STORING SUPPLIES FOR D-DAY

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by History View, Feb 10, 2021.

  1. History View

    History View Member

    Hello Keith. Never seen photos of Tank Parks before so many thanks for sharing these two images. Where was this site? I know there was one Park in Horndean near Portsmouth which musts have looked a lot like the one in the photo. Regards. John
     
  2. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    On a trip to the seaside at Bridlington in the summer of 1945,I noted that there were many Nissen huts erected on the sides of the main A 64 road between Malton and Bridlington, presumably for the storage of military stores.

    The security level of these stores was not apparent at the time.

    As normal during the war there was a large military presence in East Yorkshire including the Free French forces.

    As an aside .....At Byram Park, off the A1 at Brotherton was sited a large military transport vehicle depot which after the war was a Ministry of Supply Depot from which surplus vehicles were auctioned off.

    As I remember the A1 was loaded with military traffic, both ways and was a popular place for children to witness such scenes.
     
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  3. History View

    History View Member

    Hello Harry. Thank you for this information. Funnily enough the name Byram Park was mentioned during a conversation last year with an Historian who writes for magazine. I am keen to follow this up. Thanks again and regards. John
     
  4. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    I think the A1 was a vital link during the war as a conduit for military traffic and was probably used for air navigation to and fro the north.

    I remember seeing a glider being towed north by an aircraft at approximately 4 to 5000 feet following the A1 over the Ferrybridge-Fairburn section. Since then as military history has been revealed, I have often thought was the flight involved in the Operation Freshman preparation.

    Regarding Byram Park, my uncle bought a greenish US Chevrolet ammunition carrier which as I remember may have been for tank ammunition for it had an open delivery chute at the rear of the vehicle with the width the approximate length of a tank round. Another vehicle he bought at Byram was a large US bulbous brown van which we nicknamed "the brown bomber" which was ideal for his part time business of fruit and veg.

    Byram Park must have been about a mile deep from its entrance on the A1 and it appeared to be well secured by fencing when the ministry sales commenced....as viewed from my bike riding down Sutton Lane to Birkin village ...villages looking entirely different now from over 75 years ago.
     
  5. Osborne2

    Osborne2 Well-Known Member

    If you had a landmark like a road, river or railway line and it fitted into your flight plan why not use it as part of your route. A mere flick of the eyes by a C47 pilot could establish you were on course as your 'route' was literally under your nose. Certainly I was taught to fly with a wing tip 'resting' on a parallel straight feature because your regular look horizon to horizon and up and down would include your constant course check without a constant compass check. Pre-radio pilots often dived down to read railway station signs, to check their navigation.
     
  6. Robert Duerr

    Robert Duerr Member

    In Wiltshire there was a Central Ammunition depot at Monkton Fairleigh (and other places) - I believe this was chock full of ammunition in advance of D-Day - lots of info here: Monkton Farleigh page 3
     
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  7. History View

    History View Member

    Many thanks Robert for the information and helpful link. I have driven through this area several times without realising what was underground. Life is full of surprises as they say.
     

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