems in recognition of the sacrifice of the Great War, The poem papers will be seeded with  Memorial Flowers – the Poppy, the Cornflower and the Forget-Me-Not. We will be making 3 drops of poems written by children from around the World on 1 July 2025 at the Great War Somme Commemorations at Lochnagar Crater and Thiepval Memorial and at the Kiwi Memorial in Le Quesnoy.  We also hope to drop poems at the Remembrance Service at the UK National Memorial Arboretum on 9 November 2025. I will be explaining the Plan, the Planes, the People and your Part in the Programme over the next 3 months. Help us build a network to pass the word on. We seek to make the Poetry Plane an annual global act of Remembrance.Where ever you are in the World, you have a part to play – pass the details of the Poetry Plane on or get involved. To School Teachers particularly, this programme is massively popular with children. You can get guidance, lesson plans, and poem paper at the links below.  If you have a question, contact info@ww1aviationheritagetrust.co.uk. The Planes – The ClearancesDropping any thing from an aeroplane is regarded as an aerial event in UK and Europe. In UK, you apply to the General  Aviation Department of the Civil Aviation having secured the agreement of the site.  In France, the process starts by circulating a similar form with site agreement to the local mayor who seeks the agreement of the District  and Regional offices (Sous-Prefeture and Prefeture).  It is then forwarded to the DGAC (the French equivalent to the CAA and issued through their regional office – DSAC N in this instance. Once this is approved, an approval for flight in French airspace is given (laisser passer) and the final step is to seek approval for flight of an aircraft in military markings. The approval process takes 4 months. The Trust would like to thank all the officials involved in this process for Lochnagar and Thiepval,  and those approving the Le Quesnoy drop, for their help and support.Want to know more? Want to join in?https://ww1aviationheritagetrust.co.uk/index.php/ww1-poetry-registration/Buy Poem Paper?https://roamwildproducts.co.uk/collections/seeded-paper/products/roamwild-seeded-paperDownload Lesson Plan, Video and Slideshow?https://ww1aviationheritagetrust.co.uk/index.php/poetry-temporary-landing-page/Help us fund the project.https://wwoneaviationheritage.enthuse.com/cf/the-poetry-plane-0 The Plan The PoemsThe PoppyLe BleuetThe Forget-Me-NotLochnagarThiepvalLe QuesnoyThe PlanesDH9 – 1918DH9 – 2025Tiger Moth – 1943Tiger Moth – 2025The ClearancesThe TransitThe People Clive DenneyWillie HarrisonThe TwinsDick ForsytheSally CrabtreeCeline PlantainJean-Philippe FromentYour PartFranceBritainGermanyNZCanadaUSA

  • The Poetry Plane 2025 – The Plan, The Lochnagar Crater

    The Poetry Plane is about Remembrance – Lest We Forget. Children from around the World will be writing poems in recognition of the sacrifice of the Great War, The poem papers will be seeded with  Memorial Flowers – the Poppy, the Cornflower and the Forget-Me-Not. We will be making 3 drops of poems written by children from around the World on 1 July 2025 at the Great War Somme Commemorations at Lochnagar Crater and Thiepval Memorial and at the Kiwi Memorial in Le Quesnoy.  We also hope to drop poems at the Remembrance Service at the UK National Memorial Arboretum on 9 November 2025. I will be explaining the Plan, the Planes, the People and your Part in the Programme over the next 3 months. Help us build a network to pass the word on. We seek to make the Poetry Plane an annual global act of Remembrance.Where ever you are in the World, you have a part to play – pass the details of the Poetry Plane on or get involved. To School Teachers particularly, this programme is massively popular with children. You can get guidance, lesson plans, and poem paper at the links below.  If you have a question, contact info@ww1aviationheritagetrust.co.uk. The Plan – Lochnagar CraterThe Lochnagar Crater was created by the detonation of 27200kg of explosive laid by British Tunnelling Companies to destroy German dugout defences at the start of the Battle of the Somme. The mine was 313m long and dug in silence as German defensive mines were dug to listen and, if possible, destroy allied mines. The Crater is one of 17 detonated as the Battle began.  By the end of this dreadful day, 56000 allied troops were dead or wounded. The Crater is over 100m across and now owned by a British man, Richard Dunning, who bought the land ~ 50 years ago to prevent it being filled in.  Every year at 0728 on 1 July whistles are blown and a rocket fired at the start of a  commemoration to mark the lives lost in 1916.  In 2024, a WW1 AHT aircraft dropped poems written by British, French and German children at the end of the ceremony which we seek to drop again on 1 July 2025.Want to know more? Want to join in?https://ww1aviationheritagetrust.co.uk/index.php/ww1-poetry-registration/Buy Poem Paper?https://roamwildproducts.co.uk/collections/seeded-paper/products/roamwild-seeded-paperDownload Lesson Plan, Video and Slideshow?https://ww1aviationheritagetrust.co.uk/index.php/poetry-temporary-landing-page/Help us fund the project.https://wwoneaviationheritage.enthuse.com/cf/the-poetry-plane-0The Plan The PoemsThe PoppyLe BleuetThe Forget-Me-NotLochnagarThiepvalLe QuesnoyThe PlanesDH9 – 1918DH9 – 2025Tiger Moth – 1943Tiger Moth – 2025The ClearancesThe TransitThe People Clive DenneyWillie HarrisonThe TwinsDick ForsytheSally CrabtreeCeline PlantainJean-Philippe FromentYour PartFranceBritainGermanyNZCanadaUSA

  • The Poetry Plane 2025 – The People – Dick Forsythe

    The Poetry Plane is about Remembrance – Lest We Forget. Children from around the World will be writing poems in recognition of the sacrifice of the Great War, The poem papers will be seeded with  Memorial Flowers – the Poppy, the Cornflower and the Forget-Me-Not. We will be making 3 drops of poems written by children from around the World on 1 July 2025 at the Great War Somme Commemorations at Lochnagar Crater and Thiepval Memorial and at the Kiwi Memorial in Le Quesnoy.  We also hope to drop poems at the Remembrance Service at the UK National Memorial Arboretum on 9 November 2025. I will be explaining the Plan, the Planes, the People and your Part in the Programme over the next 3 months. Help us build a network to pass the word on. We seek to make the Poetry Plane an annual global act of Remembrance.Where ever you are in the World, you have a part to play – pass the details of the Poetry Plane on or get involved. To School Teachers particularly, this programme is massively popular with children. You can get guidance, lesson plans, and poem paper at the links below.  If you have a question, contact info@ww1aviationheritagetrust.co.uk. The People – Dick ForsytheDick is the Chief Trustee of the WW1 Aviation Heritage Trust and responsible for the latest spate of posts about the Poetry Plane. The Trust was formed out of a chance meeting at TVAL in Wellington, NZ, by him in 2013. He is a 3rd generation aviator stretching back in an unbroken line from his retirement in 2002 to his grandfather in the RNAS in 1915.  All 3 generations were pilots from Bristol Fighter, Lancasters/Canberra, to helicopters from Whirlwind to Chinook.  His father and grandfather won DFCs in their respective Wars, and both commanded No 16 Squadron.  Dick commanded 240 OCU and set up and ran the aircrew training for the Chinook when it came into service.  The Trust came out of nowhere but it has been an absolute privilege to direct its progress for its first 10 yearsWant to know more? Want to join in?https://ww1aviationheritagetrust.co.uk/index.php/ww1-poetry-registration/Buy Poem Paper?https://roamwildproducts.co.uk/collections/seeded-paper/products/roamwild-seeded-paperDownload Lesson Plan, Video and Slideshow?https://ww1aviationheritagetrust.co.uk/index.php/poetry-temporary-landing-page/Help us fund the project.https://wwoneaviationheritage.enthuse.com/cf/the-poetry-plane-0The Plan The PoemsThe PoppyLe BleuetThe Forget-Me-NotLochnagarThiepvalLe QuesnoyThe PlanesDH9 – 1918DH9 – 2025Tiger Moth – 1943Tiger Moth – 2025The ClearancesThe TransitThe People Clive DenneyWillie HarrisonThe TwinsDick ForsytheSally CrabtreeCeline PlantainJean-Philippe FromentYour PartFranceBritainGermanyNZCanadaUSA

About WW1AHT

WW1 Aviation Heritage Trust Ltd

We intend to provide an enduring flying collection of World War I Allied and German aircraft based in the UK flying from heritage sites like Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome.

Company No 8753767

Registered Charity No 1156699

Contact:

+44 870 9191914
info@ww1aht.co.uk
rockingnacelle@ww1aht.co.uk

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With thanks to Darren Harbar, Huw Hopkins, Leigh Smith and Russell Savory for their magnificent photographs

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Sally Crabtree – Poetry Postie, Pushing the Envelope of Poetry

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