Nether Wallop in Hampshire

Whenever England has been engaged in war affecting the home front the Wallops have been much involved by reason of their geographical position. In the twentieth century, the age of mechanised transport, distances have shrunk, causing Wallop to become part of Britain's foremost line of defence.

Aircraft were new weapons in World War I, and Nether Wallop was one of the first places to have aerodromes built by the War Department for the Royal Flying Corps: Lopcombe Drome on Hollom Down, where some buildings remain, officially known as 3TDS (3rd Training Depot Station), and Chattis Hill Drome. The first hangars were canvas-covered wooden frames; the R.F.C. personnel lived in tents, and later were billeted in the villages.

Avro 'Pups', two-seater dual-controlled planes with wings of canvas stretched over wood were used for training pilots, who when qualified, flew De Haviland single-seater fighter planes (DH5s). By 1918 men of the new Royal Air Force, previously the R.F.C., were flying Sopwith 'Camels' which had a speed of over 100 mph. With no air traffic restrictions they could, and did, land where they chose, and their 'stunt-flying' provided the villagers with many acrobatic thrills, as well as tragedies: one plane crashed and burnt out in St Andrew's Churchyard.

After that War the aerodromes were demolished due to the Government's disarmament policy, but when World War II threatened, the Air Ministry changed to a policy of expansion and with hard bargaining bought the farm lands of Ringwold, Knockwood, and Gerrards Farm for an airfield, technically a better site than Hollom Down. By 1938 the drome was under construction, and by May 1940, the new 'Middle Wallop Airfield' on the old open fields and downs of Haydown and Knockwood, was occupied by the R.A.F. When France fell it was therefore one of our front line Fighter Stations in World War II. Spitfires, Hurricanes, Beaufighters and Blenheims were mainly used, and 'dispersal points' of the old grass airfield are still there. The pilots of Middle Wallop Aerodrome are among those of whom Churchill said 'Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few', and Wallop remembers them with pride.

The personnel and their families, and evacuees, were billeted in the homes of the people of Wallop, who later extended their friendship to American airmen, and Australian soldiers. Enemy bombing of Wallop began in July 1940. Germans dropped many bombs in the area, numerous delayed-action bombs fell in the fields, perhaps the enemy mistook a dummy beacon light for the airfield, but luckily most fell short of the village which suffered comparatively little bomb damage, but acute discomfort. Hangars on the Airfield were hit and severely damaged, and personnel were killed. The Australian Camp at Lopcombe was also heavily attacked. Danebury was used for defence with anti-aircraft gun sites;- light aircraft were assembled on Chattis Hill, and the old School was prepared for use as a mortuary.

After the War in 1947 the permanent R.A.F. Station was built, occupying land in both Over and Nether Wallop Parishes, which changed course during the next 20 years. In the 1960s some 400 married quarters were built. Today it is renowned as 'The Army Air Corps Centre, Middle Wallop', in the forefront with its helicopters, whose finest pilots, 'The Blue Eagles' give such dazzling displays of daring technical skill.

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