A UNIQUE insight into war-time Dorset, Wiltshire and Somerset has been provided by new photographs released as part of an online archive.

Thousands of images, dating largely from 1943 and 1944, have been digitalised by Historic England.

They were taken by United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Photographic Reconnaissance (PR) units stationed at bases around the country during the Second World War.

Now, more than 3,600 black and white images showing England from the air are available to the public for the first time in an online, searchable map.

The collection gives a bird’s-eye view of the impact of war on the country, capturing a wide variety of locations in detail.

Duncan Wilson, chief executive at Historic England, said: “Our USAAF Collection records changes taking place in England as a result of the Second World War, as well as capturing fascinating incidental detail, like American troops playing baseball.

“Our collection of USAAF wartime photographs were taken in England by the pilots and aircraft of squadrons that provided intelligence for the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany. This came at a cost, with many pilots killed in the line of duty.

“We are making these images available to the public for the first time online, giving people access to this remarkable collection of historic photographs.

“They help to highlight the vital role aerial reconnaissance played in the Second World War.”

Among the pictures are some south west landmarks, including Stonehenge.

Also revealed are some RAF sites that have since been lost, as many were decommissioned after the war.

RAF ZEALS

Among those shown in the images are RAF Zeals, where the outline of the former airfield is still largely in tact.

The watchtower building itself is also still standing, having been redeveloped.

Built in 1941/42, RAF Zeals was decommissioned in 1946.

The old airfield at RAF Zeals is still clearly visible. Picture: Historic England Archive/USAAF Photography

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BLACKFORD & CADBURY HILL FORT

Further west on the A303 – which didn’t exist at the time – takes you to Blackford, Somerset, which was snapped by crews in December 1943.

A picture of the area around the village, including the Cadbury Hill Fort, shows the landscape before the A303 became a major trunk road.

Blackford and the Cadbury Hill Fort are visible in this image. Picture: Historic England Archive/USAAF Photography

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FROME

Slightly further north, the town of Frome was snapped by crews in December 1943.

The expansion of the town in the following 80 years is clear…

Frome in 1943 and in 2023. Picture: Historic England Archive/USAAF Photography

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STONEHENGE

The photos also feature a shot of Stonehenge, taken on Christmas Eve, 1944.

Much of the landscape looks much the same, as you would imagine, although the route of some roads and paths have been changed. The footpath around the monument has also moved back from the stones.

Much of the landscape around Stonehenge remains unchanged. Picture: Historic England Archive/USAAF Photography

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BOSCOMBE DOWN

Another location caught on camera in December 1944 was Boscombe Down, which is now the longest military runway in the UK.

Although civilian operated, it is still used to support aircraft development.

The modern technology is a far cry from the planes pictured on th ground in 1944, with no obvious ‘strip’ in sight.

Boscombe Down on Christmas Eve 1943 and in 2023. Picture: Historic England Archive/USAAF Photography

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To browse the entire archive, log on to https://historicengland.org.uk/usaaf

OLD TRAFFORD, MANCHESTER

Other notable locations snapped by the aircraft around the UK include the Old Trafford football and cricket grounds, in Manchester.

There is visible damage to the football ground in a photograph taken in May 1944. The ground was notably damaged by German bombs in March, 1941.

Old Trafford football and cricket grounds are captured in 1944, with bomb damage visible at the home of Manchester United. Picture: Historic England Archive/USAAF Photography

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GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY WORKS, SWINDON

Elsewhere, the changes in industry are revealed by the pictures.

The sprawling former Great Western Railway works, at Swindon, is clearly visible in a photograph taken in September 1943, but by 2023, much of the site that in part made the town famous has gone, redeveloped as a college campus and a retail complex.

However, some of the surrounding residential streets – and some warehouses – appear largely unchanged (from above, anyway).

The Great Western Railway works at Swindon dominate the landscape in September 1943, but have largely disappeared now. Picture: Historic England Archive/USAAF Photography

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