Port Ham
PORT HAM: Temporary Landing Ground
Location: S of the A40, just W to NW of Gloucester city centre
Period of operation: 25th July 1912
In 1912 the then famous French aviator Henri Salmet was sponsored by the Daily Mail to make a tour, mostly in England, but including South Wales and ending up in Ireland. Starting from west LOndon, and having visited South Wales, he then went down to the West Country, coming back up to visit Cardiff once again where he was taken seriously ill - returning to London for a major surgical operation.
Making a remarkable recovery in about three weeks, he set off once again from Cardiff, heading up towards the Midlands as far as Worcester before heading back via Stratford-upon-Avon towards Swindon before heading east. Without much doubt he was keen to try and make up the time lost, and being French was quite possibly unaware of the historical importance of many towns and cities.
For whatever reasons, departing from Stratford-upon-Avon on the 25th July 1912, he decided to make only brief visits to Gloucester and Cheltenham before making a night stop in Cirencester.
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
Note: The newspaper article, divided into two parts to make it easier to read, was published in the Gloucestershire Echo on the 25th July 1912.
Note: The sixth item, the newspaper article, was published in the Gloucester Journal on the 27th July 1912.
NOTES: For a full schedule of this Tour by Salmet in 1912, see my article on the subject. Hopefully you will find it interesting as it was a truly remarkable endeavour in those early years of fixed-wing powered aeroplanes.
We'd love to hear from you, so please scroll down to leave a comment!
Leave a comment ...
Copyright (c) UK Airfield Guide
