US Units at Grovely, Baverstock and Oakley

US Units at Grovely, Baverstock and Oakley Farm RAF Ord.

 The following dated lists were searched for unit at Baverstock, Grovely Woods, and Oakley. Units followed by a “•” contained African-American or Black soldiers.

30 September 1943
at Grovely Woods
1512 Quartermaster Truck Bn, 1968 QM Trk Company •
1512 Quartermaster Truck Bn, 1968 QM Truck Company
1961 Ordnance Depot Company
1961 Ordnance Depot Company •
2056 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation)
2056 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation) •

14 November 1943
at Grovely Woods
1512 Quartermaster Truck Battalion, 1968 QM Truck Co
1512 Quartermaster Truck Battalion, 1968 QM Truck Co •
1961 Ordnance Depot Company
1961 Ordnance Depot Company •
2056 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation)
2056 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation) •

31 December 1943
at Grovely Woods
1512 Quartermaster Truck Battalion, 1968 QM Trk Co
1512 Quartermaster Truck Battalion, 1968 QM Trk Co •
1961 Ordnance Depot Company
1961 Ordnance Depot Company •
2056 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation)
2056 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation) •

21 February 1944
at Baverstock
9 Air Force Base Air Depot Area, Detachment F
9 Base Depot Sp Group
9 Base Depot Military Admin Group
9 Base Depot Military Admin Group, Bn A
9 Base Depot Station Complement (Squadron?)
160 Army Postal Unit
312 Depot Supply Squadron
433 Engineer Dump Truck Company
433 Engineer Dump Truck Company •
461 Signal Construction Battalion, Company A
461 Signal Construction Battalion, Company A •
879 Signal Depot Company (Aviation)
890 Signal Depot Company (Aviation)
1296 Military Police Company (Aviation)
2063 Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon (Aviation)
2242 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation)

at Grovely Woods
1922 Ordnance Ammunition Company
1923 Ordnance Ammunition Company
2109 Ordnance Ammunition Battalion, HQ & HQ Det
2109 Ordnance Ammunition Battalion, 1926 Ord Am Co
2109 Ordnance Ammunition Battalion, 1927 Ord Am Co

31 March 1944
at Baverstock
9 Air Force Base Air Depot Area, Detachment B
9 Air Force Base Air Depot Area, Detachment C
9 Air Force Base Air Depot Area, Detachment D
9 Air Force Base Air Depot Area, Detachment F
13 Replacement Control Depot, Squadron B
160 Army Postal Unit
312 Depot Supply Squadron
461 Signal Construction Battalion, Company A
461 Signal Construction Battalion, Company A •
879 Signal Depot Company (Aviation)
890 Signal Depot Company (Aviation)
1296 Military Police Company (Aviation)
2063 Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon (Aviation)
2208 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation)
2242 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation)

at Grovely Woods
767 Chemical Depot Company (Aviation)
2109 Ordnance Ammunition Battalion, HQ & HQ Det
2109 Ordnance Ammunition Battalion, 1907 Ord Am Co
2109 Ordnance Ammunition Battalion, 1922 Ord Am Co
2109 Ordnance Ammunition Battalion, 1923 Ord Am Co
2109 Ordnance Ammunition Battalion, 1926 Ord Am Co
2109 Ordnance Ammunition Battalion, 1927 Ord Am Co

30 April 1944
at Baverstock
9 Air Force Base Air Depot Area, Detachment B
9 Air Force Base Air Depot Area, Detachment C
13 Replacement Control Depot, Squadron B
160 Army Postal Unit
312 Depot Supply Squadron
461 Signal Construction Battalion, Company A
461 Signal Construction Battalion, Company A •
879 Signal Depot Company (Aviation) (-)
890 Signal Depot Company (Aviation) (-)
1296 Military Police Company (Aviation)
1513 Quartermaster Truck Battalion, 1933 QM Truck Co
1513 Quartermaster Truck Battalion, 1933 QM Truck Co •
1513 Quartermaster Truck Battalion, 1947 QM Truck Co
1513 Quartermaster Truck Battalion, 1947 QM Truck Co •
2063 Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon (Aviation)

at Grovely Woods
767 Chemical Depot Company (Aviation)
2109 Ordnance Ammunition Battalion (-), HQ & HQ Det
2109 Ordnance Ammunition Battalion, 1907 Ord Am Co
2109 Ordnance Ammunition Battalion, 1923 Ord Am Co
2109 Ordnance Ammunition Battalion, 1926 Ord Am Co
2109 Ordnance Ammunition Battalion, 1927 Ord Am Co

31 May 1944
at Baverstock
9 Base Air Depot Area, Detachment B
9 Base Air Depot Area, Detachment C
160 Army Postal Unit
312 Depot Supply Squadron
461 Signal Construction Battalion, Company A
461 Signal Construction Battalion, Company A •
879 Signal Depot Company (Aviation)
890 Signal Depot Company (Aviation) (-)
1512 Quartermaster Truck Battalion, 1944 QM Truck Co •
1513 Quartermaster Bn (M) (Avn), 1947 QM Truck Co (•?)
1947 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation) (•?)
2063 Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon (Aviation)
2975 Finance Detachment (Provisional), Detachment A

at Grovely Woods
80 Bomb Disposal Squadron
767 Chemical Depot Company
767 Chemical Depot Company, Detachment A
2109 Ordnance Ammunition Battalion (-), HQ & HQ Det
2109 Ordnance Ammunition Bn, 1907 Ord Am Co (-)
2109 Ordnance Ammunition Bn, 1907 Ord Am Co, Det A
2109 Ordnance Ammunition Bn, 1907 Ord Am Co, Det B
2109 Ordnance Ammunition Battalion, 1923 Ord Am Co
2109 Ordnance Ammunition Battalion, 1926 Ord Am Co
2109 Ordnance Ammunition Battalion, 1927 Ord Am Co
2133 Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon (Aviation)

30 June 1944
at Baverstock
8 Air Force Int Depot Group, Detachment J
160 Army Postal Unit
312 Depot Supply Squadron
455 Anti-Aircraft Artillery AW Battalion M, Battery C
879 Signal Depot Company (Aviation), Detachment A
1512 QM Bn M (Avn), 1944 Quartermaster Truck Co •
1947 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation) •
2063 Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon (Aviation)
2975 Finance Detachment (Provisional), Detachment A
Replacement Pool Station 802

at Grovely Woods
80 Bomb Disposal Squadron
767 Chemical Depot Company (Aviation)
2109 Ordnance Ammo Battalion, 1907 Ord Ammo Co (-)
2109 Ordnance Ammo Battalion, 1923 Ord Ammo Co
2109 Ordnance Ammo Battalion, 1927 Ord Ammo Co
2109 Ordnance Ammo Bn, 1907 Ord Ammo Co, Det A
2109 Ordnance Ammo Bn, 1907 Ord Ammo Co, Det B
2109 Ordnance Ammunition Battalion (-), HQ & HQ Det
2133 Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon (Aviation)

at Oakley
847 Engineer Aviation Battalion, Headquarters •

31 August 1944
at Baverstock
312 Depot Supply Squadron
1944 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation) •
1947 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation) •
2063 Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon (Aviation)

at Grovely Woods
767 Chemical Depot Company (Aviation)
1925 Ordnance Company (Ammunition)
1927 Ordnance Company (Ammunition)
2016 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation) •

at Oakley
847 Engineer Aviation Battalion •

31 October 1944
at Baverstock
Base Air Depot 4 M Administrative Division
Base Air Depot 4 Supply Division
Base Air Depot 4 Station Complement Squadron
202 Medical Dispensary (Aviation)
1944 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation) •
2022 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation) •
2063 Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon (Aviation)

at Grovely Woods
1929 Ordnance Ammunition Company •
1930 Ordnance Ammunition Company •
1968 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation) •

at Oakley
847 Engineer Battalion (Aviation) •

25 November 1944
at Baverstock
Base Air Depot 4 M Administrative Division
Base Air Depot 4 Station Complement Squadron
Base Air Depot 4 Supply Division
202 Medical Dispensary (Aviation)
1944 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation) •
2022 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation) •
2063 Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon (Aviation)

at Grovely Woods
1929 Ordnance Ammunition Company •
1930 Ordnance Ammunition Company •
1968 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation) •

16 December 1944
at Baverstock
4 Base Air Depot M Administration Division
4 Base Air Depot Station Complement Squadron
4 Base Air Depot Supply Division
202 Medical Dispensary (Aviation)
1944 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation) •
2022 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation) •
2063 Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon (Aviation)

at Grovely Woods
1929 Ordnance Ammunition Company •
1930 Ordnance Ammunition Company •
1968 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation) •

2 May 1945
at Baverstock
Base Air Depot 4 M Admin Division
Base Air Depot 4 Station Complement Squadron
Base Air Depot 4 Supply Division
212 Medical Dispensary (Aviation)
1944 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation) •
2022 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation) •
2063 Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon (Aviation)
2097 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation)

at Grovely Woods
1929 Ordnance Ammunition Company (Aviation) •
1968 Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation) •

29 December 1945
at Grovely Woods
1672 Ordnance Medium Auto Maint Platoon (Aviation)

Grovely Wood is a wonderous place and a really nice place to walk. There are remains there, but as its such a vast site, they are reasonably hard to find.
Top Left: Clearing on the left, a bomb storage area.
Top Right: EWS, Emergency Water Supply, there are many littered around.
Bottom Left: Entrance to an Air-Raid shelter.
Bottom Right: Inside the air-raid shelter. I think its a Trollope commercial shelter.

Rudimentary fire precautions at Longparish bomb store, the same probably happened here as well.

RAF Record Site Plan 10368/55.

By the end of 1946, work on the American ammunition in Grovely Wood was proceeding steadily, also, at 202 MU RAF Longparish, which also came under the control of 11 MU Chilmark. Much of the American stock was transferred there for this purpose (disposal).
This type of work has its hazards. Often, extra sensitive due to handling under operational conditions, explosives can become unstable and detonate as a result of what could be expected to be normal handling. One such incident occurred in Grovely Wood Danger Area. Aircraftsman (AC2) Arms was killed instantly Whilst working near a stack of American 20lb. Fragmentation Bombs, which exploded and AC2 Hills died of his injuries in Salisbury Infirmary on the same day 3rd December 1947. Ironically, a peacetime accident, the only fatalities recorded during the whole of its existence despite the vast amounts of explosives that had passed through the site in seven years as an ammunition.
Depot.
Grovely Wood was finally cleared of all stock in October 1949. A legacy of 27,203 tons of explosives having been disposed of since 11 MU assumed responsibility of the American Site in May 1946.

The site in 2001 can still be recognised by a number of Nissen huts that were the domestic site in Thickthorn Copse (Oakley Wood) and two underground air-raid shelters (for 50 men) in the second Broad Drive. The railway siding established east of the level crossing in Wylye has now disappeared below a number of new houses. After some 60years, few people have memories of the major upheaval generated by the establishment of a vast store of explosives stored on top of the hill on the Dinton Road. Wylye a peaceful Wiltshire village has returned to the tranquil existence it enjoyed before the war.
NP.

Wylye rail head.

Wylye rail head.

Presuming administrative building and men's rest room.

Off loading area for bombs.

I found this image working on a rail head somewhere in England, it gives a good impression of what Wylye and many other rail heads would have looked like.

Just down the road at Wilton Road was this Romney hut, now removed and a new barn built on the site.