| Summary : The site of a former World War Two military airfield, opened in 1941 and closed in 1946. It was situated at Oatlands Hill, and functioned as a satellite of Old Sarum. It was a grass surfaced airfield with three grass airstrips, and was equipped with four Blister aircraft hangars (of the larger Extra-Over size type), dispersed across the airfield. The domestic buildings were clustered on the western outside edge of the airfield, and the control tower was situated in the north-west corner of the flying field. Its primary use was initially to train pilots for Army Coperation Squadrons (41 Operational Training Unit). In 1944 43 Operational Training Unit moved to the airfield, along with a detachment of the United States Army 9th Air Force 47th Liason Squadron. For part of March-April 1945 Canadian units- RCAF Air Observation Post Squadrons 664, 665 and 666- were also here, possibly receiving training from 43 OTU (normally based at Andover) before being deployed in Holland. These units comprised retrained Royal Canadian Army artiliery personnel flying under the auspices of the Royal Canadian Air Force; they were formed in January 1945 at Andover. The Canadians were housed in tents and in modified vehicles. The airfield is now part of a dairy Farm (Druids Lodge Farm). In 2003 one Blister hangar near the A360 was still extant. Some ruined walls of the brick domestic buildings were noted; the station sick quarters (a small military hospital) and underground fuel store were still extant at that date. The airfield has also been identified from aerial photographs. |
More information : Oatlands Hill Airfield, Wiltshire, SU 090 405, a World War Two Airfield opened in 1941 and closed in 1946. (1)
Oatlands Aerodrome was situated at Oatlands Hill, SU 096 404, 4 miles west of Amesbury. It functioned as a satellite of Old Sarum. It was a grass surfaced airfield with three grass airstrips, and was equipped with four Blister aircraft hangars (of the larger Extra-Over size type), dispersed across the airfield. A site plan accopanying the text of source 2 shows that the domestic buildings were clustered on the western outside edge of the airfield, and the control tower was situated in the north-west corner of the flying field. Its primary use was initially to train pilots for Army Coperation Squadrons (41 Operational Training Unit). In 1944 43 Operational Unit moved to the airfield, along with a detachment of the United States Army 9th Air Force 47th Liason Squadron. The airfield is now part of a dairy farm (Druids Lodge Farm). In 2003 (i.e the year that source 2 was published) one Blister hangar near the A360 was still extant and in use as a barn. Some ruined walls of the brick domestic buildings were noted; the sick quarters (a long low rendered building) and underground fuel store were still extant at that date. The fuel store was still in use. The source outlines when other buildings and structures were destroyed. (2)
A military camp in the vicinity of Druid's Lodge is visible on aerial photographs. The camp appears to have been established before World War II and then expanded some time during the war. Numerous hard standings and buildings are visible on either side of the road over an area, measuring 1415m by 335m to the east, south and south east of Druid's Lodge. What may be parts of the same camp are situated around the woods of The Park. Parts of the structures in this area appear to have been semi-demolished in the 1930's but then re-used in the 1940's. Some of the buildings still remained in the 1970's and included a hanger.
Please note that the remains situated around The Park belong to Oatlands airfield which was established in the Second World War and the remains around Druid's Lodge are from the First World War airfield at Lake Down (1347245). (3-7)
OATLANDS HILL AIRFIELD : There were also Canadians at Oatlands. Nos 664, 665, and 666 Air Observation Post Squadrons of the RCAF were formed on Jan 22, 1945 at RAF Andover. The artillery officers, recruited from the Royal Canadian Artillery, were given advanced flying training at 43 OTU, RAF Andover. (The squadrons themselves were under the auspices of the RCAF but they were manned and piloted only by RCA.) The Canadian government did not produce a special wing for the Canadian Air OP, so the pilots wore the British army flying badge. (8)
"RAF Squadrons" by Wing Commander jefford noted that 664, 665 and 666 Squadrons were formed in January 1945 at Andover, but does not note their time at Oatlands Hill airfield. (9)
The diary of Colonel Baily, then a young officer of the 665 Squadron shows that the Canadians moved to Oatland's Hill from Andover on Saturday March 17th 1945 and trained there staying under canvas and in vehicles. They left Otalands on Wednesday April 18th 1945. They were to be deployed in Holland. (10)
Fromow describes the airfield as a "grass airfield equipped with the necessarry dispersals and a minimum of accommodation". At Oatlands the Canadians carried out flight and section training and recogniotion training. "Shoots" (presumably with artillery) were also organised at the nearby Alfriston and Larkhill ranges. During training two aircraft were destroyed with no fatalities or serious injuries. Fromow's account notes that The Squadron left Oatlands Hill for Hornchurch on the 19th of March where they were to join 84 the group in the 2nd TAF (Tactical Air Force) at Gilze-Rijen in the Netherlands. (11)
The men of 665 squadron adapted some vehicles (3-ton trucks) to serve as accomodation at Oatlands Hill airfield by building wooden bunks in them. Vehicles were camouflaged "heavily timbered" verges around the perimeter of the airfield. (12) |