Interpretation panels – Ashley Walk Bombing Range
Inside the brick observation shelter for Fragmentation Target Zone C & D just off Hampton Ridge opposite Amberwood Inclosure, the only accessible freestanding structure remaining from the ranges heyday, you will find one the projects new interpretation panels. We have tried to include and highlight as much as we can regarding the activities that once were conducted here.
The 5000 acres (equivalent to 2833 football pitches) range was ready to use by August 1940. The range was used by aircraft flying from the Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) at RAF Boscombe Down, nr Salisbury. The range was used for training and testing, all types of munitions fired and or dropped from British aircraft were tested here first, except live incendiaries due to the fire risk.
The range consisted of several different target types including air to ground attack, mock ship targets, aircraft pens, gun emplacement, bomb fragmentation areas and the Ministry of Home Security target (known locally as the Sub Pens) as well as domestic facilities for crew, two small grass airstrips, observation shelters and towers. The range was split with one area for inert ordnance only. The site was also used day and night with one, the illumination target specifically for night raid practice.
This is one of a series of interpretation panels. You can find out about the rest here
You can find a lot more material relating to the range at Ashley Walk by visiting the: Ashley Walk Bombing Range Overview