‘Seagrove Aerodrome, secret US airfield overlooking the Manukau Harbour, Waiau Pa, Clarks Beach, Auckland, NZ 1944
1946
Ref WA-04321-F
Description
Aerial view of Seagrove Aerodrome and surrounding countryside and coast, Manukau Harbour, Auckland. Photograph taken in 1946 by Whites Aviation.
Seagrove Aerodrome was part of an RNZAF flying training station (RNZAF Station Seagrove) established during the Second world War. The station and runways were built in 1942 and operated as a training station from that year to 1944. Seagrove was also a base for the American Marine Corps from May to June 1943. After the war the site reverted to farmland.
Back in the 1950's the tarseal runways were used for motorcycle racing. You can still pick up spent .50 calibre projectiles from the shore there. they had targets set up on the mudflats there for the aircraft to use for target practice. The area now part of a stud farm. There is a stone memorial at the end of Seagrove Rd.
‘Seagrove Aerodrome, secret US airfield overlooking the Manukau Harbour, Waiau Pa, Clarks Beach, Auckland, NZ 1944
Time-Merged Imagery taken from ‘A Presence in Time’ Exhibition by Jay Pressnell & Martin Bennett.
“Seeing this unfamiliar plane showed us how close the enemy were, as just around the corner from Clarke’s Beach was Seagrove Airfield, set up for both the US and New Zealand Air force” Wilma Brady 2012
Filmed and interviewed as part of the second world war documentary ‘Eternal Vigilance’ by Jay Pressnell & Martin Bennett.
See the full documentary at youtu.be....
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