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Site last updated 18Mar2023 - This site does not use cookies
RAF Ibsley was one of 12 RAF and USAAF airfields in the New Forest, Hampshire in WWII. It helped defend Southern England and played its part in the D-Day invasion in 1944 and was operational between 1941 and 1946, finally closing in 1952.
It was used as the location for the filming of 'The First of the Few' premièred in1942, starring David Niven and Leslie Howard, who also directed. RAF Ibsley appears at 6mins 20 secs into the film.
RAF Ibsley is located about 2 miles north of Ringwood, Hampshire to the east of the A338.
RAF IBSLEY today
Although most of the airfield site has been dug up for gravel, leaving behind a complex of lakes, several buildings and the derelict Watch Office type 518/40 remain.
518/40 WATCH OFFICE (control tower)
The Airfield Heritage Trust took on responsibility for the tower in January 2012 with a long term lease from its owners, Sembcorp Bournemouth Water. The Watch Office site and area is privately owned and there is currently NO public access.
The Airfield Heritage Trust has started an Oral History project to record the memories of surviving personnel around the world who served at RAF Ibsley, and those who lived and worked around the airfield.
Please contact our Oral History specialist by email here
if you, or anyone you know has:
- any stories
- kept photographs
- collected memorabilia
about RAF Ibsley, or any of the New Forest airfields.
-
You can Email us
here
here
Last Updated - 16Mar23 - This site does not use Cookies
On the 23rd May 1943 there was an air raid on Bournemouth and fighters were scrambled from Ibsley in an attempt to intercept the raid. See here
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Photo courtesy HowardJCurtis © hjcurtis@aol.com