Weekend Walk in Hampshire

This weekend three AIX members met up for an airfield walk in Hampshire.

First up was RAF Worthy Down, it has a long history right back to the Royal Flying Corps days. Started in Aug. 1917 and opened in Aug. 1918 as a wireless and observers school and had six aeroplane sheds like these below along with extensive accommodation and instructional buildings.

Between the wars it became a bomber station and as WW2 was drawing ever closer the Fleet Air Arm took over and it became HMS Kestrel.

During the Battle of Britain Worthy Down was bombed and also around this time Spitfire flight testing moved in from Eastligh.     

 

Whilst in Naval hands they erected 48 Dutch barns around the airfield as dispersed aircraft storage and we went to find their remains.

On the west side of the A34 were the largest group and walking the woods we found many of the foundations and also air-raid slit trenches that were laid out so in the event of an air attack, a short sprint to the nearest trench and you were safe!! The roadways are still showing their tarmac surfaces as well and one office and toilet survives. On the main airfield one Dutch barn is still standing proud out in the open and another very worst for wear is in woodland to the south.  

                

There are many pillbox defences around Worthy Down and we found several of them and possibly two Picket Hamilton Forts. These Forts would be flush with the airfield surface and on entering via a manhole in the top, it would be pumped up out of the ground and used as a normal pillbox.

Above : a Picket Hamilton Fort.



World War One

WW1 Ypres February 2005.

 Mine crater near Hill 60

 Ypres British Cemetery

RAF Warmwell, Dorset

RAF Warmwell was an expansion period pre WW2 airfield used as an Armament Practice Camp. When war started it found its self in the front line with Hurricanes and Spitfires covering Southampton, Exeter and Bristol. Later it became a forward operating airfield for fighters to roam into France. Then with the run up to D-day the Americans arrived with P-38 Lightening’s. October 1945 and Warmwell closed.

What is left? Plenty if you wish to look. The gymnasium is now used by the village as a hall, the control tower is now a private house. Two Bellman hangars remain and in the woodland to the south east there are many hut bases, blast shelters and the odd emergency water supply. To the west a woodland, Knighton Wood sitting with sand quarries all around it. There are many fighter pens, hut bases, cannon stop butts and several trenches remain to be found.

Red square - Knighton Wood.
Blue square - extent of airfield.

 Fighter Pen Knighton Wood

                                                                                      Gymnasium

                        Air-raid blast shelter 50man.

Airfield plan.

www.atlantikwall.co.uk

http://www.atlantikwall.co.uk/atlantikwall/atlantikwall_html/warmwell_html/south_of_england.htm 

RAF Little Rissington, Gloucester

This week I am sorting out my latest posts on RAF Little Rissington, an expansion period aerodrome in Gloucester. Nearly all the buildings and hangars are still there but planning permeation is being sort to demolish several.

There are 5 C Type Hangars or Sheds, four in a semi-circle behind the control tower (watch office) and a fifth set behind. This one is smaller and was used as a repair shed whereas the others were for resident squadrons to keep their aircraft and in offices down the sides used as crew rooms, instructional and flying instructors rooms. Little Rissington had two rolls initially. First as a Training Station which were the four C hangars and buildings behind but also as an Aircraft Storage Unit. Training was carried out by No.6 Flying Training School (FTS) and the ASU was No.8 Aircraft Storage Unit.

The expansion plans of the 1930's were for bomber stations to be in the north and east, fighter stations covering large towns and FTS & ASU's more out of the firing line in the west and North West.

RAF Melbourne, Yorkshire

www.atlantikwall.co.uk
I have just finished RAF Melbourne an airfield 11 miles south west of York. Here Halifax bombers of No10 Squadron RAF flew nearly all their wartime sorties. Now reverted to farming and Drag racing with many buildings left and also its control tower lovingly restored by local enthusiasts. I do have more to add so I will continue to update RAF Melbourne.





Main gate & memorial.




Parachute and Dingy Store




Original runway graffiti probably unique.

Day One

Welcome to the first Blog of www.atlantikwall.co.uk a website dedicated to the Atlantikwall in Europe, RAF airfields throughout Britain. Defence sites in the South of England and the build-up for D-day with many US pre-invasion camps and embarkation ports. About 116 RAF airfields, miscellaneous wartime sites 15, Defence of Britain sites 20 and France starting in the Pas de Calais with 8 Wn's & (defence positions) batteries to the Vendee - Charente Maritime and covering all Wn's on the D-Day Omaha and Utah Beaches and right up to Cherbourg. Several V1/2 sites and many other miscellaneous sites in Normandy.