Forgotten Airfields of World War 1

[Lyffe]

Does anyone have a copy of Martyn Chorlton's Forgotten Airfields of World War 1 (published 2014) by any chance?  I believe it might include a reference to the landing strip at Market Lavington, Wiltshire, which would be of interest.

Brian

[stripeyman]

I have the book;

'An RAF LG opened here in 1918 and was only used by local artillery co-operation squadrons until its closure in June 1918 ' Apart from location info that is all it states.

[Lyffe]

Many thanks, that is extremely helpful.  Does the location info provide a grid reference -  or anything that gives its position, please?  I'm aware a small detachment of RFC aircraft operated in the general locality with the Chapperton Down Artillery School circa 1916 onwards.  From what you describe I assume the author does not provide the source of his information.

Brian

[Moonraker]

Brian: didn't we cover your question eight years ago here? There remains confusion between the WWI and WWII landing-grounds. I don't know where the Recreation Ground was in  Market Lavington, but perhaps it would have made sense in WWI for a landing-ground to be there, rather than at the top of a very steep hill that lorries might have found a struggle?

[Lyffe]

Not completely, if I remember correctly not even Rod Priddle was aware of this one and his Wings Over Wiltshire seemed pretty comprehensive.   Martyn Chorlton's book is a 2014 publication, some years after the last post of the thread you refer to, and I wanted to see what he actually said, hence my asking in my last post if he provided a source.  

I'm more than a little annoyed at myself as I casually ran another Google search for the Market Lavington LG a few weeks ago and had a useful hit  which gave Chorlton's book as the reference.  Very stupidly I did not record the link and now I can't find it again; all I remember is the location was specifically WW1 and close to the conclusions of the original post.  

Brian

[stripeyman]

The first part;  51  16' 46" N/01 57' 39" W, SU028535. On Gibbet Knoll,1.2 miles E of Market Lavington, 5 miles SSE of Devizes. Located in an active 'Danger Area'

My PC does not have a symbol for degrees as you can see....

[Lyffe]

Firstly: Many thanks Stripeyman, I'd forgotten about the Gibbet Knoll.

Secondly: Grovelling apologies to Moonraker.  Although I'd contributed to the original thread, the last time I posted was in 2015 and hadn't realised it regained new legs five years later.  To compound my embarrassment even further I'd completely forgotten about MikeMeech's reply to one of my last posts

In the Cross and Cockade Gazetteer of WW1 Airfields (by Mick Davis & Bill Morgan, Part 13,Spring 2013 Journal) there is only a little bit of information on Market Lavington. Grid Reference SU 028535A (I think the 'A' is for approximate GR, so close to your "in the east"). Landing Ground RAF 1918 to June 1919, possibly for use by the Artillery Co-operation Squadron.

So shall we just forget I ever started this, but with repeat thanks to Stripeyman; it appears that Chorlton's source was the Cross and Cockade Gazetteer of WW1 Airfields (by Mick Davis & Bill Morgan).

Back under my stone

Brian

 

[Moonraker]

Not to worry, Brian! I started replying to your question shortly after you posted it, Googled to check something - and was directed to the old thread, which made me realise that I'd answered it then.  (Not the first time that Google has referred me to myself.)