Location of RAF airfields B.23 – B.54
[Martin Waligorski, with satellite imagery by NASA]
[Martin Waligorski, with satellite imagery by NASA]
Push Through France
Following the breakout from the Normandy beachhead area in mid-August 1944, the bulk of the German resistance in France had been broken and the campaign turned into a rapid push across France. In terms of tactical air support, this period was characterized by the “leapfrogging” of RAF units as they alternately occupied and abandoned airfields behind the front lines.
| B.23 – B.54 Open the entire group in Google Earth |
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| Code | Airfield | Country | Location | Latitude, longitude | Comments |
| B.23 | Morainville | France | View in Google Earth | 49?13’N 00?27’E | |
| B.24 | Saint-Andr?de-l’Eure | France | View in Google Earth | 48?54’N 01?15’E | |
| B.25 | Le Tr?ort, Le Theil Nolent | France | View in Google Earth | 49?10’N 00?31’E | |
| B.26 | Illiers l’Eveque | France | View in Google Earth | 48?51’N 01?14’E | |
| B.27 | Boisney | France | View in Google Earth | 49?09’N 00?38’E | |
| B.28 | Evreux, Fauville | France | View in Google Earth | 49?02’N 01?13’E | |
| B.29 | Valailles, Bernay | France | View in Google Earth | 49?06’N 00?36’E | |
| B.30 | Cr?on, Orne | France | View in Google Earth | 48?51’N 01?20’E | |
| B.31 | Fresnoy-Folny, Londini?e | France | View in Google Earth | 49?53’N 01?26’E | |
| B.32 | Prey | France | 48?58’N 01?14’E | Not used | |
| B.33 | Campneuseville | France | View in Google Earth | 49?51’N 01?38’E | |
| B.34 | Avrill? Angers | France | View in Google Earth | 47?30’N 00?34’W | |
| B.35 | Baromesnil | France | View in Google Earth | 50?00’N 01?24’E | |
| B.36 | Boussey | 48?56’N 01?24’E | Not used | ||
| B.37 | Tours-en-Vimeu, Corroy | France | View in Google Earth | 50?02’N 01?38’E | |
| B.38 | La Lande | France | View in Google Earth | 48?57’N 01?20’E | |
| B.39 | Ecouffier | France | Not used | ||
| B.40 | Nivillers, Beauvais | France | View in Google Earth | 49?28’N 02?09’E | |
| B.41 | Plouvy | France | View in Google Earth | 50?40’N 02?08’E | |
| B.42 | Till? Beauvais | France | View in Google Earth | 49?27’N 02?07’E | Shared with Americans as A.61 |
| B.43 | Fort Rouge, St Omer | France | View in Google Earth | 50?44’N 02?19’E | |
| B.44 | Poix | France | View in Google Earth | 49?48’N 01?58’E | |
| B.45 | Longuenesse, St. Omer | France | View in Google Earth | 50?44’N 02?14’E | |
| B.46 | Grandvilliers | France | View in Google Earth | 49?41’N 01?56’E | |
| B.47 | Unassigned | ||||
| B.48 | Glisy, Amiens | France | View in Google Earth | 49?52’N 02?23’E | |
| B.49 | Unassigned | ||||
| B.50 | Vitry-en-Artois, Douai | France | View in Google Earth | 50?21’N 02?59’E | |
| B.51 | Vendeville, Lille | France | View in Google Earth | 50?34’N 03?05’E | |
| B.52 | Douai, Dechy | France | View in Google Earth | 50?22’N 03?30’E | |
| B.53 | Merville | France | View in Google Earth | 50?37’N 02?39’E | |
| B.54 | Achiet | France | View in Google Earth | 50?06’N 02?47’E | |
One of the more interesting airfield layouts to be seen in Google Earth is Evreux-Fauville. Originally a pre-war Armee de l’Air station, Evreux was used by the Luftwaffe throughout German occupation of France and it was heavily bombed by the Allies. When the Allied ground forces seized the airfield within a month of the Normandy invasion, the runways and taxiways were useless due to bomb craters and debris, but the airfield was renovated and put to use as B.28. The Royal Air Force used it until May 1945.
Thanks for this info about airfield construction. My grandfather, who died in 1945, was in France and Belgium from 1944-45 and this website has greatly helped research into his story.
THE SITE AT B8 FAILED TO OPEN FOR US TO VIEW WHICH IS ANNOYING AS ITS WHERE MY DAD WAS IN WW11 WITH THE CONSTRUCTION TEAM OF THE RAF IN WW11.
Any chance someone can help with more pictures please or better still more info .
Many thanks Keith D.
B8 = https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=49%C2%B018%E2%80%B2N+00%C2%B046%E2%80%B2W&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=49.299326,-0.760653&spn=0.005982,0.016512&t=h&z=17
does anyone know of one French Canadian Air Pilot Albert Wesley Ross who was killed with his mate whilst on leave cycling from Rissington to Windrush….and was knocked off their push bikes and killed by an American truck in August 1945……Any imformation of my fathers death would be much appreciated….send to my email address please.
kizzy112526@btinternet.com.
Thank you.
Barbara