In Windsor Great Park, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, unveiled a memorial to mark the new Airfields Conservation area.
The marker at Smith’s Lawn is part of a scheme to recognise the work done there, and mark every known disused airfield site in Britain.
The Duke of Edinburgh unveil’s an Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust memorial marker at Smith’s Lawn, Windsor Great Park. Picture by i-Images
The Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust (ABCT) is a national charity – the first of its kind in the world – that works to honour and protect Britain’s airfields which are being increasingly regarded as Britain’s top physical assets.
The grass airfield was used in 1920 by the Prince of Wales, future Edward VIII, as his personal airfield.
During World War Two Smith’s Lawn was used by plane makers Vickers-Armstrongs after a major Luftwaffe attack on its main base at Brooklands, Surrey in 1940. Prince Philip made his first solo flight from Smith’s Lawn in December 1952. He was also the last person to officially fly from the airfield early in 1953.
The field was also used as a relief landing ground for RAF Tiger Moth trainers and base for American military transport aircraft during WWII.
The memorial is intended to acknowledge the enormous and unique contribution airfields have made in numerous spheres since 1909 and to be remembered for future generations.
