The 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings seemed like an appropriate time to highlight the role that Camp Griffiss, located in Bushy Park, played in the build up to the invasion. The Teddington Town website has a given a potted history of the camp. We liked it and so we decided to ‘re-blog’ it.
Today the world honoured those that fought 70 years ago during the allied D-Day landings in Normandy, but did you know how Bushy Park played an important part in the invasion plans?
In 1942 construction began on Camp Griffiss, a 60 acre site created on requisitioned land in Bushy Park to house the Eighth Air Force, a strategic bombing force. This base was later was chosen by General Dwight Eisenhower as the location for Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF), deliberately away from central London to minimise the risk from air attacks.
In addition to anti-aircraft batteries being placed in the park, Diana Fountain, Leg of Mutton pond and Heron ponds were drained and covered with camouflage netting so as to not aid enemy bombers with navigation and bomb-sighting of the base.
Camp Griffiss from the air, along Sandy Lane, looking North. Click for larger version.
For three…
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