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SISSONNE AND AVAUX TODAY |
Sissonne Area
The town of Sissonne is approximately 3 miles north of the landing strip
which had a barracks area housing the rigger section.
The paved areas seen immediacy north of the runways may
have been where the barracks and/or packing sheds stood. |
 Sissonne
Field
The original strip, running roughly east-west, is
about 2000 feet in length
The two newer and wider runways are both in excess of 2500 feet and do not
appear to have ever been paved. All three runways are in disuse today.
Heimer Swanson (Svc Co) said, "There was a barracks
area we were billeted in near Sissonne. There was an airfield there with
perforated metal landing surfaces for landing strips. I remember that we
could see a road sign for St. Erme as we rode to our packing sheds for our
daily work. In front of these sheds (to the south, I believe) was an
airfield with those metal landing strips. I think I landed on these on our
flight back from Chartres just after VE Day. The 508 PIR was at Chartres at
that time - on wait - and I was one of the guys who was assigned to guard
the parachutes that would be used if a jump was called for.
I'm not sure how I rated a chance to fly back to our sheds
instead of riding those trucks. Lucky, for once, I guess!
Avaux - I think - was SE of the Sissonne area. I know
we rode there in a car (German make). The main thing I remember about that
night was that I got the job of watching our car while the others (probably
drinkers!) were inside the bistro. A flat tire developed and I and a group
of very helpful Frenchmen changed it. I think I gave them a pack (or carton)
of cigarettes for their help which was appreciated by both me and them." |
Town of Avaux
about 12 miles SSE of Sissonne had an airstrip of less than 1200 feet.
It was situated immediately outside the village and to the west |
 "Moaning
Meadows"
as Avaux land fig area was nicknamed by the riggers, has been overtaken
by agriculture and about half of it is no longer discernable.
Carl H. Porter (Svc Co) recalled. "We had [C-47s] land
at "Moaning Meadows", in a space so small [that] they consistently had to
'ground loop' to avoid overshooting the landing patch.
Such trips in were infrequent and on at least one
occasion brought in Col. Lindquist. We were kind of stunned to learn it was
him as everyone knew the field was too small for regular landings.
On that particular trip the Colonel was picking up
containers we had made in which to drop the shoulder-fired 37mm and 55 mm
recoilless rifles."
Carl also mentioned, "I don't remember any trucks or
motor pool personnel at "Moaning Meadows" (our own name for it) so maybe it
was just us Riggers."
* A
ground loop is a skidding , or spinning, of the aircraft achieved by
applying brakes and control surfaces. |
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