Type

Monument

Title / Name

Keevil Aerodrome

Summary

A World War II airfield

AIRFIELD, Second World War to Mid 20th Century (1939 to 1966)

Source Detail: Priddle, R., 2003

Title: Wings Over Wiltshire: An Aeronautical History of Wiltshire

Summary: Publication Source ID: SWI22354

Description: A World War II aerodrome constructed during 1941-2. It had a Guard Room, Station Offices and Operations Block, a Control Tower, T2 type Hangar, Extra Over Blister Hangar, the Battle HQ., and Bar and Rod Tracking. There is a Memorial Stone to the men who lost their lives, at ST921580 in the centre of Keevil village. An detailed additional source for "Keevil Aerodrome" is Ron Priddle's book on the aeronautical history of Wiltshire published in 2003. This source includes numerous photographs and also a plan of the site as it stood in 1944, showing the technical site and hangars on the south edge of the flying field.

Source Detail: Willis, S. + Holliss, B., 1987

Title: Military Airfields in the British Isles 1939-1945

Summary: No summary information. Source ID: SWI26227

Description: Keevil Airfield ST 922 571, opened in 1942. Date of closure is given in the Holiss and Willis gazetteer as 1965 (See source 3 below).

Source Detail: Berryman, D., 2002

Title: Wiltshire Airfields in the Second World War

Summary: No summary information. Source ID: SWI26229

Additional Information: Countryside Books

Description: Keevil Airfield: Although originally intended to be a fighter training airfield, it was built as a "Class A" bomber station, in other words with three large concrete runways, two type T2 aircraft hangars and a number of blister type aircraft hangars. It actually performed a number of roles, including as a bomber airfield for the United States 8th Army Air Force and as a test airfield for Supermarine Spitfires produced at Trowbridge. The airfield was formally transferred to the Americans in 1943 as Station 471, however they relinquished control in 1944 and Keevil was used for Special Operations Executive missions into occupied Europe, the D-Day landings and for Arnhem by British glider towing units. Towards the end of the war and post-war to 1947 it was the base for an Operational training Unit. Between 1955 and 1964 the airfield was once again used by the United States Air Force. The airfield and the two type T2 hangars are still retained for Ministry of Defence use (noted in a source published in 2002). The source contains details of the types of aircraft flown and the units involved.

Source Detail: County Archaeology Service, Trowbridge,

Title: AER 934-938

Summary: No summary information. Source ID: SWI26635

Source Detail: Ordnance Survey,

Title: Ordnance Survey 1:10000 Map

Summary: Map Source ID: SWI9540

Description: Keevil Airfield 922 971 (NAT).