The rectangular outer perimeter road of this Second World War hospital complex can still be seen (long sides orientated east-west). The western side of the hospital site has been redeveloped as the Gilwern Park Industrial Site, although some minor buildings remain.

Event and Historical Information:
The grounds of the large house of Ty Mawr (see NPRN 16347) were selected by the US Army to build the 279th Station Hospital. It had 52 wards and 4 operating theatres. The hospital catered for those with serious injuries that the frontline field hospitals could not cater for, such as skin grafts and amputations. Casualties would arrive at Abergavenny Railway Station to be met by ambulances. There were also two airstrips: one in a field to the southwest for smaller aircraft (see NPRN 415430) and one to the northwest which was much longer and could handle larger aircraft (see NPRN 415437).

After the war, the camp was used as temporary civilian housing until c1948. Nothing of the site is depicted on the Ordnance Survey 6-inch Provisional Edition mapping of 1953; however the site is depicted and annotated 'Depot' on the OS 6-inch mapping of 1969/70.

Sources include:
Jones, I, 2007, Airfields and Landing Places of Wales: West, pg18-20
NAW Aerial Photogaphs 2006-2009
Hansard HC Deb 09 December 1947 vol 445 cc934-76

RCAHMW, November 2011.