Site 11: Communal And Quarters WAAF

This separate site accommodated WAAFs of all ranks and had recreational facilities. None of the site survives. It has been developed by Dairycrest.

Picket Post With Detention Cell

[Drawing No: 2991/42] (Map Ref: 458)

The same type and construction as the picket post on the Station Headquarters site but with the addition of a cement rendered concrete block annex for use as a detention cell. Small Nissen hut 16 ft by 18 ft. Constructed of corrugated steel sheeting with T-shaped (in section) arched steel ribs at 6 ft centres. Concrete floor.

The building is no longer extant. It is on private land. [2007]

Sick Quarters

[Drawing No: 16351/41] (Map Ref: 460)

Sick quarters for WAAFs separate to the hospital site at Trewassa.

Cement rendered concrete block with external piers at 10 ft centres. A pitched roof of corrugated asbestos cement sheeting. Standard 18 ft steel roof trusses.

The building is no longer extant. It is on private land. [2007]

Mess Quarters And Bath House

[Drawing No: 12730/41] (Map Ref: 461-463)

Three building linked together by corridors and used for mess quarters with the addition of a bathhouse.

A combination of Nissen hut and Handcraft.

Nissen hut 16 ft by 36 ft. Constructed of corrugated steel sheeting with T-shaped (in section) arched steel ribs spaced at 6 ft centres. Concrete floor.

Handcraft hut 18 ft by 36 ft. Constructed of pre shaped asbestos troughing with seven faces giving the familiar threepenny bit shape. No internal framing. Flat asbestos sheets internally bolted to a concrete floor.

The buildings are no longer extant. They are on private land. [2007]

Water Tower

[Drawing No: 440/42] (Map Ref: 464)

A Braithwaite tower to feed the aerodrome and dispersed sites north of the aerodrome. The tower was 60 ft high and was used to provide a head of water under pressure because of the flat nature of the aerodrome.

It is no longer extant. It is on private land. [2007]

Sergeant's Dining Room And Mess

[Drawing No:628/42] (Map Ref: 465)

A dining room and sergeants mess in an H – block.

Constructed of cement rendered concrete block with external piers at 10 ft centres. A pitched roof of corrugated asbestos cement sheeting. Standard 18 ft steel roof trusses. A boiler house attached to the north elevation of one block.

The building is no longer extant. It is on private land. [2007]

Sergeant's Institute And Recreation Room

[Drawing No: 627/42] (Map Ref: 466)

The building served the same purpose as that on communal site 1 but with a different configuration.

An H -block constructed of cement rendered concrete block with external piers at 10 ft centres and a pitched roof of corrugated asbestos cement sheeting. Standard 18 ft steel roof trusses.

It is no longer extant. It is on private land. [2007]

Sergeant's Quarters

[Drawing No: 3472/42] (Map Ref: 4467-468)

Sergeants were accommodated in these two Handcraft huts of the same type and construction as those on communal site 1. 18 ft by 36 ft each. Constructed of pre shaped asbestos troughing with seven faces giving the familiar threepenny bit shape. No internal framing. Flat asbestos sheets internally bolted to a concrete floor. Each building had a stove for heating which could only be lit in the evening due to the shortage of fuel and the means to transport it.

The building is no longer extant. It is on private land. [2007]

Airwomen's Quarters

[Drawing No: 3472/42] (Map Ref: 469-477)

Airwomen were accommodated in these nine Handcraft huts of the same type and design as those on communal site 1. 18 ft by 36 ft each. Constructed of pre shaped asbestos troughing with seven faces giving the familiar threepenny bit shape. No internal framing. Flat asbestos sheets internally bolted to a concrete floor. Each hut had a stove which could only be lit in the evening due to the shortage of fuel and the means to transport it.

The buildings are no longer extant. They are on private land. [2007]

Airwoman's Quarters

[Drawing No: 9024/41] (Map Ref: 478-484)

Airwomen were accommodated in these seven Nissen huts of the same type and construction as those on the technical site. 16 ft by 36 ft. Constructed of corrugated steel sheeting with T-shaped (in section) arched steel ribs at 6 ft centres. Concrete floor. Each building had a stove which could only be lit in the evening due to the shortage of fuel and the means to transport it.

The buildings are no longer extant. They are on private land. [2007]

Latrines, Ablutions And Laundry

[Drawing No: 16340/41] (Map Ref: 485)

This multifunctional building had latrines, washbasins and laundry. The laundry had drying rooms with hanging spaces and ironing facilities.

Constructed of cement rendered concrete block with external piers at ten feet centres and pitched roof of corrugated asbestos cement sheeting Standard 18 ft steel roof trusses.

The building is no longer extant. It is on private land. [2007]

Baths, Showers And Decontamination

[Drawing No: 16340/41] (Map Ref: 486)

A multifunctional building which by clever design could be used as a decontamination centre in the event of an attack with gas weapons. Although there were no airlocks, foot baths with a bleach solution were provided at the entrance. During a gas attack airwomen would go to the entrance where they would strip and shower before first aid treatment could begin. From here they would make their way to the main shower cubicle area and go through a routine of showering, scrubbing with bleach soap and showering again. Bleach was an antidote to mustard gas. Dirty clothes were discarded into metal bins for boiling. There were stores for clean clothes, bleach, towels and respirators. When not in use as a decontamination centre the building became a normal ablution block.

Constructed of cement rendered concrete block with external piers at ten feet centres and pitched roof of corrugated asbestos cement sheeting. Standard 18 ft steel roof trusses. The building had a water tower and boiler room on the north elevation.

The building is no longer extant. It is on private land. [2007]

Hairdressers

(Map Ref: 487)

WAAFs were able to get their hair done on station.

A single Nissen hut of the same type and construction as that on the technical site. 16 ft by 36 ft. Constructed of corrugated steel sheeting with T-shaped (in section) arched steel ribs at 6 ft centres. Concrete floor.

The building is no longer extant. It is on private land. [2007]

Static Water Pool

[No Drawing No.] (Map Ref: 459)

Static water pools were dispersed throughout the aerodrome. They were fed by the natural water table and used for fire fighting purposes and on occasions for dinghy drill.

Open constructions of permanent brick and concrete they were capable of holding 20,000 gallons of water. Almost every site had it's own static water pool.

The pool has been filled in. [2007]

Blast Shelter

[No Drawing No.]

A quick safe retreat from the effects of blast but not giving the same level of protection as an air raid shelter.

Traversed blast walls constructed of permanent brick and built back to back they were capable of holding up to 50 people. An unroofed structure with an open entrance. The protected area ran at right angles to either side of the entrance. Earth was banked against the outside of the walls to give bomb splinter protection.

The building is no longer extant. [2007]

Air Raid Shelter

[No Drawing No.]

Five in number Stanton type air raid shelters as manufactured by Stanton Ironworks company, Nottingham. They were capable of holding up to 50 men each.

An enclosed structure of pre-cast concrete sections which bolted together to form a tunnel of the required length. The entrance was in a wall of concrete block and at the opposite end was a concrete 'chimney' for use as an emergency exit. The shelter was covered with earth to provide bomb splinter protection.

The building is no longer extant. [2007]