• Welcome to The Bushcraft Forum

    You are currently viewing the site as a guest and some content may not be available to you.

    Registration is quick and easy and will give you full access to the site and allow you to ask questions or make comments and join in on the conversation. If you would like to join then please Register

RAF Mount Farm USAAF Station 234, Berinsfield.

Woodlander

Very Addicted
Messages
1,817
Points
1,570
Age
41
Just before Christmas, I left Wales behind, to bubble with a friend and her family in Oxon. Today I managed to get out for a wander, check out the local area.
Not far from where I'm staying, there is some land that used to be an old USAAF base.
Mountfarmafld-3jan1946.png
The village of Berinsfield is on the site of RAF Mount Farm, a satellite of RAF Benson, initially used to train bomber pilots. It was later taken over by the United States Army Air Forces, who used it as a reconnaissance base. From here stars including Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour and Glenn Miller took off to entertain the troops in Europe.

History lesson over back to the present day..........
IMG_20210122_101958.jpg

The fields are full of young brassicas of some sort, and lots of pheasant and partridge.
IMG_20210122_102855.jpg
IMG_20210122_103534.jpg

There were about 10 roe deer does it this patch all legged it as I came round the corner
IMG_20210122_103542.jpg


IMG_20210122_103552.jpg


IMG_20210122_104115.jpg

They don't show up in the photo but these trees were full of little brown birds about chaffinch size, beautiful song, as they flew away their breasts were a yellow green colour. All I could think of at the time was maybe siskin? But I have only ever seen drawings and never heard their song.
IMG_20210122_104144.jpg

The patch of trees in the picture is known as the "Big Copse"
IMG_20210122_104147.jpg

Smaller patch of evergreens to the left is known as the...... "Little Copse"😊
IMG_20210122_104553.jpg

Little copse up closer
IMG_20210122_104603.jpg
IMG_20210122_104607.jpg

Horizon over Berinsfield, water tower to the right of the picture
IMG_20210122_105800.jpg

Nice spot to stop for a bit
IMG_20210122_112313.jpg

Carried my whole kit with me, just to keep in practice for when Covid does one.
IMG_20210122_112411.jpg

Some crazy grinning idiot I found in the woods
IMG_20210122_121839.jpg
spot the deer if you can
IMG_20210122_121923.jpg

There she is
I went looking for the remains of the air raid shelter, but alas not yet. Back out tomorrow me thinks
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20210122_102850.jpg
    IMG_20210122_102850.jpg
    319.2 KB · Views: 83
  • IMG_20210122_102857.jpg
    IMG_20210122_102857.jpg
    206.8 KB · Views: 74
  • IMG_20210122_103531.jpg
    IMG_20210122_103531.jpg
    302.8 KB · Views: 87
  • IMG_20210122_103537.jpg
    IMG_20210122_103537.jpg
    282.1 KB · Views: 67
  • IMG_20210122_104601.jpg
    IMG_20210122_104601.jpg
    173.6 KB · Views: 84
Last edited:
Nice wander Jon :) and some cracking pictures too.......hope you find the old Air Raid Shelter.
Looks like the weather was kind to you....bonus :thumbsup:
 
20190107_111940_Richtone(HDR).jpg
Great pictures. I beat for a shoot, which is based on an old RAF airfield and whilst shooting in the woods found these pottery fragments. There are signs of the old airfield all over the shoot, we even use one of the old huts as our base.
 
I did a lot of exploring derelict places as a kid, i was living in Kent then and the the places i found were unreal. the Medway towns has tunnels all over the place some are now attractions for tourist (COVID aside of course). There was a place called seven stories also known as HMS Wildfire in Chatham and old map room from wwII been down there myself.

 
Just before Christmas, I left Wales behind, to bubble with a friend and her family in Oxon. Today I managed to get out for a wander, check out the local area.
Not far from where I'm staying, there is some land that used to be an old USAAF base. View attachment 30310The village of Berinsfield is on the site of RAF Mount Farm, a satellite of RAF Benson, initially used to train bomber pilots. It was later taken over by the United States Army Air Forces, who used it as a reconnaissance base. From here stars including Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour and Glenn Miller took off to entertain the troops in Europe.

History lesson over back to the present day.......... View attachment 30274
The fields are full of young brassicas of some sort, and lots of pheasant and partridge.
View attachment 30277View attachment 30280
There were about 10 roe deer does it this patch all legged it as I came round the corner
View attachment 30282

View attachment 30283

View attachment 30284
They don't show up in the photo but these trees were full of little brown birds about chaffinch size, beautiful song, as they flew away their breasts were a yellow green colour. All I could think of at the time was maybe siskin? But I have only ever seen drawings and never heard their song.
View attachment 30286
The patch of trees in the picture is known as the "Big Copse"
View attachment 30287
Smaller patch of evergreens to the left is known as the...... "Little Copse"😊
View attachment 30288
Little copse up closer
View attachment 30291View attachment 30292
Horizon over Berinsfield, water tower to the right of the picture
View attachment 30295
Nice spot to stop for a bit
View attachment 30296
Carried my whole kit with me, just to keep in practice for when Covid does one.
View attachment 30299
Some crazy grinning idiot I found in the woods
View attachment 30301spot the deer if you canView attachment 30306
There she is
I went looking for the remains of the air raid shelter, but alas not yet. Back out tomorrow me thinks
Great write up and pics!

I'm personally very interested in wartime aviation history. My dad served in UK. Funny to see the open fields now covering the site. We live on what was the front line during the Pacific war with literally dozens of air fields scattered across the Top End. But most now have been reclaimed by the jungle... Fascinating history and testimony to great bravery....

Where do the little deer come from? Do they live exposed in the fields?

Alan
 
Great write up and pics!

I'm personally very interested in wartime aviation history. My dad served in UK. Funny to see the open fields now covering the site. We live on what was the front line during the Pacific war with literally dozens of air fields scattered across the Top End. But most now have been reclaimed by the jungle... Fascinating history and testimony to great bravery....

Where do the little deer come from? Do they live exposed in the fields?

Alan
There are little copses, or pockets of woodland dotted around, and there are some straw fields that they seem to frequent and lay down in. I haven't seen them out in the open of a night time. My Dad served in Royal Hampshire regiment 1965 - 1969 Malyan Emergency, and ended up in Vietnam.
I've always had an interest in these things too.
 
Back
Top