Camp Griffiss

[johnhinson]

Hi Folks,

I hope this isn't inappropriate for discussion here - I was in Bushy Park, Hampton Court yesterday and learnt a bit about the US WWII Camp known as Camp Griffiss, after the first US officer to be killed after the US became involved. For those who don't know a lot of military history (like me), the base was where D-Day and the Berlin Airlift were planned. Everything was demolished in 1963 and nothing is left other than a couple of memorials. The camp was on the north side of the park but apparently on the south side there was an airstrip which I can find nothing about - I've been looking at http://www.homepages.mcb.net/bones/06ai ... ukmenu.htm but have found nothing under "Camp Griffiss" or "Bushy Park" or "Hampton Court". Several people with us remembered it, including the fact that airmen used to take their girlfriends up for a spin in the evenings! We were also told that Eisenhower chose the location because he had regular "assignments" in Coombe Hill, not far away. :o)

I have asked for a small book about the involvement in the park to be sent, but meanwhile I wondered if anyone has any info on the airstrip. It just struck me as a fun place to make an AFCAD for, and to pop in for a virtual visit.

John

[Trev Clark]

Hi John,
I have just asked 'Mrs c' who lived in the palace at Hampton Court from 1964 to 1982 (her father was the Royal Chaplain there :o ) and I have drawn a complete blank, I am afraid. She knew nothing about it at all, but she often has this when anything military is involved!

[delticbob]

Not much help....see towards bottom - last paragraph, but it does seem to confirm your information

http://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/bush ... istory.cfm

Bob

[johnhinson]

Thank you both - I'm sure there will be plenty of information comes to light about the camp itself, particularly if the book I have been promised arrives although at £2.00 I don't expect it to be hugely detailed. I have a map of the camp here showing four separate sections and, believe it if you wish, an elderly man with us with divining rods could identify the outlines of the foundations of buildings. Others confirmed that the demolition was pretty straightforward and that most rubble survived not very far below the grass. The sole remaining item of interest is the one underground room that existed which apparently very much survives - some surface digging once revealed a tea-pot and other items there but a full dig will not be permitted because there is now an established tree there.

All this is very fascinating of course, but my real interest is the airstrip on the opposite side of the park which seems far less well documented but I don't think there is any doubt that existed. It is fair to assume this went much earlier than the 1963 demolition of the camp which was put to other uses (even as a school for a while) after the war.

Looking at Google Earth, I guess there is really only one place it could have been (immediately east of the Diana Fountain) and it would be possible to shoehorn an East-West runway of up to about 3000 feet there. The smaller trees would not have been present 60+ years ago of course, but it really is hard to visualise aircraft landing there. I guess traffic would have been transport (Dakotas?) rather than this being a fighter base - I'm sure it would be better known if the latter.

John

[DispatchDragon]

John

You'd probably be on a safe bet with L2s (Eisenhower himself flew)- Norseman and the like

DC3s would be an outside push but if you look at Liason aircraft used by USAAC(E) you'd have a good idea for
AI traffic - Plus Im sure you could throw in Montys Messenger, the odd Auster and very likely a Rapide (Dominie) or
two.


Cheers

Leif

[johnhinson]

Glad you mentioned Dominies in your list, Leif - being very much a civvie flyer I've barely heard of the others!

:o)

John

[ravilamir]

Hi John,

Thanks for the posting about Camp Griffiss!
Keep us updated when your book arrives.

Best regards
Ricardo