RAF Montrose

Report Two

Investigation Report – 27th of May – 2010

INVESTIGATION TEAM: Billy, Jackie, James, Kim, Lisa, Lorraine, Ray

 

AREAS OF INVESTIGATION:

Main Museum

Home Front

1940s Room

Large Hangar

Outside Building – team refer to this as the Mannequin Room as it is full of uniformed mannequins and displays cases

2nd Outside Building – with further displays

NOTE: The large hanger containing a life size replica of a Sopwith Camel, the only World War One aircraft on show to the public in Scotland, Prototype Derwent, Spey and Olympus jet engines, original Mann Egerton engine crane fully refurbished, 2 Rolls Royce Merlin engines with the story of a fatal crash they originate from, Hercules radical engine, an original 1944 staff car, Unipower Carmichael fire appliance and a green goddess fire engine.

Unfortunately, the Nissan hut and radio room were unavailable to the team on this investigation.


BACKGROUND

 

Britain’s first operational military airfield was set up in Montrose by the Royal Flying Corps in 1913. The heritage centre’s collection of photographs and artifacts tell the story of RFC/RAF Montrose through the words and deeds of the men and women who served here through two world wars, bringing the airfield alive and  sparking the enthusiasm and admiration of generations for whom the First and Second Wars exists only in others’ memories. From the very early days of military aviation in Britain and in both world wars, the air station played a vital role in training pilots for the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force. Many of those who passed through Montrose were ordinary people in extraordinary times from all walks of life and all nationalities.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY REPORTED

Sightings of mysterious ‘bi-plane’ flights when no such aircraft was stationed at Montrose

A black Labrador has been seen following members around the museum

Ghostly airmen adorned in flying suit & goggles

Ghost riders in the sky (reported in the Scottish Daily Express May 1963)

Training pilots was a hazardous occupation and many lost their lives and are buried in the cemeteries of Montrose. It is not surprising therefore that it is, possibly, the most haunted place in Britain. There have been many unexplained sightings of apparitions in pilots’ uniforms and phantom planes. One in particular being Lt Desmond Arthur, whose untimely death in 1913 is thought to have led to the first sightings of the mysterious Montrose Ghost.  Also, Sightings of mysterious ‘bi-plane’ flights when no such aircraft was stationed at Montrose, Ghostly airmen adorned in flying suit & goggles, Ghost riders in the sky (reported in the Scottish Daily Express May 1963)  and a black Labrador has been seen following members around the museum.  Within the actual museum, it has been alleged that phantom footsteps are heard walking up and down the main corridor, and a man seen in full flying gear seen by visitors and staff.

For further history on RAF Montrose, visit the site (click here) for a fascinating read about it’s heritage centre.


INVESTIGATION NOTE: On a previous GPI investigation, the team were being filmed by STV and did not feel they managed to carry out a full and thorough investigation. The team felt very strongly that the location warranted a future visit. On this investigation, GPI are staying overnight in the museum with the hope of capturing more evidence while the equipment is left running.


INVESTIGATION

 

10.30PM

The team arrives at the RAF Montrose and is greeted by John Melville, one of the trustees of the museum and membership secretary.  The team set up base in the main museum and Billy and James set up laptops etc.  Lorraine is then accompanied by Kim, Lisa, Jackie and Ray for a walk around to jog their memory and for Lorraine, team sensitive to pick up on any hotspots and set up trigger objects.   The team leaves a bible in the pill box and also a picture of a German helmet in the Home Front room.  Whilst leaving this trigger object, Lisa feels like her side was touched.  Kim also sets up a tent in the hanger; the team will carry out a sensory deprivation experiment and investigate whether this will heighten any experiences during vigils.

James also leaves a laptop recording with a microphone in the hanger which will be left running for the duration of the investigation.  Lisa then sets up  a laptop in the main museums’ 1940s room which will be playing music from the 1940s and also important speeches during this era from Winston Churchill and Neville Chamberlain.  James also leaves another laptop with another microphone recording alongside to hopefully pick up any EVP or other activity within this room and also a Dictaphone.

After a short break to top up energy and caffeine levels, the team begins the investigation.

VIGILS


OUTSIDE BUILDING – MANNEQUIN ROOM: Lorraine, Lisa, Kim, Ray, Jackie

The group gather together in the mannequin room. Lorraine senses people standing around the team with curiosity.  She begins to feel pressured and headachy. She asks them to back off and try to make their presence known through our equipment instead.

The EMF and temperature are read, showing fluctuations from the base lines readings.  Further analyzation of footage from night vision camcorder and dictaphones do not show orbs of any kind or significant auditory phenomena.  Lorraine then asks for the ‘gentlemen’ standing around the team to stand back once again, as she will need to leave. Kim  then asks if there is a higher ranking officer present and, if so, requests that he asks his men to stand down and stop affecting Lorraine.  It is at this point that Lorraine begins to feel better and suddenly the word “staples” appears in her mind, while being shown staples.  She asks if anyone present goes by the name ‘Stapleman’ or ‘Stapleton’.  The team hear two loud taps – this is also captured on dictaphone. Lorraine has to leave the areas as the spiritual presences are making her feel quite unwell.

On asking client, John Melville, whether the ‘staple’ name meant anything significant, he seemed quite intrigued and advises Kim and Lisa that there was a very famous Squadron Leader called Stapleton based at the airfield during the Second World War.  He advises that we would not have known this offhand however there could be a display on this person within the museum.

Lisa and Kim accompany John on searching the museum to find out if this information is readily available.  There are no displays at present, but John advises there was a display in the past detailing this gentleman’s time at the base.  Squadron Leader Basil Gerald “Stapme” Stapleton DFC (12 May 1920 – 13 April 2010) was a Royal Air Force officer and fighter ace who flew Spitfires and Typhoons during WW2.  He preferred the name Gerald and was nicknamed “Stapme”.  His score of six enemy aircraft destroyed, two shared destroyed, eight probably destroyed and two damaged, all achieved on Spitfires during the Battle of Britain, made him one of the most famous pilots of that era. The team and John agree this is very strange for Lorraine to encounter him as he just died recently but advised that the air station had been a very special place for him.


LARGE HANGER IN THE TENT: James, Billy

James and Billy held a vigil inside the tent within the hanger and began calling out to any spirits present asking for their help. Both thought they heard bangs and footsteps outside the tent at the other end of the hanger.  They also kept hearing the paneling of the hanger flexing but cannot confirm that it was the culprit of the loud bangs.

On reviewing the dictaphone, at one point in the recording Billy says.”You have left us to die.” There appears to be another strange voice speaking over Billy when he says ‘die’.  The team cannot confirm what’s being said.

Billy also says at one point, “You have deserted us.” There is also a strange voice following this but once again, we cannot make out what it says.


MANNEQUIN ROOM: Jackie, James, Lisa

The team seat themselves in the back part of the room and began to ask out for activity.   They all feel watched in this room, but in no way threatened.  They place a dictaphone on top of one of the display cases and use an EMF meter.

James begins asking questions and requesting any one who has passed and is present to affect the EMF meter.  The EMF meter then starts to spike, seemingly in response to the questions.  James also saw a shadow on the opposite side of room and advised that for some reason the name ‘Gerard’ or ‘Gerald’ popped into his head.  The team then began asking further questions, was Gerard/Gerald was trying to communicate with them?  They then begin hearing clicks and bangs.  It was at this moment that the display case next to team (with dictaphone) began to clearly vibrate for approximately 7-8 seconds.  The team was totally puzzled by this as no other display cases vibrated and the team did not feel any vibration on the floor.  They could find no logical explanation for this.  They encounter furthers taps and bangs and James also reported hearing a loud breath.

On regrouping with the rest of the team at base, they are shocked to hear that Billy also had the name ‘Gerry’ or ‘Gerald’ pop into this head at another vigil – with the rest of the team investigating in the large hanger.  James came out with this name at 2.05am in one location while Billy recorded his shortly after 2:15am.  The team cannot find a reason for this. James and Billy are even more puzzled by this as the GPI’s resident skeptics and would not describe themselves as sensitive or psychic in any way.


LARGE HANGER: Lorraine, Billy, Kim, Ray

The team sit inside the tent and report taps and bangs around the building.  Billy said the name ‘Gerry’ corresponding with James’ experience in the mannequin room at roughly the same time.   Lorraine also reported seeing a purple light and also felt her hand being touched. On the dictaphone, there also appears to be a voice captured but the team are unable to confirm what it is saying.

2ND OUTSIDE BUILDING: James, Jackie, Kim, Lisa

The team experience taps and bangs during questions. James heard whispering. During the vigil, the team began talking about angels, and Lisa and Kim both heard a moan. Listening back to this footage on a laptop, it appears only to be audible with headphones.


MANNEQUIN ROOM: Kim, Lisa, James

A final vigil is held in this building due to the activity in the previous vigil.  A dictaphone is once again placed on the same display case that vibrated earlier. The team begin asking questions, requesting anyone present to affect the EMF meter.  James then decides to use a Morse code application on his I-Phone to ask questions, which will hopefully initiate a response.   The first question is, “Do you want us to stay?”, which produced spikes on the EMF.

Lisa asked, “Did you work in communications?” The EMF spikes as if in response to the question. Another question is asked, “Did you work with Morse code?” The EMF spiked again. The team were unsure if this the signal from James’ I-Phone could have affected the EMF.  However the I-Phone was nowhere near the EMF.

On reviewing audio, when James asks,” Do you know what Morse code is?” there appears to be a voice responding but the team cannot make out what it says. The team however cannot explain the significant EMF readings as there was no electrical appliance or source near the EMF.  It was during the last part of these questions, whilst holding the EMF meter away from the team outside the group, Kim felt that something was pulling on her arm and fleece.  It is decided at 5.30am to end this vigil and close down the communication, thanking whoever it was for speaking to them.


SUMMARY

The GPI feel RAF Montrose is a fantastic location and that there’s a good chance they captured some great evidence; possibly auditory phenomenon such as voices, breaths, footsteps and bangs. During a break in the base, Lorraine and Billy experienced the EMF meter spiking for no reason and on asking if it was Gerry or Gerald present, it responded. Is it possible that this Squadron Leader, Basil Gerald Stapleton, trying to communicate with the team?

With regards to the music experiment left running in the 1940s room, no obvious auditory phenomenon was captured on dictaphone and unfortunately, the laptop that was left running with a microphone, restarted itself and lost all data recorded. On checking audio from the laptop left recording in hanger, there were various taps and bangs captured to correspond with personal experiences during vigils there.

No triggers objects were moved.

No light anomalies were captured on camcorders or digital cameras.  The team strongly feel that due to the personal experiences and EMF activity captured, RAF Montrose warrants further investigation.


The team would like to say a big thank you to John Melville and The Trust for allowing GPI to carry out this investigation and making them feel so welcome.

GPI would also like to dedicate this report to all the work and heroic effort given by all the service men and women who fought during the air fields’ operation in both WW1 and WW2.

Report One

Investigation Report – 18th of April – 2009

INVESTIGATORS – ANNA, BILLY, JAMES, KIM, JACKIE AND LISA

BACKGROUND

Britain’s first operational military airfield was set up in Montrose by the Royal Flying Corps in 1913. The heritage centre’s collection of photographs and artefacts tell the story of RFC/RAF Montrose through the words and deeds of the men and women who served here through two world wars, bringing the airfield alive and  sparking the enthusiasm and admiration of generations for whom the First and Second Wars exists only in others’ memories. From the very early days of military aviation in Britain and in both world wars, the air station played a vital role in training pilots for the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force. Many of those who passed through Montrose were ordinary people in extraordinary times from all walks of life and all nationalities.

Training pilots was a hazardous occupation and many lost their lives and are buried in the cemeteries of Montrose. It is not surprising therefore that it is, possibly, the most haunted place in Britain. There have been many unexplained sightings of apparitions in pilots’ uniforms and phantom planes. One in particular being Lt Desmond Arthur, whose untimely death in 1913 is thought to have led to the first sightings of the mysterious Montrose Ghost.  Also, Sightings of mysterious ‘bi-plane’ flights when no such aircraft was stationed at Montrose, Ghostly airmen adorned in flying suit & goggles, Ghost riders in the sky (reported in the Scottish Daily Express May 1963)  and a black Labrador has been seen following members around the museum.  Within the actual museum, it has been alleged that phantom footsteps are heard walking up and down the main corridor, and a man seen in full flying gear seen by visitors and staff.

***STV’s The Hour Show shadowed the GPI for a small segment on the show and this resulted in the investigation not commencing until after 12am.    Please visit STV’s website following this link  to view video***

MAIN AREAS FOR INVESTIGATION

Main museum – featuring home front, 1940s room and room with display cabinets, photos etc.

Outside building – team refer to this as the mannequin room as it is full of uniformed mannequins and also displays cases

Large hanger containing a life size replica of a Sopwith Camel, the only World War One aircraft on show to the public in Scotland, Prototype Derwent, Spey and Olympus jet engines, original Mann Egerton engine crane fully refurbished, 2 Rolls Royce Merlin engines with the story of a fatal crash they originate from, Hercules radical engine, an original 1944 staff car, Unipower Carmichael fire appliance and a green goddess fire engine.

INVESTIGATION

Before beginning the vigils, Lorraine (team sensitive) did a brief walk round to pick up any hot spots for activity.  She confirmed that on the grounds of the base, there was a spirit of a man in military uniform who was wondering why we were all there and seemed quite agitated by our presence.  She later advised that he was some sort of guard and would have been encountered by people visiting.  She said the name Jack or Jackson maybe associated with him.  On speaking to John, one of the trustees of the base, he advised this was something visitors had seen and reported.  In the large hangar, she picked up on the spirit of a woman, possibly a nurse but could not get any more information on this spirit.

James set up CCTV in the 1940s room where there have been various sightings of people in military uniform.  Additionally, James played speeches by Winston Churchill and Neville Chamberlain which were significant during WW2 when the museum was active.  Music from that era was also played.  This experiment is called The Relative Time to Object Theory; also known as the “Singapore Theory”.  In the Relative Time to Object Theory many investigators report that paranormal activity will increase when an object, such as old furniture, clothing, toys, music etc. from that time period is introduced into a location that used to have these objects during that specific time period. Apparently when the object is brought into the location, spirits will interact more as they can relate to the objects and may have memories associated with items or music.    The team hopes this will boost activity which will be captured by the CCTV.

Kim also placed some marbles in the pill box.  This small round structure was built to house machine guns for the defense of the air base during times of war.  Kim placed the marbles in flour in order to see if there has been any movement.    Lisa also placed a bible in the Anderson shelter.  This was a bomb shelter for the protection of civil population and also military personnel against enemy attacks.  Lisa drew around the bible with a black felt pen on a piece of white paper and the team will easily be able to see if this has been moved in any way.

Kim, Anna and Lisa then set about setting up a couple of trigger objects in the Home Front room, which has various display cases and mannequins in uniform.   They place 2 crucifixes on display cases and just as they are setting this up, all 3 of them hear a distinct ticking noise.  Lisa turns to see the siren turning and alerts Anna and Kim.  All 3 investigators witness this and are extremely surprised as no one is near the part of room where siren is placed.   This siren has to be hand wound and the lever is quite stiff.  It takes a significant amount of force to turn this lever.  The team is baffled by this and looks for any loose floorboards etc near this which could have resulted in it moving.   They also check to see if it is on a timer or mechanism which could result in this movement but cannot find any logical reason for this. Unfortunately, as they were just setting equipment up, no video footage was captured of this event.

During various vigils in the large hanger, the team experiences various taps and bangs, however with it being such a large structure they cannot isolate where these noises are coming from.  Lorraine advises that there are various male entities in this building but they are simply standing around the team, interested in what we are doing.  She asks them to stand back as she is beginning to feel ill and asks for them to affect someone else in team.  However, no one else in the team experiences anything.   On a later vigil in this area, Jackie and Lorraine return and once again Lorraine is very affected by male energies and feels she must leave.  On leaving this area, Jackie turns to take a couple of digital photographs and strangely, these photos show a significant amount of orbs.   On a different vigil within this space, Billy feels there is a man standing behind him and Lorraine confirms she can see someone standing directly behind him.

Kim, James and Lisa carry out another vigil in this area later but do not find anything unusual or any activity.

The team carries out a further investigation of the mannequin room but apart from a few taps and bangs, there is nothing noteworthy with regards to evidence, experienced in this room.   However, the team agrees that there is a strange feeling within this room and all report feeling watched.  There are no high EMF readings registered or even any fluctuations throughout the investigation.  High readings have been known to cause, paranoia, depression or even hallucinations.

The main museum which houses the 1940s and Home Front rooms has been secured for at least an hour during the experiment with the music and speeches.  Lisa enters the 1940s to check on this experiment and on the lap tops recording CCTV.  As she checks lap top and CCTV cameras, Lisa reports feeling someone behind her.  On looking back at CCTV footage, the team witness Lisa checking equipment then turning to look behind her and then turn back.  It is at this point, that an orb moves behind her from corner of room and disappears.

There are various strange light anomalies on the CCTV footage within the 1940s room.  Although the team is rather skeptical regarding orbs, they all agree that some of the orbs captured are very distinct; they come from nowhere, seem to stop stationary and then move off into nothing.  They seem to move freely and independently unlike dust.  These orbs are captured whilst playing music.

The team would like to say a big thank you to John Melville and The Trust for allowing GPI to carry out this investigation and making them feel so welcome.

GPI would also like to dedicate this report to all the work and heroic effort given by all the service men and women who fought during the air fields’ operation in both WW1 and WW2.