West Lavington A to G Rocket Range

There is a longer report in Salisbury Times - Friday 16 May 1947Page 5

BOMBING AND STRAFFING 

BUT NO FOUR THOUSAND POUNDERS
 Before a distigushied gathering of senior officers from many parts of the world the Royal Air Force demonstrated its strength on the ranges at West Lavington on Tuesday afternoon. The object of the display was to show the air weapons which could be used to support the Army and how they could be applied. To many who were in the war nothing startlingly new emerged, but the deadly accuracy of the Spitfire XIV in straffing M.T, with cannon and machine gun, the shattering effect of the Tempests with their salvoes of rockets, and the bombing of the Lincolns all showed the high standard of efficiency being maintained by the Royal Air Force in these days of peace. 
Real vehicles, tanks and aireraft were used as targets and they were in a sorry state at the end of a concentrated pounding.  One item had to be eliminated from the programme, and that was the dropping of six 4,000 Ib. H.E. bombs by the Lincolns, The protests of the villagers of Market Lavington at the continued use of these bombs on the range, with consequent damage to their houses, brought a statement in the House of Commons on Monday to the effect that in future nothing bigger than 500 pounders would be used. 
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Bradford Observer - Saturday 10 May 1947 Page 1 

"BLOCKBUSTER" BOMBS SHAKE A VILLAGE 
WHEN R.A.F. Lincoln heavy bombers roared over West Down Range, Salisbury Plain, yesterday they dropped 4,000 lb. live "blockbusters." There were mighty explosions. and in the village of Market Lavington. a mile and a-half away, a plate-glass window of a shop was shattered, glass from cottages tinkled on to the road. ceilings cracked , walls were (damaged, and doors were blown open Nobody was hurt.

West Lavington refers to Imber ranges, which covered a large area and were separate from Larkhill ranges which also covered a large area and also a number of different sub-range names, like West Down and Enford Down. 

 In 1947 a new bombing range was being looked at here to replace Crichel down, Cannon Heath and Porton. Imber was stated, in 1947, as being an area of 40 sq. miles with a danger area radius of 2,000 yds. It was to be shared between WD and MOS (RAE & A&AEE). Imber was given back to the War Office full time in 1958 when RAE and A&AEE took over Larkhill ranges from the War Office. Between 1952 and 1958 Imber was joint used by MOS & WD but this arrangement was proving to be unsatisfactory for both parties.

Regarding the R/P firing,  I have this noted - Boscombe Down had a local and unofficial agreement with the Army for the use of the eastern part of Imber's ranges for rocket work. This was presumably after Clouds Hill has released in 1947. (Clouds Hill was within the Chesil Range area).

I don't have West Lavington noted as a range name so I am unsure if the press adopted the name of the area used within Imber ranges or the nearest populated town.