AAF Station No.440 :
Lat/Long 50 58 21N/01 47 03W :
Grid ref SU 160025:
99 feet ASL:
2.5 miles north of Fordingbridge.

RUNWAYS- Grass.length and heading unknown

The field was used first by the Artillery Air Section of HQ VII Corps, which arrived there in October 1943. During late June 1944,the US 3rd Army used Breamore House as HQ,prior to moving to France.General Patton arrived here on 30th June.During this period of preparation the airstrip laid out adjacent to Breamore House was used by Piper L-4s of the the HQ Third US ARMY Artillery Air Section(similar to the aircraft in the photo below).General Patton and his staff departed on 6th July 1944 The airstrip remained in use untill August 1944.No sign of its use remains today.

A second strip was located in a field 3 miles north of Breamore House.This was used by L-5s of 'B' Flight, 153rd LS. Both strips were also used by aircraft attached to HQ VII Corps .

During the pre D Day period there are known to have been several of these small temporary liason aistrips in Hampshire as well as several in Dorset .Most of these strips consisted of a field, two L-4s, an 8-man tent, and a Jeep or truck. Most were situated within a mile of the battalion or group HQ and few were used for more than a month or two in the May /June period of 1944

To see more about other US Army liason strips in Hampshire located at Barton Stacey,Bournemouth,Damerham/Fordingbridge,Lopcombe Corner, Rockbourne,Southwick Park and Winchester go to my Aviation in Hampshire UK 1900 to 2000 site and look under the appropriate locations. For Dorset(Charborough Park,Merley Park,Piddlehinton,Poole,Sandbanks and Wimborne Minster) visit my Dorset Airfields site.