Netheravon
| Netheravon | |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | SU1448 |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Police | Wiltshire |
| Fire | Dorset and Wiltshire |
| Ambulance | South Western |
Netheravon is a village in the English county of Wiltshire.
Location
Position: grid reference SU1448
Nearby towns and cities: Amesbury, Devizes, Salisbury, Swindon
Nearby villages: Figheldean, Fittleton, Enford, Everleigh
Notable people
The writer Frank Sawyer (1906-1980), although born in Bulford, spent most of his life in Netheravon as river keeper on the River Avon, which flows through the village, and died on the banks of the river near the parish church. He developed the Pheasant Tail Nymph and wrote the classic books Keeper of the Stream and Nymphs and the Trout.[1]
Netheravon airfield
The airfield came into use before WW1 and was used initially for Balloon operations. Aircraft were flown by the Royal Flying Corps, again before WW1. The RFC became the Royal Air Force in 1918. In World War II the airfield was known as RAF Netheravon.
The airfield is claimed to be the longest continuously operated airfield in the world and is now operated by 7 Regt AAC(V) of the Army Air Corps as AAC Netheravon. Also on site at Airfield Camp in 2002 were 2 and 4 MI Battalions, Intelligence Corps.
The camp is also used as a parachute centre, during the week for the Joint Service Parachute Centre JSPC and at the weekends for the Army Parachute Association APA.
References
- ^ Sidney Vines, Frank Sawyer - Man of the Riverside (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1984).