Site of Second World War military airfield, Great Sampford (EHER 16569)

Now destroyed. A former Second World War military airfield and barrage ballon centre. The airfield opened in 1942 and closed in 1945. Initially it was built as a satellite for Debden. There were two runways made out of a type of metal mesh matting known as Sommerfeld track, and a concrete perimeter track.

Great Sampford opened in April 1942 with Sommerfeld metal tracking laid to provide two runways. The American 'Eagle' Squadrons flying Spitfires used the airfield as a satellite landing ground for Debden. By march 1943 it was being used for emergency landings only and closed in August 1944. <1> Despite having only a temporary runway the airfield had a concrete perimeter track around which were placed four Blister hangars, six protected pens, and nine hardstandings at TL620 351 as cropmarks. There appear to have been a group of Nissen huts at Great Brockholds, and the main entrance and buildings site at TL6095 3486. The watch office was the 17658/40 type for fighter satellite stations but can not be identified from aerial photographs. Only the perimeter track remains as farm track, and fragmented evidence of dispersed sites. Site Assessment: Only perimeter track remains and fragmented evidence of dispersed sites. Limited archaeological potential. Importance - 0 <1> <2> See: <3> - <5> In advance of one of the dispersal sites being developed a building recording programme was undertaken. The dispersal site was associated with RAF Great Sampford, used as an emergency landing strip to the east of RAF Debden. It was used during the war by the USAAF as a dormitory site (specifically site No. 2) and comprised six barrack blocks designated for airmen with separate quarters for Sergeants and Officers. The buildings comprised a mix of pre-fabricated asbestos cement based structures including three Handcraft huts and nine Nissen huts, one (of five) surviving timber-framed Laing type hut, formerly a barrack hut, and a terracotta pot, latrine building. Of particular interest was a collection of wartime graffiti and art work, depicting politicians, cartoon characters and Hollywood stars, within two of the Handcraft huts. Of the surviving buildings only five remained in their original location, although associated WWII buildings and evidence of buildings, survived outside the development site boundary. <6> NRHE data transfer: Great Stampford airfield, Essex, TL 616 350. Opened in 1942 and closed in 1945. In December 1944 (the point at which the "snapshot" in time of the Holliss and Willis Gazetteer is taken) it functioned as a balloon Centre, affiliated to Fairlop (24 Balloon Centre). <7> Airfield (NAT). <8> RAF Great Stampford. Initially it was built as a satellite for Debden. There were two runways made out of Sommerfeld track, and a concrete perimeter track. The technical site and accommodation sites were situated to the west of the flying field. There were four blister aircraft hangars situated near the main runway. The airfield was provided defensive arrangements including a battle headquarters (since demolished) pillboxes (extant in the 1990s) and a Bofors anti-artillery battery. At first it was mainly used by 65 Squadron of the Royal Air Force, and 133 Eagle Squadron, a unit of American volunteers who had joined the British forces before America actually became officially involved in the war. They were later absorbed into the American Army Air Corps. The airfield beame rutted by use and was relegated to the role of an emergency landing ground and for exercises. Later in the war (by December 1944) the airfield became a barrage balloon centre sub site, for the storage of barrage balloons. After closure in 1945 the site was used for agriculture. Some ruined military buildings (described by P.A. Doyle as "skeletal remains") associated with the site survived at least to 1996 at the Grassy Grove area of the former airfield. <9>