First World War airfield at Port Meadow in Oxford is rediscovered

Little was known of the airfield until Peter Smith was prompted by his 11-year-old daughter Katie in 2013 to investigate the site as part of her school centenary project.

Working with aviation historian Peter Wright, his detailed research, which featured in many Memory Lane articles, ended with the unveiling of a stone memorial commemorating 17 young airmen killed in flying accidents in 1917 and 1918.

All that remains of the airfield above ground 100 years later is a small concrete hut.

Read again: The Oxford shops staying open during lockdown

Now an underground study by Roger and Sally Ainslie, of Abingdon Archaeological Geophysics, has discovered clear evidence of the buildings that existed.

Roger Ainslie

Because it is illegal to excavate or metal detect on Port Meadow, they used non-invasive magnetic technology to identify what features remained. Historic England and Oxford City Council gave permission.

Mr Smith writes: “The access road – Aerodrome Road - is visible. The Flight shed, or Rigging shed, where aeroplanes were repaired and serviced, can be clearly seen, with its access ramp. The vehicle park is behind it, with huts and stores beyond.

“You can clearly see the rectangular hangars either side of the shed, two to the west, five to the east, each with its own earth ramp to the flying ground. All of these align with the 1918 aerial photographs.

Read more: Covid-proof pods in care homes

“The firing range, where aeroplane machine gun sights were adjusted, and the site of a large concrete circle, used to calibrate aeroplane compasses, have also been located.”

Archaeologist Mr Ainslie said remains of tents, sheds and huts removed more than 100 years ago should be undetectable and to find such evidence was unusual.

The aerodrome, at the north end of the meadow, near Wolvercote, was established, along with more than 100 others, to help meet the huge demand for pilots and observers as the war intensified. It opened for training in August 1916 and closed in mid-1919.

Cows at Port Meadow: Picture Lesley Murray

Mr Smith, of Arthur Street, Osney, said: “We were delighted and surprised to see clear remnants coming through, representing the reality behind all the old photographs. It has been a fascinating finale to a worthwhile project.”

Up to 70 aircraft and 800 people were based at Port Meadow at the peak in autumn 1918. The site included a corrugated iron building, several wooden huts, other smaller structures and up to 11 canvas hangars, with up to six aeroplanes in each.

The memorial to the dead airmen was unveiled by the Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Tim Stevenson, in May 2018. Mr Smith laid a wreath there on Remembrance Day yesterday.

To find out more about the aerodrome, the fatal flying accidents and the people who lived, died and survived there, visit facebook.com/wolvercoteww1memorial.

Mr Smith’s book, Oxford’s Lost Aerodrome, is on sale at the Post Box, Godstow Road, Wolvercote, and at Blackwell's and Waterstones bookshops, with all proceeds going to the RAF Benevolent Fund.