Camp Griffiss
Encyclopedia
Camp Griffiss was a US military base in the United Kingdom
during and after World War II
.
, the code name for the Allied invasion of north-west Europe that began with the D-Day
landings.
The base was named after Lieutenant Colonel Townsend Griffiss. Griffiss had been aide to Major General James E Chaney, and was killed in a friendly fire incident when the aircraft in which he was a passenger was mistakenly shot down by Royal Air Force
(RAF) Polish fliers. He was the first US airman to die in the line of duty in Europe since the US entered World War II.
It was a common belief amongst those stationed at the camp that the US base was originally intended to be at Bushey
in Hertfordshire and was built in Bushy Park due to an error.
An unpublished account of some of the experiences of WR (Doug) Douglas of the USAF 8th Squadron has been lodged with the Imperial War Museum
. Douglas flew 35 missions in B-17 aircraft with the 305th Bomb Group as pilot and co-pilot, and was based at Bushy Park for some of his tour.
A circular USAAF Memorial tablet on a raised pentagonal block within a five pointed brick star within a small five sided enclosure.
The former site of Eisenhower's office is laid out in brick, with a memorial to SHAEF and a flagpole.
Some American Forces had also been billeted at Upper Lodge in Bushy Park. When they departed they left a concrete obelisk with the inscription, 5 C D, TEXAS, 1942.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
during and after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
History
From 1942, Camp Griffiss in Bushy Park became the site of a large US base, headquarters to a number of the Allied departments. The camp served as the European Headquarters for the USAAF from July 1942 to December 1944. General Dwight Eisenhower was averse to working in the centre of London during World War II. He decided instead to make Bushy Park the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) centre for planning Operation OverlordOperation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
, the code name for the Allied invasion of north-west Europe that began with the D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
landings.
The base was named after Lieutenant Colonel Townsend Griffiss. Griffiss had been aide to Major General James E Chaney, and was killed in a friendly fire incident when the aircraft in which he was a passenger was mistakenly shot down by Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF) Polish fliers. He was the first US airman to die in the line of duty in Europe since the US entered World War II.
It was a common belief amongst those stationed at the camp that the US base was originally intended to be at Bushey
Bushey
Bushey is a town in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire in the East of England. Bushey Heath is situated to the south east of Bushey on the boundary with the London Borough of Harrow.-History:...
in Hertfordshire and was built in Bushy Park due to an error.
An unpublished account of some of the experiences of WR (Doug) Douglas of the USAF 8th Squadron has been lodged with the Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum is a British national museum organisation with branches at five locations in England, three of which are in London. The museum was founded during the First World War in 1917 and intended as a record of the war effort and sacrifice of Britain and her Empire...
. Douglas flew 35 missions in B-17 aircraft with the 305th Bomb Group as pilot and co-pilot, and was based at Bushy Park for some of his tour.
Post war
Most of the camp's huts were removed by 1963. Near the Teddington end of the park, not far from Chestnut Avenue, are two memorials:A circular USAAF Memorial tablet on a raised pentagonal block within a five pointed brick star within a small five sided enclosure.
The former site of Eisenhower's office is laid out in brick, with a memorial to SHAEF and a flagpole.
Some American Forces had also been billeted at Upper Lodge in Bushy Park. When they departed they left a concrete obelisk with the inscription, 5 C D, TEXAS, 1942.