Ampney down, or downampney, a parish in cirencester district, gloucester. Raf down ampney in the second world war 19391945 the. Raf down ampney simple english wikipedia, the free. Photos, maps, personal memories and local books of down ampney ho. Find unique places to stay with local hosts in 191 countries. Digital copies of group photographs, scrapbooks, autograph books, photo albums, newspaper clippings, letters, postcards and ephemera relating to ww2.
Bbc exploring gloucestershires abandoned airfields. The two had taken off from raf down ampney behind dakotas of 48 squadron. The site of a world war two military airfield opened in 1944 and closed in 19461947. The ceremony took place to mark the 75th anniversary of the operation at all saints church, down ampney, adjacent to the disused raf airfield. Down ampney airfields of britain conservation trust uk.
Church of england diocese of gloucester down ampney all saints church, down ampney, gloucestershire, gl7 5qw welcome to the parish of down ampney, which. At the other end of the village there is a the base of an old preaching cross, which is an historic monument. First of all we flew to cricklade and blakehill farm and then circled down ampney airfield surprisingly in good condition with the dispersals, runways and. There is a fascinating exhibit on down ampney s favourite son in the tower of all saints church. Ralph vaughan williams was born in the village of down ampney in 1872, and his father was vicar of all saints church. Scroll down in the article to the section court jurisdictions by parish. Gloucestershire airfields and memorials airfield gallery. I am currently researching the airfields of gloucestershire for an interactive display at the jet age museum, staverton and found your site most interesting. Old maps of down ampney historic maps of the down ampney area. Munster and their home base at down ampney in gloucestershire.
It was constructed along with broadwell and blakehill farm airfields to serve transport squadrons of 46 group in the allied invasion of normandy. Aerial photograph of down ampney airfield looking south west, the bomb dump is to the lower left of the airfield, the technical site and barrack sites are to the right, 4 december 1943. The job of these three airfields was to transport move things by air. Down ampney tune by ralph vaughan williams to come. Raf down ampney in the second world war, the wartime memories project. As air commodore graham pitchfork points out in his book shot down and in the drink, four were forced down in the north sea. All saints church, down ampney, gloucestershire, gl7 5qw. It was from here that raf 48 and 271 squadrons douglas dakotas on major missions. History of down ampney, in cotswold and gloucestershire. Mar 22, 2020 browse and book from the best vacation rentals with prices in down ampney and nearby. These superbly detailed maps provide an authoritive and fascinating insight into the history and gradual development of our cities, towns and villages.
Photograph taken by 7th photographic reconnaissance group, sortie number us7phgploc97. There are 3 ways to get from reading to down ampney by train, taxi or car. Despite the shaft and head being later than the other parts of the cross, the village cross at down ampney survives well with many of its original elements intact in what is likely to be its original location. Down ampney ho photos, maps, books, memories francis frith. It is relatively flat, and consists largely of arable and vegetative land. This particular version is performed by the world renowned choir of kings college. The units that used down ampney were 271 and 48 squadrons. Media in category down ampney the following 48 files are in this category, out of 48 total. Down ampney itself was home to over 3,000 service personnel during the second world war as an raf based was here from 19441947. Bbc ww2 peoples war my time with 271 squadron chapter 3. Select an option below to see stepbystep directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in rome2rios travel planner.
It has a post office under cricklade, which is the money order and. Down ampney was built in february 1944 and it was closed down in february 1947. Rvw was baptised here, and named his most famous hymn tune after it. The airfield was part of a group of three airfields. From stoke orchard to temple guiting, northleach to bibury, its believed there are around 50 disused airfield sites in the county. Ampney st peter, gloucestershire genealogy genealogy.
During the second world war, the raf down ampney airfield was a base for planes seeing active service in the war. The following organisations are either based at, use andor have at least potentially significant connections with the airfield as at 010720. Come down o love divine down ampney performed by the. In september 1944 douglas dakotas towing horsa gliders took off from raf down ampney as part of operation market garden to take the arnhem bridges a bridge too far. In august 1946, biggin hill was handed to reserve command, under whose control it remained until november 1949, when it. Down ampney was part of a group of airfields dedicated to air transportation, alongside raf broadwell and raf blakehill farm. Operation market garden 75th anniversary raf down ampney.
Ampney, down all saints, a parish, in the union of cirencester, chiefly in the hundred of crowthorne and minety, e. Raf down ampney was a royal air force station located north east of cricklade, wiltshire and south west of raf fairford. Its position in the centre of the village makes it an imposing monument and landmark. Vacation rentals in down ampney, england tripadvisor. Did you know that there are dozens of abandoned airfields in gloucestershire.
The event was organised by the rev canon john swanton the vicar of all saints church, down ampney. Do you have any photos taken at or near down ampney. Staff sergeant bruce hobbs dfm in glider 266 was carrying six men. Also within the church are tombs to members of the powerful hungerford family although their. True, there isnt a lot there but ive been lucky enough to. Despite taking up a brief space in the long history of the village, the airfield and its memories still loom large. The down ampney arnhem association, in which the 48 and 271 squadron associations played a vital part, holds a service in all.
Heritage list entry summary for pilgrims the old vicarage. This memorial is located at the site of the former down ampney airfield. Only active for 3 years but an interesting history. Raf down ampney dispersed sites 14 photos in su0996. The pretty cotswold village of down ampney is best known as the birthplace of composer ralph vaughan williams. Amazing the history of the airfield and the unit that served there. Collect photos, maps, memories and books of interest to you. I note that you have not listed raf down ampney, an airfield set up for the d day landings. To conclude the down ampney history i must record that on vj day 1945 when everyone was so relieved that we were not going to japan because of the atomic bomb being dropped, there was a. Come down o love divine is a hymn that is loved around the world. We would like to obtain digital copies of any documents or photographs. During the second world war, raf down ampney was based on the outskirts of the village of down ampney and was operational from february 1944 february 1947. Stoke orchard, chedworth, moretoninmarsh, little rissington, barnsley park, bibury, northleach, windrush, southrop, down ampney, fairford, south cerney.
The seventieth anniversary of dday was celebrated with a vigil at. Raf down ampney was a royal air force station located 1. One year on, down ampney villager and ww2 down ampney airfield expert, david job shared with us his memories of the vigil held at the arnhem memorial, at the site of the gates to the airfield, to remember 70 years since the dday landings. A handful of them, such as fairford and staverton, are still in use, but most fell into disuse after world war ii. Geology the site is underlain by superficial deposits of the thames valley formation, which are composed primarily of. An airfield was built at down ampney and the village became engulfed in a huge base to service it.
Down ampney, gloucestershire genealogy heraldry and history. Airfield historical research group an airbritain monograph. Raf down ampney raf down ampney was a royal air force station. A portion of this parish lies in the northern division of the adjoining county of wilts,and in the hundred of highworth. Peter, a parish, in the union of stratfordonavon, upper division of the hundred of kiftsgate, e. Guide to ampney, gloucestershire ancestry, family history, and genealogy. During the second world war, the raf down ampney airfield was a.
There is also a memorial stone to personnel who served at raf down ampney at the end of the old airfield. Do you have more uptodate information about down ampney. The cooperative farms down ampney estate cricklade model flying club. A tune he composed, used for the hymn come down, o love divine, is titled down ampney in its honour. Raf down ampney was a royal air force station during world war ii.
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