Plaque

Camp Griffiss, Block D, SW corner

Erection date: 6/6/1994

Inscription

{On the left side:}
This is the site of the south west corner of "D" block, Camp Griffiss, headquarters of the 8th USAAF from June 1942 and afterwards of the USSAFE from January 1944.
{On the right side: a Stars and Stripes above a blank area.}

This hole is at least a metre deep. the cross pieces are we think old tree roots, and lower down something that looks like an old electrical cable can be seen - evidence of Camp Griffiss we guess.

Site: Camp Griffiss, all - Block A, NW corner (15 memorials)

TW11, Bushy Park

There were 16 of these open-book style ground plaques, marking the corners of blocks A - D, the 4 main large blocks of buildings in WW2 Camp Griffiss. We found a very helpful document from the Friends of Bushy and Home Park, which tells that the plaques were unveiled on 6 June 1994 as part of the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

Block A was the first to be completed and became the headquarters of the US 8th Air Force under General Spatz when he arrived in June 1942. Block B was completed soon after block A and initially became the headquarters of the 8th Air Force Service Command, dealing with maintenance, supply and ancillary services. Service Command personnel were housed in the former Kings Canadian School at Upper Lodge in the north-west corner of the park where upgraded facilities housed 1,000 men.

Block C housed three functions: the western end housed the officers’ mess fitted out by Bentalls of Kingston. The office of Air Marshall Tedder, the Deputy Supreme Commander Allied Expeditionary Force was in the north-east corner, SHAEF having moved into Camp Griffiss in January 1944.

The office of the Supreme Commander, General Eisenhower, was in the south-east corner of the block and here D-Day was planned.

Block D was the last of the four blocks to be completed, being ready for occupation on 13 March 1943.

The inscriptions on the plaques for blocks A, B and D are all the same, other than the “.. north east corner of ‘A’ block ..” sections. The inscriptions on the plaques for block C are all the same, other than the “.. north east corner ..” sections.

London Remembers’ seven-strong team of hardened plaque-hunters spent a happy Sunday afternoon surveying the Camp Griffiss site, finding and photographing 14 of the supposed 16 open book plaques. At the location where we expected to find the plaque for block D south-west corner, we found a deep hole about the right size and shape to have held a plaque. Did a sink hole eat the plaque or did someone nick it? Either way it was the low-point of the day.

The other location where we failed to find a plaque was block C, south-east corner. This is where the SHAEF memorial was placed, the inscription of which contains: “On this spot stood the office of General Dwight D Eisenhower …”. We think the organisers of the commemorations of the 50th anniversary of D-Day decided that they would place the SHAEF memorial at this spot instead of just one more open book plaque. It would be interesting to know if the open book plaque was made, and if so, where it ended up.

Our pin for Camp Griffiss is at the location of the north-west corner of block A. This is the first plaque you come across if you approach the site along the path from Chestnut Avenue. Given that one of the plaques has already gone missing we decided not to assist other thieves by plotting all the plaques for them.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Camp Griffiss, Block D, SW corner

Subjects commemorated i

Normandy Landings / D-Day

The landings, also known as Operation Neptune, were the landing operations in...

Read More

Camp Griffiss / Widewing

WW2 US military base in Bushy Park named after the first American aviator kil...

Read More

USAAF - European HQ

The HQ of the United States Army Air Forces moved from London to Camp Griffis...

Read More

This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Camp Griffiss, Block D, SW corner

Also at this site i

Camp Griffiss, Block A, NE corner

Camp Griffiss, Block A, NE corner

{On the left side:} This is the site of the north east corner of "A" block, C...

Read More

Camp Griffiss, Block A, NW corner

Camp Griffiss, Block A, NW corner

{On the left side:} This is the site of the north west corner of “A” block, C...

Read More

Camp Griffiss, Block A, SE corner

Camp Griffiss, Block A, SE corner

{On the left side:} This is the site of the south east corner of “A” block, C...

Read More

Camp Griffiss, Block A, SW corner

Camp Griffiss, Block A, SW corner

{On the left side:} This is the site of the south west corner of “A” block, C...

Read More

Camp Griffiss, Block B, NE corner

Camp Griffiss, Block B, NE corner

{On the left side:} This is the site of the north east corner of "B" block, C...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Our Lady of Willesden - WW2

Our Lady of Willesden - WW2

NW10, Acton Lane, Our Lady of Willesden RC church

The WW1 memorial plaque is above the entrance, with the names listed on two panels, one either side of the entrance, set at an angle. The...

War dead | WW2
10 subjects commemorated
J B Priestley

J B Priestley

N6, The Grove, 3

2011 - Kate Moss is reportedly moving to this address.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Baker Street and Waterloo Railway Centenary - Embankment

Baker Street and Waterloo Railway Centenary - Embankment

WC2, Villiers Street, Embankment Station

The plaque is at the entrance to the southbound Bakerloo line.

2 subjects commemorated
Joanna Baillie

Joanna Baillie

NW3, Windmill Hill, Bolton House

1926 - 1944 this house was the home of the extraordinary painter, Gluck (1895 - 1978). She commissioned Edward Maufe to convert an outbui...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Air Chief Marshal Dowding - SW19 - replacement plaque

Air Chief Marshal Dowding - SW19 - replacement plaque

SW19, St. Mary's Road, 3

This plaque (complete with a misspelling) replaces the English Heritage original which was erected on the previous house on this site, th...

1 subject commemorated

Previously viewed

BBC - WC2

BBC - WC2

WC2, Savoy Place, 2

This plaque is on the front of this building, over to the left (out of our picture) in the mirror position of the foundation stone. Newl...

1 subject commemorated
PP - 4L - Simonds

PP - 4L - Simonds

EC1, Edward Street

This garden acquired its name due to its popularity as a lunchtime garden with workers from the nearby General Post Office (long gone). ...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
while the King was abdicating ...

while the King was abdicating ...

EC4, Victoria Embankment, 60

We thank James Parkes for spotting this stone, photographing it and bringing it to our attention.  At first glance just a dull foundation...

4 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
P. D. James

P. D. James

W11, Holland Park Avenue, 58

Baroness P D James, 1920 - 2014, author, lived here 1984 - 2012. Holland Park

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Institution of Mechanical Engineers

Institution of Mechanical Engineers

Represents mechanical engineers and the engineering profession. It has over 120,000 members in 140 countries, working across industries such as railway, automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, energy...

Group, Engineering, Science

3 memorials