Ashley Walk bombing range was used to test all manner of airborne bombs, rockets and guns during World War Two. The range is located high on a plateau in the heart of the New Forest. The range came into use in 1940 and covered 5000 acres. Ashley Walk was controlled by the Armaments Squadron of the A&AEE located at Boscombe Down. Every type of device designed for airborne delivery was dropped or fired into Ashley Walk between 1940 and 1946. The ordnance ranged from small anti personnel bombs of a few pounds, up to the heaviest bombs of the war. There was a multitude of targets which included wall targets, air to ground, a line target (designed to simulate a railway), a ship target, a submarine pen, fragmentation targets and a range of custom targets. Many target markers were marked by chalk which is alien to the New Forest and had to be imported in. Today where the chalk was used native plants will not grow, hence why the target markers have not become overgrown.
As well as testing the standard bombs used by the RAF, the 12,000Ib Tallboy, 22,000Ib Grand Slam and the bouncing Upkeep bomb were also dropped at the range. On 13 March 1945 a modified Lancaster bomber dropped the only live Grand Slam Earthquake bomb to be used at Ashley Walk. It penertrated 70 feet and left a crater 130 feet in diameter. The test was a success and the following day a Grand Slam was dropped alongside the Bielfeld Viaduct. The viaduct carried the main railway from Northern Germany to the Ruhr. The resultant explosion brought down seven arches of the viaduct. The main part of the range is littered with bomb craters, many now like small ponds full of water. Throughout the tests bombing accuracy improved. An anecdote from the time goes as follows. Film of an inert bomb approaching a target was required. It was considered that the safest place to put the camera was target centre. This cynical approach cost the Ministry one cine camera after the bomb hit the target centre fair and square. Today the range has returned to a state of peace and quiet and is slowly reverting to nature, although much evidence of the wartime activities remain. The shots were taken in May 2010.
Aerial View
Chalk used to mark targets
Possible Tall Boy crater
Trenches
The centre of the X Target
Target Marker
Shrapnel
Shrapnel
Target centre - The Line Target
Beneath this mound of earth lies a concrete submarine pen. This was designed to
simulate those bulit by the Germans on the French Coast. After the war it was found to
be too difficult to demolish the pen so it was simply buried.
Concrete edge of submarine pen showing through
Line target now acting as a footpath
Observation post
Internal view of observation post
What the observers would have seen from the post
Water filled bomb crater
Bomb crater with observation post in the background - right
Main Practice Tower - concrete bases
Concrete markers near the Main Practice Tower
Target Markers near the Main Practice Tower
Target Marker
Further view of possible Tall Boy crater with the submarine pen behind
This aerial object had come to earth on the range - rather apt !
Thanks for looking.
As well as testing the standard bombs used by the RAF, the 12,000Ib Tallboy, 22,000Ib Grand Slam and the bouncing Upkeep bomb were also dropped at the range. On 13 March 1945 a modified Lancaster bomber dropped the only live Grand Slam Earthquake bomb to be used at Ashley Walk. It penertrated 70 feet and left a crater 130 feet in diameter. The test was a success and the following day a Grand Slam was dropped alongside the Bielfeld Viaduct. The viaduct carried the main railway from Northern Germany to the Ruhr. The resultant explosion brought down seven arches of the viaduct. The main part of the range is littered with bomb craters, many now like small ponds full of water. Throughout the tests bombing accuracy improved. An anecdote from the time goes as follows. Film of an inert bomb approaching a target was required. It was considered that the safest place to put the camera was target centre. This cynical approach cost the Ministry one cine camera after the bomb hit the target centre fair and square. Today the range has returned to a state of peace and quiet and is slowly reverting to nature, although much evidence of the wartime activities remain. The shots were taken in May 2010.
Aerial View
Chalk used to mark targets
Possible Tall Boy crater
Trenches
The centre of the X Target
Target Marker
Shrapnel
Shrapnel
Target centre - The Line Target
Beneath this mound of earth lies a concrete submarine pen. This was designed to
simulate those bulit by the Germans on the French Coast. After the war it was found to
be too difficult to demolish the pen so it was simply buried.
Concrete edge of submarine pen showing through
Line target now acting as a footpath
Observation post
Internal view of observation post
What the observers would have seen from the post
Water filled bomb crater
Bomb crater with observation post in the background - right
Main Practice Tower - concrete bases
Concrete markers near the Main Practice Tower
Target Markers near the Main Practice Tower
Target Marker
Further view of possible Tall Boy crater with the submarine pen behind
This aerial object had come to earth on the range - rather apt !
Thanks for looking.
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