Ashley Walk bombing range was used by aircraft flying from the Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) at RAF Boscombe Down, nr Salisbury. The range was used for training and testing, all types of munitions fired and or dropped from British aircraft were tested here first, except live incendiaries due to the fire risk.

The range consisted of several different target types including air to ground attack, mock ship targets, aircraft pens, gun emplacement, bomb fragmentation areas and the Ministry of Home Security target (known locally as the Sub Pens) as well as domestic facilities for crew, two small grass airstrips, observation shelters and towers. The range was split with one area for inert ordnance only. The site was also used day and night with one, the illumination target specifically for night raid practice.

The whole range was used extensively throughout the war, creating many bomb craters and even an aircraft crash site. Activities continued until 1946, but the range was not fully cleared until 1948. The vast majority of targets and facilities were removed, although various features such as the concrete illuminated target arrow and the various chalk marks still survive. The Ministry of Home Security target was covered over with an earth mound and remains visible today near to one of the surviving observation shelters. Some craters were filled, but many were left open.

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Elevation 110 m

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Location: Godshill, New Forest, Hampshire, South East England, England, United Kingdom

WW2 Bomb Crater, Ashley Walk Bombing Range

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