Levington
Note: This map only gives an approximate position.
LEVINGTON: Military Landing Ground
Military user: RNAS (Royal Naval Air Service)
Location: E of Levington, S of the A14, between Walk Farm and Levington Common. On the N side of the Orwell estuary, about 5nm SE of Ipswich town centre
Period of operation: 1916 to 1917
NOTES: 1916: Night Landing Ground
1917: Landing Ground for RNAS ship’s aeroplanes anchored at Harwich.
In WW2 used as a 'Q' type decoy airfield for RAF STRADISHALL. But, if correct, why? RAF STRADISHALL was a long way away.
Jim Roberts
This comment was written on: 2019-02-13 16:11:28The Q decoy site was beside Levington Lane Bucklesham, and the command bunker still exists.
ANDREAS GEGNER
This comment was written on: 2019-03-17 11:26:25Hello there, I have read this entry with much interest and would like to put forward the following points for discussion: The WW1 Levington landing ground was only a few 100 yards situated next to Stratton Hall! Therefore might it be the case that there has been a misunderstanding in communications in describing it as a WW2 'decoy' site for RAF Stradishall which makes no sense as this is situated between Haverhill and Bury St. Edmunds about 40 miles away. Furthermore, the use of a decoy airfield might have to be seen in conjunction with the 'QL-Starfish Bombing Decoy SF32B Bucklesham' (decoy for Ipswich LNER rail marshalling yard) just a few hundred yards northwest adjacent to the old landing ground (as commented by Jim Roberts, see above) thus making it feasible to be a possible airfield decoy site for RAF Nacton later to become Ipswich Airport (or possibly but maybe less likely the bigger RAF Martlesham a few miles further to the north). The relative geographical position of 'airfield' and 'LNER rail marshalling yard' are very similar in reality and 'decoy' when German night bombers approach from the sea making landfall at Felixstowe keeping to right bank of the river Deben. My pressing question to Jim Roberts: where is the exact location of the command bunker of the QL decoy site Bucklesham? I have looked since last year and not found it. Can you help please? Thank you so much and hope for some feedback. Best regards, Andreas Gegner
Reply from Dick Flute:
Dear Andreas, Many thanks for such an informative addition to this subject. I shall certainly keep it posted and hopefully some debate will help resolve the issue. My best regards, Dick
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