Article by Brian Willis

One of the most dangerous airfields in Ulster?

Limavady airfield in the townland of Aghanloo was a hastily erected airfield used during WW2 by Coastal Command. It is about two miles outside of the town and was built 1939/40. It finished its wartime career in 1945 (although used occasionally by the Fleet Air Arm in the 1950s) It is no longer an airfield and many of the old hangers are used for industrial purposes.

The control tower still survives but is only a shell with just two signs on two doors inside to hint at its original purpose.

Most of the aircraft which used this site were Wellingtons. The longest serving squadron stationed here was 7 OTU. Aircraft from Limavady were responsible for sinking many U Boats and several innovative techniques for seeking and destroying submarines were first tested here.

In the background of this control tower can be seen the reason why Limavady was such a dangerous airfield - Binevenagh mountain (385m) was on the landing circuit and became the downfall of so many crews. One contributor to this your place and mine site was stationed at Limavady airfield during the war and vividly recalls one night seeing three separate aircraft wrecks burning at the same time on the mountainside.

Airmens' graves St Mary's R.C. Church

In the cemetery of nearby Christchurch Drumachose are the graves of twenty two airmen killed whilst flying from this airfield during the war. Another seven are buried in the Roman Catholic Church graveyard of St. Mary's. Two more are buried in the Presbyterian graveyard. The graves include airmen, not only from the UK, but also Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Click Here to see a full listing of the graves in Christchurch Drumachose Cemetery, St. Mary's R.C. Church Graveyard and Drumachose Presbyterian Church Graveyard.

AA Training dome. Note figure for scale on the right.

Here at Aghanloo airfield is the only Anti Aircraft Gunners' Training Dome which still survives in Northern Ireland. It is one of very few left in the whole of the UK. Gunners would sit in this building and "fire" at film of aircraft projected onto the inside of the dome.