IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Hardys Green, COLCHESTER, CO2 0NZ

The picture was taken looking east from Blind Lane (see Image), which was one of the secondary runways of Birch Airfield south west of Colchester. From the name the stand of trees is clearly on the site of the airfield’s RADAR installation. Birch Airfield was built so late in the war it never became fully operational as a fighter or bomber station however it was attacked twice by the Luftwaffe. The history of Birch Airfield can be found at http://www.bretonheath.me.uk/history/airfield.htm The picture clearly shows the modern road surface on top of the concrete runway.

This is a picture of one of the dispersals at Birch Airfield South West of Colchester. Although never fully operational for combat aircraft the base was used for support, logistics and supply for other aerodromes particularly Image to the north (TL917306). Because of Its proximity to the unmistakable landmark of Abberton Reservoir Image Image it was used for emergency landings on a number of occasions by returning bombers. To go to the next field in an alphabetical tour of Essex WW2 airfields go to Image Much information as gleaned from Graham Smith’s book “Essex Airfields In The Second World War”. https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Essex_Airfields_in_the_Second_World_War.html?id=u3atAAAACAAJ&redir_esc=y

A name doubtless associated with the former RAF Birch, closed 1945. In the immediate foreground is the concrete at the north end of runway 02/20, now used by the public Blind Lane with a tarmac overlay and in an apparently narrowed form.