aerodrome

You can see on top edge a few aeroplanes tents concealed within a garden. This was the german aerodrome of Lagnicourt. It housed Jasta 2 and 19 from september to december 1916. The village of Lagnicourt was renamed Lagnicourt-Marcel to honor Marcel Grateau a french hairdresser who lived in London, who contributed by his generousity to the reconstruction of the village. "Le village de Lagnicourt est rennommé [Lagnicourt-Marcel] en honneur de l'inventeur du fer à friser Marcel Grateau, né à Chauvigny, qui a contribué par sa générosité financière à la reconstruction du village." (www.archivespasdecalais.fr/Activites-culturelles/Chroniqu...) see: www.flickr.com/photos/uon/5361267777/ This photograph is also available at the Imperial War Museum: www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205247753

I had fun trying to work out what the aircraft were. Those closest the camera are Bristol Fighters; further away are (I think) Airco DH9s and then DH4s

Rare map of Achiet Airdrome. Historical information about Achiet Airfield prior to the USAAF taking over can be found in this resource: www.ww2.dk/Airfields - France.pdf "Grévillers (FR) (a.k.a. Achiet, Bapaume, Grévillers-Bapaume) (50 06 15N – 02 47 05 E) General: airfield in NE France 20 km S of Arras, 5 km W of Bapaume and 2km W of Grévillers.History: built by the RAF in 1939-40. The Luftwaffe took it over in 1940 and widened one of the runways for use by bombers during the Battle of Britain. Used very little if any at all during 1942 and 1943 during which time it was obstructed and inactive. Dimensions: approx. 1100 x 1000 meters (1200 x 1100 yards). Surface and Runways: both runways (not clear whether prepared or paved) were equipped with permanent illumination and visual Lorenz systems. Fuel and Ammunition: had 3 refueling loops located off the NE corner, onthe SE boundary and at the center of the SW boundary. Ammunition was probably stored in the woods to the SE of the landing area and along the taxi tracks leading to the dispersal areas. Infrastructure: there was 1 small hangar for repairs in the East dispersal area. Probable barrack huts were on the outskirts of Grévillers and Irles and each dispersal area had a cluster of 3 huts that were probably used for offices, crew rooms and stores. A special branch rail line connected the NE corner of the airfield with the Bapaume-Achiet line. Dispersal: had 3 dispersal areas – East, Southeast and West – with a total of 39 large aircraft shelters. Defenses: there were 2 heavy Flak positions and 7 light Flak positions in Oct43, but these were partly unoccupied. Satellites and Decoys: Achiet-Martinpuich (50 02 45 N – 02 46 50 E), dummy located 7.5 km S of Achiet airfield 18 Oct 43: obstructions removed and airfield in use. 13 May 44: both runways prepared for demolition and the Southeast dispersal was being extended to the S. Operational Units: III./KG 1 (Oct 40 – May 41?); III./KG 26 (Feb 41). Station Commands: Fl.Pl.Kdo. A 38/XI (1943 – Mar 44); Flugplatzkdo.Grévillers of Fl.H.Kdtr. E(v) 216/XI Cambrai/Süd (Apr-Sep 44).Station Units (on various dates – not complete): 2. Flugh.Betr.Kp. KG 1 (Oct 40 - May 41). [Sources: AFHRA A5259 pp.1382-85 (8 Jun 43) and A5260 pp.1662-66 (8Jun 43 updated to 18 Oct 43); chronologies; BA-MA; NARA; PRO/NA; website ww2.dk]"