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Old 24th Apr 2008, 10:14
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CPTVOR
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Bristol
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Kev,

RAF Hampstead Norreys, located just outside of the village of Hampstead Norreys on the B4009 may be worth a look.

From Wikipedia:

The village was also close to the wartime airfield of RAF Hampstead Norris, an RAF Bomber Command Operational Training Unit (OTU) station. The airfield was host to a small number of squadrons of Wellington bombers. The site was bombed on September 16, 1940 by the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain. In 1945, the station was used by squadrons of Mosquito fighter bombers and became an ammunition storage depot as part of the Central Ammunition Depot at Bramley near Basingstoke after its closure in 1946. Little of the wartime station now remains. There are four remaining pillboxes around where the airfield was and a few air raid shelters in the woods. Part of the bomb storage site remains also.

Looking at Google Earth, if you get your pointer on 51o 29' 27.38N 1o 12' 55.71W you will clearly see the field with its runways and taxi ways etc

The corner of the wooded area to the SW (51 29 02 06N, 01 13 16 21W) contains a footpath that takes you through the bomb storage site and the pillboxes are also very visable in the surrounding fields.

There are still a few locals about who remember the Wellingtons. Lunchtime in the local pub would be a good time to offer beer for stories Im sure!

If you need any more info let me know
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