Monument record MDO28773 - Second World War Christchurch Airfield (1935-40), Bure, Christchurch

Christchurch Airfield was opened in 1935 and used as an advanced landing ground 1943-44. An early layout of the airfield is visible on aerial photographs of 1940, which also show that the site was camouflaged with fake field boundaries at this time.

Christchurch Airfield is visible on aerial photographs of 1940 in an area now covered by residential housing. The airfield had a different layout from its appearance in 1946, by which time the airfield had been further developed (see linked record MWX1164 and (2)). In 1940, the airfield was camouflaged with fake field boundaries, visible over an area measuring 950 m by 890 m. The area was used as an advanced landing ground from 1943, but storage areas for temporary runway surfaces, possibly Sommerfield Track or a similar system, can also be seen in 1940, centred at approximately SZ 18914 93260, suggesting that metal runway track was also used at this time. (1) Camouflage patterns of field boundaries can be seen on airfields in around this period, for example, Scampton in Lincolnshire. (3) The boundaries were painted onto the ground and, as can be seen at Christchurch, often had the shadows of trees painted to either side of them. This site was digitally plotted during the South West Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey (Dorset).

<1> Royal Air Force, 25-JUL-1940, RAF 225D/UK848 2681-3 (Aerial Photograph). SDO12711.

<2> Royal Air Force, 12-DEC-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1893 4276-7 (Aerial Photograph). SDO12710.

<3> Brown I et al, 1995, 20th Century Defences in Britain: An introductory guide (Monograph). SDO12712.

Record last edited

Jul 27 2020 4:27PM