Lorient U-boat Dombunkers

When the German army swept over France in 1940 it found that the whole of the French west coast became its territory and that it could be useful to Navy’s U-boat fleet to extend its radius. Instead of having to negotiate the northern passage between Scotland and Norway, they would be able to use the French ports to rain free out into the Atlantic.

Lorient was one of the five bases chosen as a U-boat port and a repair base and built around the old French fishing harbour.

Above : 1924                                                                      Above : 1944

The channel was dredged, an incline added to allow the boats to be drawn up on to land, a turntable added and six repair facilities were placed like a clock around the turntable.

Whilst it was being built, bombing by the RAF and now the Americans had increased not just in quantity but also accuracy, so overhead protection was needed. There was a bunker used to protect large railway guns and this design could be adapted to take U-boats. A domed structure with a pointed roof to allow bombs to ricochet off rather than explode on, was built. 84meters long, a height of 25meters with a working length of 60meters.  Allowing the smaller Type II Class boats to be serviced here.

RAF Chilbolton, Hampshire

4 miles east of Stockbridge, Hampshire Chilbolton opened as a dispersed satellite airfield for RAF Middle Wallop. Middle Wallop was due on completion to be a bomber station but as war arrived and the Battle of Britain started, it was turned into a fighter Station. Chilbolton was then to be its satellite fighter station. Several fighter blast pens were placed around the perimeter of a grass airfield.

Hurricanes of No.238 Squadron were the first to arrive and fought many battles above Southampton, Portland, Dorchester and Yeovil.

As the war progressed Chilbolton was given an upgrade to an 'A' class airfield with three hard runways, two T2 hangars,

                    a B1 hangar and a full bomb store.

The Americans arrived with Thunderbolts for ground attack and fighter cover prior to D-day and later C47 Dakotas to bring back casualties from Normandy.

Stonefield Park was Site No.2 (Communal) and had the Officers, Sergeants mess's, NAAFI Institute, gymnasium, ablutions, latrines and many air-raid shelters. Most still remain even the squash court.

Airmen's Dining Room for 1804 men 3444/42 (193 on plan).


When the war ended the airfield had its first RAF jets with Vampires.

Then the jets left. Chilbolton went into Care & Maintenance, but Vickers Supermarine needed a flight test centre and moved here to test its planes like the Attacker. 

Next came Folland also to flight test their Midge and Gnat

which went on to be a very successful aircraft used all around the world and by the Red Arrows RAF display team.

Now closed but there is still a lot to see, my next trip is to find all the pillboxes. 

RAF Chilbolton, Hampshire link to web page.

www.atlantikwall.co.uk

Folligny, Manche, France.

A very important railway junction even today but during WW2 it was a major artery for troop movements and later would have been used for V1 & V2 deliveries. The allies targeted all the railways  behind the D-day lines and bombed them constantly. Being such an important junction it needed an anti-aircraft defence and an air-raid precaution for staff on the railways, troops & civilians caught up in the war.

A Flak tower was built to look like a water tower which may have held a 2cm AA gun, several air-raid shelters and defensive positions.

ftLeft : the site of the junction.    Right : an air-photo taken during or after a bombing raid on the railway. 1944.

Left : a view across the railway lines to the new water tower and in front the Flak tower and the air-raid shelter.                                                   Right : a close up of the Flak tower.

 Left : 2cm Flak gun.

Left : one of the two defence positions and stairs down to the shelters.  Right: one of two air-raid shelter in very good condition. 

A not very good plan. 

 

 

We have to thank Bernard Defortescu Maire de Folligny and his council for opening up the shelters to the public.

A memorial to the railwaymen who lost their life's during the occupation  and liberation.                                                                                                                        

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