Following the success of previous years, Ferryhill Town Council would like to invite green fingered residents of Ferryhill to enter the Town’s Ferryhill in Bloom Competition 2023.

This year’s categories in the Competition are: Front Garden, Back Garden, Back Yard and Commercial Properties.  Residents are permitted to enter more than one category if appropriate.

Judging is scheduled to take place on 26^th and 27th July.  Residents will be notified of their allotted date and time in due course.

Ferryhill Town Council would like to take the opportunity to say a huge thank you to Thinford Nurseries for continuing to sponsor the event again this year.  Their contribution is very much appreciated.

Anyone wanting to take part in the competition should complete an application form and return by email to kyounghusband@ferryhill.gov.uk or by post to Ferryhill Town Hall.  Should you require an electronic copy of the application form please contact  Ferryhill Town Council on telephone 01740 652157.

All entries must be submitted by no later than 14^th July 2023.

Ferryhill Town Council is pleased to announce that the latest group to benefit from funding through its Members Initiative Fund is St. Luke’s Church who recently attended a cheque presentation at Ferryhill Town Hall, where Councillors Carole Atkinson, Kath Conroy, and Joe Quinn presented representatives from St Luke’s Phoenix group with a cheque for £1,000 from their MIF allocations. Councillor Robyn Hume also contributed funds to the group, but unfortunately, was unable to attend the presentation on the day.

St. Luke’s Church will use the funds to contribute towards its youth group, St Luke’s Phoenix, providing a range of fun activities with refreshments and/or a meal for its members. Anyone interested in becoming a member of St. Luke’s Phoenix should visit the group’s Facebook page for more information or telephone St. Luke’s on  01740 655232.

Councillors Atkinson, Conroy, Hume and Quinn said ‘We are delighted to be able to support such a worthwhile group.  St. Luke’s Phoenix really do provide a fantastic facility for primary school aged children.  We would also like to thank the group for the beautiful Thank You cards that they presented to us, which members of the Phoenix obviously worked very hard to produce.’

For more information on the Town Council’s Members Initiative Fund please contact Karen Younghusband at Ferryhill Town Hall on telephone: 01740 652157 or Email: kyounghusband@ferryhill.gov.uk

At the Annual Town Council meeting held on Wednesday 17th May 2023, Councillor Curtis Bihari was elected to serve as Mayor of Ferryhill for the municipal year 2023/24.

Councillor Anthony Paul Donald was elected as Deputy Mayor.  After being elected, Councillor Bihari thanked the out-going Mayor Councillor Carole Atkinson for her hard work over the past year.

Councillor Bihari has been a Ferryhill Town Councillor since 2021 and is one of the youngest Councillors to take on the role of Mayor at 26 years old.

He has been a resident of Ferryhill his entire life and currently works at Ferryhill Sport and Education Centre and as Ferryhill’s elected representative on Durham County Council. He is also involved in a wealth of community groups and organisations throughout the town.

The new mayor’s chosen charities for the year are Teenage Cancer Trust and Ferryhill Resident Associations, this way any money raised will go back into the community, making Ferryhill a better place to live.

Councillor Bihari said: “It is a huge honour and a privilege to serve as Mayor of Ferryhill for the coming year.”

“I look forward to talking Ferryhill up and showcasing all the wonderful groups, charities, businesses and individuals we have in our Town.”

“I will be holding charity events and fundraisers throughout the year to raise money for my chosen charities. I will also be attending as many civic functions and events as I’m able to with the support of my Deputy Mayor, Councillor Anthony Paul Donald.”

Ferryhill Town Council is pleased to announce that a Vintage & Classic Car Show will be taking place at the King George V Playing Field (Broom Rec) during the weekend of Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4^th June 2023.

Organised by the Northern Bygones Society, the event which will run from 10.00am until 4.00pm both days is FREE to enter and will include a range of Vintage Exhibits and Classic Cars. The event will also include awning displays and a range of stalls as well as a Burger and Ice Cream Van.

Organisers of the event would like to invite residents and Vintage Collectors alike to come along and enjoy what promises to be a great weekend for all the family.

For more information about the event please contact Paul on telephone: 01325 498340 or 07968367438

Town Mayor, Councillor Carole Atkinson said ‘Ferryhill Town Council is really looking forward to welcoming the Northern Bygones Society and its Vintage & Classic Car Show back to Ferryhill.  The event has proved extremely popular with residents in recent years, and we can’t wait to see what exhibits the organisers will bring to the Town this year.’

(Information provided by Geoff Wall, Ferryhill History Society)

The 16th May 2023 marks the 80th anniversary of the most famous single air raid of World War Two, “Operation Chastise”, better known as the Dambusters Raid.Here is a list of the men who flew that night from the Northeast including .

Sgt Ronald Battson from Ferryhill

Sgt Vivian Nicholson. Navigator. …
Sgt Thomas Jaye. Navigator. …
Plt Off S L Whillis. …
Sgt James ‘Jim’ H Clay. …
Sgt Raymond Wilkinson. …
Sgt Ronald Batson. …
Plt Off Ivan Whittaker. …
Sgt Ronald Marsden.
16 May 2018

Ronald Batson was born on 5 December 1920 and lived at 23 Lanark tce. Ferryhill, Co Durham, the older son of Joseph and Elizabeth Batson. He was a grocer’s assistant before enlisting in the RAF in March 1941.

After qualifying as an air gunner, he was posted to 106 Squadron Conversion Flight in early September 1942. He quickly teamed up with Joe McCarthy whose logbook confirms that Batson and Bill Radcliffe first flew with him on the same day, 11 September 1942, in a Manchester on a training flight. Their first operation was on 5 October. Batson was the only one of McCarthy’s crew to fly on every single operation in 97 Squadron with his skipper. By late March 1943, they had amassed 31 trips.

On the Dams Raid, Batson was in the front turret of AJ-T. On the way back from the Sorpe, he spotted a goods train and asked McCarthy’s permission to attack it. The crew hadn’t realised, however, that this wasn’t an ordinary goods train but an armoured flak train, whose gunners responded with vigour. It was probably a shell from this which punctured a front tyre, and caused a problem a few hours later when landing at Scampton.

Batson went on to fly with McCarthy throughout the rest of his tour, and was recommended for a DFM in February 1944. The award was approved in June, with the citation reading:

BATSON, Ronald. 1045069 Flight Sergeant, No 617 Sqn.

Sorties 37. Flying Hours 264.30. Air Gunner.

“Flight Sergeant Batson has completed 37 operational sorties as Mid-upper gunner and has been operating continuously since October 1942. He has flown against many of the most heavily defended targets in Germany including Berlin, the Ruhr, Hamburg and Cologne and took part in the low-level attack on the Sorpe Dam. His enthusiasm and fighting spirit have invariably been of the highest order and he has proved his ability to face the heaviest opposition with complete calm and resolution. It is considered that the exemplary manner in which this NCO has executed his duties with the result that his captain has been able to place complete confidence in him merits the award of the Distinguished Flying Medal.”

12 February 1944

Remarks by Station Commander – “This air gunner has been engaged in operational flying for well over a year. His enthusiasm for operations has never flagged and he has set a fine example to all other air gunners. Strongly recommended.”

By the time the McCarthy crew came off operations in July 1944, Batson had reached the rank of Warrant Officer and had completed more than 60 sorties. He was posted to a training unit for the remainder of the war.

Ronald Batson had one brother, Douglas, who also volunteered for the RAF. He was killed in a freak accident on 23 August 1944, when a USAAF B24 Liberator bomber crashed into a cafe in Freckleton, Lancashire. He is buried in Duncombe Cemetery, Ferryhill, Co Durham. How ironic that one brother flew on more than 60 operations over occupied territory and survived, while the other died while eating in a Lancashire snack bar.

After the war Ronald Batson returned to Durham, and he died there on 25 November 2006.

SURNAME

Batson

o FORENAME

Ronald

o UNIT

617 Squadron,R.A.F.V.R.

o RANK

Flight Sergeant

o NUMBER

1045069

o AWARD

Distinguished Flying Medal

o PLACE

London Gazette 23.5.1944

o ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

from Ferryhill

RAF 1941

3 RC 29.3.1941

9 RC November 1941

North Weald 6.1.1942

16 RC 21.1.1942

ACRC 22.1.1942

14 ITW

4 AGS

47 CF 7.9.1942

106 CF 11.9.1942

97 Squadron 22.9.1942

617 Squadron March 1943

Sergeant

T/Flight Sgt 1.7.1943

award DFM (23.5.1944) (37 ops)

5 PDC 5.4.1945

100 PDC 20.1.1946

Sergeant Ronald Batson (1045069) Front Gunner:

From the Ferryhill

SERVICE, PROMOTIONS, AWARDS

No. 3 RC 29 Mar 1941

No. 9 RC Nov 1941

North Weald 6 Jan 1942

No. 16 RC 21 Jan 1942

ACRC 22 Jan 1942

No. 14 ITW

No. 4 AGS

No. 47 CF 7 Sep 1942

No. 106 CF 11 Sep 1942

97 Sqdn 22 Sep 1942

617 Sqdn Mar 1943

T/F/Sgt 1 July 1943

DFM Gaz

No. 5 PDC 5 Apl 1945

23 May 1944 (37 ops)

No. 100 PDC 20 Jan 1946

https://www.bombercommandmuseum.ca/…/p_joemccarthynosea.

WW2 FERRYHILL DAMBUSTER

The story of a Ferryhill hero

Sgt R Batson

Front gunner

Lancaster serial number: ED825/G

Call sign: AJ-T

Second wave. First aircraft to attack Sorpe Dam. Mine dropped successfully but failed to breach dam. Returned to base.

Ronald Batson was born on 5 December 1920 and lived at 23 Lanark tce. Ferryhill, Co Durham, the older son of Joseph and Elizabeth Batson. He was a grocer’s assistant before enlisting in the RAF in March 1941.

After qualifying as an air gunner, he was posted to 106 Squadron Conversion Flight in early September 1942. He quickly teamed up with Joe McCarthy whose logbook confirms that Batson and Bill Radcliffe first flew with him on the same day, 11 September 1942, in a Manchester on a training flight. Their first operation was on 5 October. Batson was the only one of McCarthy’s crew to fly on every single operation in 97 Squadron with his skipper. By late March 1943, they had amassed 31 trips.

On the Dams Raid, Batson was in the front turret of AJ-T. On the way back from the Sorpe, he spotted a goods train and asked McCarthy’s permission to attack it. The crew hadn’t realised, however, that this wasn’t an ordinary goods train but an armoured flak train, whose gunners responded with vigour. It was probably a shell from this which punctured a front tyre, and caused a problem a few hours later when landing at Scampton.

Batson went on to fly with McCarthy throughout the rest of his tour, and was recommended for a DFM in February 1944. The award was approved in June, with the citation reading:

BATSON, Ronald. 1045069 Flight Sergeant, No 617 Sqn.

Sorties 37. Flying Hours 264.30. Air Gunner.

“Flight Sergeant Batson has completed 37 operational sorties as Mid-upper gunner and has been operating continuously since October 1942. He has flown against many of the most heavily defended targets in Germany including Berlin, the Ruhr, Hamburg and Cologne and took part in the low-level attack on the Sorpe Dam. His enthusiasm and fighting spirit have invariably been of the highest order and he has proved his ability to face the heaviest opposition with complete calm and resolution. It is considered that the exemplary manner in which this NCO has executed his duties with the result that his captain has been able to place complete confidence in him merits the award of the Distinguished Flying Medal.”

12 February 1944

Remarks by Station Commander – “This air gunner has been engaged in operational flying for well over a year. His enthusiasm for operations has never flagged and he has set a fine example to all other air gunners. Strongly recommended.”

By the time the McCarthy crew came off operations in July 1944, Batson had reached the rank of Warrant Officer and had completed more than 60 sorties. He was posted to a training unit for the remainder of the war.

Ronald Batson had one brother, Douglas, who also volunteered for the RAF. He was killed in a freak accident on 23 August 1944, when a USAAF B24 Liberator bomber crashed into a cafe in Freckleton, Lancashire. He is buried in Duncombe Cemetery, Ferryhill, Co Durham. How ironic that one brother flew on more than 60 operations over occupied territory and survived, while the other died while eating in a Lancashire snack bar.

After the war Ronald Batson returned to Durham, and he died there on 25 November 2006.

SURNAME

Batson

o FORENAME

Ronald

o UNIT

617 Squadron,R.A.F.V.R.

o RANK

Flight Sergeant

o NUMBER

1045069

o AWARD

Distinguished Flying Medal

o PLACE

London Gazette 23.5.1944

o ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

from Ferryhill

RAF 1941

3 RC 29.3.1941

9 RC November 1941

North Weald 6.1.1942

16 RC 21.1.1942

ACRC 22.1.1942

14 ITW

4 AGS

47 CF 7.9.1942

106 CF 11.9.1942

97 Squadron 22.9.1942

617 Squadron March 1943

Sergeant

T/Flight Sgt 1.7.1943

award DFM (23.5.1944) (37 ops)

5 PDC 5.4.1945

100 PDC 20.1.1946

Sergeant Ronald Batson (1045069) Front Gunner:

From the Ferryhill

SERVICE, PROMOTIONS, AWARDS

No. 3 RC 29 Mar 1941

No. 9 RC Nov 1941

North Weald 6 Jan 1942

No. 16 RC 21 Jan 1942

ACRC 22 Jan 1942

No. 14 ITW

No. 4 AGS

No. 47 CF 7 Sep 1942

No. 106 CF 11 Sep 1942

97 Sqdn 22 Sep 1942

617 Sqdn Mar 1943

T/F/Sgt 1 July 1943

DFM Gaz

No. 5 PDC 5 Apl 1945

23 May 1944 (37 ops)

No. 100 PDC 20 Jan 1946

After the war Ronald Batson returned to Durham for a while, and worked for the UN duplicating machine business. He later moved to Fleetwood in Lancashire. He was married twice, and moved back to Leeholme, Co Durham, with his second wife Muriel in the 1990s. He died there on 25 November 2006.

Ferryhill Town Council would like to thank everyone who contributed to this year’s Annual Town Meeting.  The event held at St. Luke’s Parish Centre on 11^th May included presentations from Ferryhill Town Council, Ferryhill Ladder Centre, Durham Constabulary, Durham Community Action and Ferryhill Sport & Education Centre (FSEC).

Mayor of Ferryhill, Councillor Carole Atkinson opened the event, welcoming everyone to the Meeting and thanking them for their attendance.  Councillor Atkinson then presented a cheque each for £2,678 to Endeavour Woodcrafts CIC & Ferryhill LADDER Centre, who she had chosen to raise funds for in 2022-2023 during her term as Mayor.

In closing the evening, the Mayor invited everyone to stay and look around the fantastic information displays provided by Endeavour Woodcrafts CIC, Ferryhill Women’s Institute, Ferryhill Churches Together, Ferryhill History Society and Ferryhill Town Council, and to exchange ideas for the future.

Mayor, Councillor Carole Atkinson said ‘I would personally like to thank everyone who has been involved in this year’s Annual Town Meeting.  The event demonstrates what a fantastic range of community groups we have available in the Town, all of whom are doing a fantastic job. I am thrilled to have been a part of it.’

Ferryhill Town Council would like to say a huge thank you to everyone in the Town who joined in with the King’s Coronation Celebrations, and especially those who attended the Party in the Park event at the weekend to mark the occasion.  Despite the occasional shower of rain, the event proved hugely popular and failed to dampen people’s spirits.

Congratulations to local group Chance Drama, who following an opening speech by the Mayor, Councillor Carole Atkinson, kicked off a fantastic line-up of stage acts and a variety of attractions including children’s entertainment, face painting, refreshments, games and stalls. A huge thank you to Stanley Events for organising the event and to all the stallholders and attractions who made sure the day was a big success.

Mayor, Councillor Carole Atkinson said ‘It was a privilege to open such a fantastic event and great to see everyone really enjoying the occasion. A big thank you to everyone who has participated in the weekend’s celebrations.’

The Local Government Boundary Commission is reviewing the electoral areas in County Durham to make sure councillors represent an equal number of people and the boundaries help with effective council work. As part of this review, the total number of councillors will be reduced from 126 to 98 and will consist of 48 divisions, including nine single councillor divisions, 28 two councillor divisions and 11 three councillor divisions.

To have your say on their proposals, visit County Durham | LGBCE

The consultation closes on Monday 10 July 2023.