Harrowbeer Aerodrome
The patch of land bounded by the Yelverton roundabout and the A386 Plymouth to Tavistock road six miles from Plymouth known as Leg ’o’ Mutton corner was, I am sure a good many of you will know, a second world war airfield known as Harrowbeer Aerodrome. Little evidence of the airfields previous use remains it having reverted to nature and is now mainly scrub and heathland grazed by sheep but is also enjoyed by families as a large flat area ideal for playing games, flying kites and dog exercising.
Some 65 years ago the situation was a lot different. Great Britain was at war with Germany, the Battle of Britain had been won but the end of the war was still some way off and as far as anyone in the UK was concerned the end was nowhere in sight. The likelihood of invasion was ever present as well as the risk of attack from the air. Plymouth and most particularly Devonport was a key target being an important naval base and to provide defence to this and other strategic south west targets the RAF built aerodromes at Harrowbeer and Roborough (now the site of Plymouth airport) specifically to defend the city. Harrowbeer was built not only for this purpose but to act as a satellite airfield for Exeter aerodrome (now Exeter airport) and to cater for aerial patrols extending along the south coast of England and down to the coast of France. Satellite airfields were intended to provide backup landing fields as main stations were coming under continual heavy attacks from the Luftwaffe. Most satellite fields were simply grass landing strips with a minimum of facilities however Harrowbeer would be different.
- Posted by Rob Luscombe on 09/08/2006.
- Rob Luscombe's site
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