Ardmore Military Prison

[Dave Homewood]

Is Ardmore Prison still used by the military?

Also, where exactly is it situated? Is it within the Ardmore Aerodrome boundary, or elsewhere?

Not a place I want to ever visit but my great uncle apparently spent time there for belly landing a Harvard target tow aircaft on Ardmore Airfield in WWII, and saving it to fly another day, rather than ditching it at sea as ordered. He'd apparently been shot down by a Corsair, flown alledgedly (according to Nana) by an American pilot.

[steve]

True true...I should start a new business...not good Dave to see such a lovely lady who flys high unattended....she had 15 years on airlines and fasinating listening to her stories from emergencies crash landings with gear colapse to the mile high club stuff!

Now Ardmore...gee that was a tough place from all accounts...still there beside the arms range towards the hills...I forget the actual road but is easy to find. Those French agents were kept out there in the 80s . Apparently the govt really feared a rescue attempt for them .
I remember there were a lot of armed guards on patrol and even what appeared to be a observation/gun pit sandbagged...beside the main detention barracks. Military corrective services were transferred to a new complex at Burnham..?8 years ago (my son was stationed there)
At present it looks like it has been gifted to a Maori Tribe whatever...not sure.. howver the rifle range is still used for defence training with SAS Papakura 5 minutes down the road.

[Peter Lewis]

In a completely different life I used to date the daughter of the CO of that prison. Never got to look inside, though. She was a nurse at Middlemore hospital.

[Dave Homewood]

Cheers chaps