All-grass airfields were predominantly operated into wind, although there were usually preferred take-off runs giving you the longest length and/or smoothest run available. They would normally be kept cut and rolled for the majority of the landing area.
The normal procedure was for the general landing direction to be shown by a ‘landing tee’, a t-shaped wooden structure visible from the air. Much easier to see than a windsock.
Later in WW2, a ground control caravan, the ice-cream van, would be set up at the start of the take-off/landing area. Aircraft would normally take-off from the left of it, land to the right of it.
Similar procedures continue to operate at some all grass gliding sites today. When I fly from Bicester, the rule here, is simply ‘land on the big green bit’
Large grass airfields like White Waltham and Sywell were operated on an into wind basis till relatively recently. The need to have CAA licenced runways for commercial and training operations now means that we have to land in crosswinds. Progress eh!
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