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Summary

In 1939 the civil Haldon Airfield was requisitioned by the Air Ministry. In 1941 the grass runway was extended to 900 yards and the airfield transferred to the Admiralty, and it was named HMS Heron II. Elements of both the civil and wartime airfield infrastructure, including associated earthwork defences and buildings, are visible on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX97NW/146/1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• AIRFIELD (World War II to XX - 1939 AD to 1946 AD (Between))

Full description

Horner, W., 05/07/1995, Haldon Airfield (Un-published). SDV356971.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1824, RAF/CPE/UK/1824 RP 3084-3085 04-NOV-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352344.

Structures and earthworks associated with the airfield are visible.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, 4413; HER 49/12 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

A number of the wartime airfield features are visible.

Royal Air Force, 1950, RAF/541/520, RAF/541/520 4014-4015 13-MAY-1950 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352112.

Most military airfield buildings have been demolished.

Ashworth, C., 1982, Action Station 5: Military Airfields of the South-West, 91-2 (Monograph). SDV20446.

Military airfield at Little Haldon. In 1939 Haldon Airfield was requisitioned by the Air Ministry and initially only sporadically used by communications aircraft from Boscombe Down during armament trials on the Lyme Bay ranges (it may well be that the observation post at Ladram Bay formed part of the Lyme Bay ranges). In 1941 the grass runway was extended to 900 yards and the airfield transferred to the Admiralty. It was named HMS Heron II, and operated as a satellite of the Yeovilton base (HMS Heron). The Navy fighter school at Yeovilton was making increasing use of the Lyme Bay gunnery ranges at this time and the Haldon site was a suitable base for target-tug aircraft. Targets were towed for both air-to-air and ship-to-air firing. The military guard was stationed in the Haldon Tea House and the airfield personnel were billeted in Teignmouth. Later, Haldon Camp was requisitioned from the war office (an internee and pow camp) as accommodation. Operations from the site were difficult and in 1942 drainage was put in and tarmac hardstandings and steel mat tracks laid. However this did not solve the problem of low cloud and high winds which resulted in many cancelled exercises. In 1943 the site went into care and maintenance and the name Heron II was transferred to Charlton Horthorne in Somerset. The site remained in use however as an emergency landing strip for US Navy aircraft from Dunkeswell and air transport command gliders were stored in the airfield hangar.

Willis, S. + Holliss, B., 1990, Military airfields in the British Isles 1939-1945, 95 (Monograph). SDV351414.

Wasley, G., 1994, Devon at War 1939-1945, 90 (Monograph). SDV165766.

Satellite of Yelverton (RAF Harrowbeer) opened summer 1941. Used by target tugs.

Jury, R., 1995, Haldon Airfield (Worksheet). SDV357260.

Site visited on 20th November 1995. Grass runway re-activated in about 1942 for target towing aircraft. The only relic of this is a Forestry Commission Car Park at SX918761 called 'Aerodrome Car Park' and the nearby remains of a brick building.
Site visited again on 23rd December 1995. The grass runway was later improved by metal tracking (some pegging visible) and concrete.

Horner, W., 1996, Haldon Airfield/HMS Heron (Worksheet). SDV356972.

Francis, P., 1999, Exeter Airport. Historic Airport Survey for Devon County Council & East Devon District Council, 18 (Report - non-specific). SDV323390.

At the outbreak of war the site was requisitioned by the Royal Air Force who, in October, opened an airmen's convalescent depot, but within eight weeks it had closed, whereupon the site became an outstation of RAE (sic) Exeter. In July 1940 the Air Ministry agreed that the aerodrome could be made available for limited use by the Fleet Air Arm. The site was used as an advanced landing ground for target towing aircraft from the newly opened naval air station at Yeovilton. These were engaged in armament training over ranges in Lyme Bay, and made use of Haldon in order to avoid having to fly back to Yeovilton to re-fuel and re-arm. In August 1941 the aerodrome was transferred to the Admiralty, but within two years its limitations made it unsuitable for the higher performance aircraft whech were then coming into use. For the rest of the war the aerodrome saw very little in the way of flying, except for an ATC Gliding School which opened in August 199 (sic), but by the end of hostilities, this unit had also closed down.

Next Perspectives, 2015-2017, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX9176 08-JUN-2018 & 08-AUG-2015 (Aerial Photograph). SDV361515.

Most military airfield buildings and hardstanding is obscured by vegetation.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2018-2019, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 1, Haldon Ridge to Dart Valley (Interpretation). SDV361305.

Elements of both the civil and wartime infrastructure of Haldon airfield are visible on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards as earthworks and buildings.
Numerous features of the military airfield are identifiable on the 1946 aerial photographs. These include possible air raid shelters at circa SX91607613 and SX91637603, visible as earthwork mounds with narrow access slits (MDV55952 and MDV 55953). Extensive hardstanding flanks the road to the east and rectangular military buildings aligned along the road are visible on and adjacent to the hardstanding (MDV54208). The buildings have been demolished by 1950 and the hardstanding is largely overgrown on images derived from aerial photographs of 2015, with small sections reused as car parking.
The area of the military airfield is not obviously demarcated but may be defined visible disturbances to the ground surface, possibly for improvements to drainage.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV165766	Monograph: Wasley, G.. 1994. Devon at War 1939-1945. Devon at War. Hardback Volume. 90.
SDV169268	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1890. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 4413; HER 49/12.
SDV20446	Monograph: Ashworth, C.. 1982. Action Station 5: Military Airfields of the South-West. Action Station 5: Military Airfields of the South-West. Hardback Volume. 91-2.
SDV323390	Report - non-specific: Francis, P.. 1999. Exeter Airport. Historic Airport Survey for Devon County Council & East Devon District Council. Airfield Research Publishing Report. Digital + A4. 18.
SDV351414	Monograph: Willis, S. + Holliss, B.. 1990. Military airfields in the British Isles 1939-1945. Military airfields in the British Isles 1939-1945. 95.
SDV352112	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1950. RAF/541/520. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/541/520 4014-4015 13-MAY-1950.
SDV352344	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1824. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1824 RP 3084-3085 04-NOV-1946. [Mapped feature: #115200 ]
SDV356971	Un-published: Horner, W.. 05/07/1995. Haldon Airfield. File Note. A4 Stapled.
SDV356972	Worksheet: Horner, W.. 1996. Haldon Airfield/HMS Heron. Defence of Britain Project. Worksheet + Digital.
SDV357260	Worksheet: Jury, R.. 1995. Haldon Airfield. Defence of Britain Project. Worksheet + Digital.
SDV361305	Interpretation: Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R.. 2018-2019. The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 1, Haldon Ridge to Dart Valley. Historic England Research Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV361515	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2015-2017. Aerial Photography for Great Britain. Digital. Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX9176 08-JUN-2018 & 08-AUG-2015.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4774 - Historic Airport Survey, Exeter Airport
• EDV7515 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey (Ref: ACD1748)

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