We’ve recently had a request for photos of the old RAF camp that used to be at Rickley Lane. But we don’t have any. Do you know of anyone who does?
The camp was occupied for many years after World War II and had sports teams and a talented drama group that gave performances to enthusiastic audiences. There was even a regular report of camp activities in the Bletchley Gazette. I know a few of the service personnel married locally and settled in the area.
The camp disappeared to make way for housing development as West Bletchley grew to accommodate the people moving here to work in the new factories that were springing up around the town.
Does anyone have any history of the old Army Camp which was on the Buckingham Road just opposite where Saints School is now.
Obviously no one has any memories of the camp on the Buckingham road which is strange really as I used to spend every spare moment there, skating on the pink and blue marble squares I had found. I called it an Army Camp, well it was something of that sort.
Just come onto the site again and still no comments on the old Army camp. Surely there must be some documentation somewhere, I spent so much time there, I would be so interested to know the history of the place.
There’s a small number of photographs taken of the RAF camp at Bletchley Park by Bryan Downes who from 1957-1959 was based at RAF Stoke Hammond (Dorcas Lane, near Stoke Hammond). You can find these at:
http://www.bryandownes.com/page1.html
I’m unsure of the date that the RAF camp shut down but I do know that RAF Stoke Hammond closed in 1970. It was a radio station set up as part of a long-range communications network that also included RAF Leighton Buzzard (now RAF Stanbridge) and RAF Dagnell. From 1942 until the end of the war it was receiving signals from the Middle and Far East which were then routed by teleprinter to Bletchley Park. More at:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/RAF-Stoke-Hammond/279334522082771?ref=hl
I remember the army camp. Don’t remember seeing you Sandra. We used to sneak through the hedge and play there . Some of the huts furthest from the road had small gardens and there were strawberry plants in some of them which was a big attraction to small boys.
We found it slightly scary for some unknown reason. Very few kids used to go there and I don’t remember ever seeing anyone else there even though I passed it almost every day. There was always the chance of discovery as part of it was right against the fence next to Bletchley Park. I think it was the fact that it was so deserted and yet had signs of people living there. The other thing was the fact that no one ever spoke about it. It was almost as if it’s existence was deliberately ignored.
Some years back I wrote to Bletchley Park asking if they knew anything about the history of the camp but never received a reply. The only thing that came up during my search was that the camp had been used for displaced persons at some unspecified time.
In contrast the RAF camp across the road was the main route into town for those of us who lived up that way. It always seemed odd that the handful of RAF personnel still there kept a barrier across the road at the Rickley Lane end and a manned guardhouse. Everyone just walked round it and the Whaddon Way end was totally deserted.
One of the old RAF huts was used as a Catholic Church for a short while and another for the Catholic Scout troop. Other than that most of it was a playground as far as we were concerned. I’m amazed we’re all still alive as the huts were constructed of asbestos panels and knocking holes in them was one our favourite pastimes.
Another mystery for me from that time was the bit of Bletchley Park at the other end of Wilton Road. Last time I was there it had become a driving test centre or somesuch.
The thing was that while the main park had become a teacher training college and a telephonists traing school, this bit was still being used for something official. There were a handful of kids at our school, some living in our street, whose fathers were in the Diplomatic Wireless Service. They arrived from places like Gibraltar and South Africa and no one ever talked about what they did. They all seemed to work there and there was a uniformed guard on the gate who used to check passes before anyone got in. Unlike the uniformed guard on the Bletchley Park gate who everyone ignored.
I’d love to know more about this if anyone out there has any knowledge.
Hi Maurice, it is now 2018 and I’m just going back through all the posts. The Old army camp on the Buckingham Road right opposite where Chestnuts school is, was completely deserted, there were no huts, just remnants of brick footings where buildings had once been. This was in April,May 1952.
Maurice, I should have read the other post, I’m getting carried away. please ignore the above, sorry.
Whilst I am searching for information on my father Stephen Pagano(dec’d) who served in the RAF during theW11. I believed he was at Bletchley Park working on the radio/radar installations. I have photo’s of him and work mates outside one of the Huts and inside a mess. He then worked along the south coast installing and repairing radio masts and then radar sites before doing service in France and Belgium again following the front line to repair and instal radio and radar stations. There is no acknowledgement of his being at Bletchley Park and even though I am his daughter I cannot gain access to his military records as his 2nd wife has the only authority for access. So I cannot verify any of my fathers military history.
Hi Francesca. My name is Thomas Cheetham and I’m Research Officer at Bletchley Park. We’d be interested to see you father’s photos and we may be able to use them to confirm whether or not he was at BP. If you’d be interested please do get in touch: tcheetham@bletchleypark.org.uk. Best wishes.
Just realised my previous comment was about the wrong Army Camp. Duh!
Sorry Sandra, I was so fixated on the one next to Bletchley Park I thought that was the one you were talking about. I really need to start reading things properly.
I do remember the one on Buckingham Road though. I lived in Tattenhoe Lane and went Saints junior. At that point the camp was just foundations though. No buildings. We used to dig around and found loads of basic household stuff. Pots and pans, broken crockery etc. Another place that no one seemed to know much about. I do remember seeing it marked on a map as a displaced persons camp, like the one at Bletchley Park, but that’s it I’m afraid.
Sandra I have a brilliant aerial photo of the whole RAF camp from English Heritage, but not sure of the copyright situation. I’ll follow this up. Merry Christmas too.
Hi Linda, do you have a link to this photo?
I found it . . . English Heritage website raf_cpe_uk_2540_v_5028[1]
Also copyright info / permission, but not sure how to upload to Bletchley website. Linda
Thank you so much Linda
Unfortunately, I can’t seem to access that image on the website
Martin
I tried looking up the site fo the picture as well. I got the message that the heading did not match any documents.
Arthur Rees
I finally got the original image from 4400x 5600 pixels to max 700 as required below, so considerable resolution compromise.
Archive Licensing Officer, English Heritage, Our enquiry ref: AP/71674
“If you can include the credit ‘English Heritage (RAF photography) ‘and limit the reproduction size to 700 pixels (along the image’s longest side), we would be happy for you to upload the picture.
Please find your licence attached. On this occasion, there is no reproduction permission fee.”
BUT STILL CAN”T UPLOAD – Sorry, Linda
raf_cpe_uk_2540_v_5028[1] English Heritage (RAF photography) taken 25 March 1948
IMAGE HERE
Yellow outline shows Bletchley Park Nurseries, owned by my parents and where I lived until we emigrated to New Zealand 60 years ago. tauporent@gmail.com
https://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/en/image/EPW056949 shows BP in 1938
Wow!!
Thank you for sharing
When we moved to Bletchley in 1952, I went exploring and found the old army camp on the Buckingham Road. I found, under piles of thick, wet cardboard, a huge area which was made of pink and pale blue marble squares. As I had gone to the ice rink at Brighton and was a budding figure skater, my Dad got me a pair of proper roller skates from the RAF camp. After clearing the cardboard away, I used to practise my jumps, figures and turns there every day.
Did my comment and post that I made on 25/12/12 go in? It just seemd to dissapear so I moght have done it wrong! Linda
Maurice, I think you are thinking about the RAF camp near Wilton School. I am talking about the old army camp on the Buckingham Road, situated on the right and about 2 or 3 hundred yards from St Andrews Road.
You’re right Sandra, I was mixing them up but I did leave a comment when I realised that. The one on Buckingham road was just over the fields from where we lived. The marble floor was gone by the time we found it.
I did once see a map where it was marked as a Displaced Workers camp but I don’t have it anymore.
Hi Maurice,
In one of my previous blogs titled, ‘Army Camp or not?’ I enclosed an aerial of the old camp on the Buckingham Road. Like you I only remember it as foundations, obviously it was of some importance during the War Years!
I remember that there was a displaced persons camp near-by, they were barred from all the local pubs because they caused many a fight. All the R A F lads and lasses used to avoid them like the plague!
HI Robbie, had a look for your photo but couldn’t find it. Is it still on site, could you send a link or tell me where to look?
One of the problems with trying to find the history of some of these sites is the difference between what you, as a kid, thought it looked like and what it might have really been. Take the ‘army camp’ next to Bletchley Park. As kids it looked like an army camp to us and was clearly different to the RAF camp over the road. However, it could just have been accommodation/work huts for the park itself. Years ago I wrote to the park asking about it but they never replied.
I know that there were hundreds of people who worked there billeted all over the place. A friend of mine who lived in Woburn Sands had an ‘army hut’ in their garden that was used to accommodate people from the park and I imagine there were lots more of them around the villages.
What surprises me is that Bletchley Park don’t seem to have any of the history. You’d think there’d be records somewhere wouldn’t you?
Here’s the link to the blog I mentioned Maurice, this being the old site on the Buckingham Road –
Army Camp or Not?
If you have problems viewing this I will re-post the aerial picture, you can enlarge it by double-clicking your mouse.
—
I can distinctly remember the RAF camp at Bletchley, even down to the guardhouse. Also, if you recollect there was the ‘displaced persons’ camp a little further on; this you used to pass when you were going towards what was Ingram’s Stud Farm – a little further past the farm you came to what we called the ‘Sixty Steps’, this being the railway bridge that crossed the railway line at Denbigh.
I know exactly what you mean when you say things looked a bit different as a child, mind you I think everybody experiences that. Whatever, slight differences of opinion make a ‘good debate’ don’t they?
Hi Maurice,
I have had second thoughts about the link that I have given you (above), suggest you type in:
Army Camp or not?
in the search box at the top of the page it will take you directly to the blog, hope this helps.
If I remember correctly it was a camp for dis-placed persons
In 1947 after the World War 2 ended, I joined the WAAF at 18 years old. First I was at the training camp at Wilmslow, then I was transferred to Bletchley RAF Camp. Yes it was a bit of a dump even then, but we were sent there to train to be telephonists at Stanbridge. As there were a lot of us waiting,we were misemployed round the camp doing various jobs and generally skiving around! As I had been a Hairdressers Apprentice I was misemployed in the Hairdressing Salon.
We started the morning by assembling near the Guardroom where the RAF March was relayed and seemed to come from up the steampipe type chimney!
I vaguely recall the huts were cold with a black stove for heating and composition Black floors which we cleaned and polished with Sanitary Towels, provided by Lord Nuffield ,Really, I think he donated money for this purpose.
We were so cold and the coal was sparce, so some of the girl’s took their haversacks to the nearby Assembly rooms to fill their bags with coke so we could warm up.
After several weeks Our section went on the telephonist course , I remember the lovely journey in the Garry to Stanbridge, but cannot remember the names but I thought the countryside looked like a beautiful patchwork quilt with all the colours of the fields, as it was now Spring time.
During our leisure time my friends and I used to go to this big Estate with a Stately Home , very dirty and run down, but the gardens were lovely and there was an open air pool. We called this place “The Lido”.There was a Rose Garden and we spent many happy times at the Lido.
It was so soon after the war ended and none of us knew about Bletchley Park, however now I am an old Lady of 85, I often wonder was the Lido Bletchley Park?
My name in the WAAF was Terry Goodman. I was Kathleen Goodman, but there were five other Kathleen’s, so as my confirmation name is Theresa, I was nick named Terry. In 1956 I married and became Kathleen Richards. my darling husband died in 2007.
Kathleen
Thank you for adding your lovely story to our blog. We’re wondering whether the open air pool you refer to would have been The Grange. This was on the south side of Bletchley and we know the pool was opened up for public use at one time. Sadly it’s no longer there but it’s the only one we can think of that was close by. Perhaps another reader might have a better idea.
Hello Kathleen
I think the following link, which describes the lido, may be the one you are referring to.
http://www.mkheritage.co.uk/mkha/mkha/projects/jt/tw/docs/37.html
It was written by the well-known local historian John Taylor and describes the post-war period you refer to.
If it is the one, then I too have been swimming at the lido in 1947/48. I am three years younger than you and it was when I was 15/16 (and you would have been 18/19) that I used to swim there.
There are even more coincidences; when I was conscripted into the RAF in 1950 I was kitted-out at Padgate which wasn’t far from Wilmslow! Furthermore, I trained as a teleprinter operator and after demob, when on the Z-Reserve list I served for two weeks at Stanbridge and because I lived in Bletchley, I would walk to the RAF camp and catch the garry to Stanmore!
Best wishes,
Alan
Hi Allan, I guess my daydream is shattered! It would have been “The Grange” not as I thought Bletchley Park.
.
I read the link and a little of it filtered through the little grey cells and I think I do recall a tale that went round, about the owner of the house being killed in an air crash, or as we would say “Pranging”
.
How strange that you followed in my footsteps as a teenager and swam in the Lido! Yes I was 18. I was only at the RAF Camp about six months and then, fully trained telephonist and becoming ACW 1, I was posted to Sutton Bridge and on to Fazakerley, which was only about an hours journey to my Home on the outskirts of Manchester.
Cheers Kath.
Hello Kathleen.
It’s a small world! and I’m glad to help in refreshing your memories.
My wife and I, when our children were small, used to drive through Fazakerley on our way up to Crewe to visit her relatives and still have fond memories of Cheshire.
P.S. Please excuse the ‘faux par’ in my previous reply – I put Stanmore instead of Stanbridge! That would have made us late on shift!!
Alan
I guessed as much, easy to get things wrong at our great age!
by the way, do you know what the little stamp things are for? I know there is information contained in them but I am no Alan Turing, Kath.
Thank you very much Kathleen for giving us such a lovely account of your life at RAF Bletchley. I was thinking about your comments regarding the swimming pool you used to go to. My good friend Alan mentioned The Grange, this is I’m sure the lido you went swimming in. However, The Grange was a large house but not on the grand scale of a stately home. I was wondering if you travelled to your swimming sessions by transport?, the reason I ask was because there was a large house on the Ashridge Estate and this had a swimming pool. Ashridge is the other side of Great Brickhill, roughlly about eight miles from Bletchley.
Hi Robbie
We walked to the Mystery Place, which I agree with Alan would have been “The Grange” as I recall the tale of the owner being killed in an air crash. Of course we thought he was Raf but I see he was a Brigadier in the Army.
I have no sense of direction so it is no use telling me about Ashridge Estate and Great Brickhill!
One day my friend and I hitchhiked to London! My first visit to our Capitol! However at the YWCA the sour faced woman would not let Service women stay at the Hostel, not even to sleep on an arm chair, she told us to go down the Underground where people slept in the war. Some how we found our way to the “Red Shield” belonging to the Salvation Army, near St Pancra.s Station, here they let us have bed and breakfast for a shilling and nine-pence!
We saw most of the Prime sights in London, but the one that left an enduring impression on me was the Edward 7th Chapel in Westminster Abbey.Here, behind a grating was the Effigy of the King, the ceiling was like white lace so very intricate, and beyond the Silver Alter rail, rose a huge stained glass window on which were depicted Airmen in various forms of air Force Blue flying gear parachutes and all manor of Mottoes and numbers of Squadrons with Angels,Spreading their wings over the men. It was dedicated to the “Battle of Britain”. I, as a lowly Erk stood and cried
.There is also a Book with all the names in which is turned over every day. The same for others who fought during that time.
Cheerio Kath
I think I have just made the biggest Faux Par in my last epistle!. It was not Edward V11, of course, I think it was Henry V11s Chapel. However I was not concentrating on him, it was the window my main focus.. From the realms of my ancient memory I think Mary Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth’s tombs were also in there but I could be wrong! Sorry if anyone noticed !
Cheerio Kath
You have a ‘great’ memory Kathleen, please keep them excellent memories coming we love to hear them. On a daily basis I often get my wires crossed so I don’t think you need to worry!
I get mixed up with different camps but I am almost sure it was at Bletchley that there was a German Prisoner of War camp, at least one of our girls used to bunk out and meet this guy called Hubert, we were all intrigued as he was a typical German with blonde hair and blue eyes!
Only I wondered if this was something
to do with the displaced persons camp others have written about?Hubert could have actually been employed on the farm, when he was not meeting Aileen!
I do know there was a displaced persons camp very near to RAF Bletchley Kathleen, also there was quite a large farm nearby called Home Farm. In the ’50s they used to breed race horses there.
It is just that some of the earlier “Bloggers” have mentioned a Displaced Persons Camp, namely Jack Hodgson, I thought maybe a POW Camp was turned into this after the war, when the prisoner’s would be waiting to go home.
Just supposition Robbie as I am not sure which camp I remember.
At Fazakerley we had an NCO called Robbie, she was a big woman, sergeant, Robinson I think she was called, we were all scared to death of her, but she was quite a gentle soul really if you liked listening to her playing the guitar!
I lived as a child RAF Fazakerley my dad was an officer – must have been around 1958. I am sure we lived for a time in a “prefab” next to the officers mess whilst waiting for a house to be built.
My National Service was from 1954 to 1956. After kitting out at RAF Cardington, square bashing at RAF West Kirby, trade training at RAF Compton Bassett I finally arrived at RAF Bletchley around March 1955 until demob in September 1956.
Like Kathleen Richards above I was employed on shift work at RAF Stanbridge as a teleprinter operator and travelled on the Garry past the canal and over the railway line close by the later “Great Train Robbery” site on the way to Leighton Buzzard.
We understood then that RAF Bletchley was condemned in 1939 but, from a conversation with a guide during a visit to Bletchley Park a few years ago, due to the war it was used, primarily by the AFS, as accommodation. I do recall a footpath shortcut running alongside the Bletchley Park fence, then GPO telephones, from the railway station towards Bletchley camp.
I remember; the hut, which was divided into two parts each holding around 10 bed spaces; the separate toilet block with rust coloured bath water; the pot belly stoves, coke was more easily obtained then and we used to be able to heat it up to glowing red for toast; the ability to be able to get out of CO’s inspection by hanging a notice on the door “Sleeping off watch”; the acting Sgt unpaid trying to catch us for general duties as we came off the Garry, rarely he succeeded but if he did it was usually the tin room; the drill triangle outside the guard house; the road running alongside the flag pole, where on an AOC’s parade we were instructed to “Left turn” by the Flt Lt, when it should have been “Right”; listening to ‘Family Favourites’ on Sundays and just managing to get to the cookhouse before it closed after lunch; PT (now PE) comprised of a run on country lanes, the group gradually getting smaller as we dodged back to camp and football on a field nearby and someone kicking the ball over the hedge towards the camp and 20 servicemen rushing to fetch it and no-one coming back.
Enough reminiscence but to sum up. I guess by todays’ standards it was pretty primitive but it never entered our heads, the real enjoyment came from “our hut” bucking the system. I am still in touch with a great friend from those days.
Hi Kathy,, Must have caught up with you somewhere . After square bashing at West Kirby was sent to Bletchley in the Spring of 1947. to be trained as a Teleprinter operator. From there, I went to Chicksands Priory to finish off the course, then to Sutton Bridge and on to Fazakerley where I spent 18 months or so. The communication centre (North West Signals Centre) was at Haydock which we travelled by bus/garry for our watches. . Made plenty of good friends at all locations. Now living in Australia Alec Lee
I did my national service from 1953 to 1955 and after Cardington I square bashed at Hendesford then did trade training at Compton Bassett before being posted to Bletchley and working at Stanbridge. After a week there my mates and I were sent to Kidbrooke in SE London for further training before returning to Bletchley to work in PXI. We lived in billet 197 for the rest of our time there travelling every day back and forward to Stanbridge by RAF bus. Thoroughly enjoyed myself there. I was the only Scot in the group and still live up here. Lost touch with the lads I was with and often wonder how they were doing. Peter Lamont
Hi Kathy and Peter I was at Bletchley between 1954 to 1955 before being posted to Ayios Nicolaos. Was RAF Bletchley ever part of Bletchley Park as there was a wire fence running along the back of the camp opposie the park which was a GPO training centre. You are quite right RAF Bletchley was a run down dump. Does anybody remember a Sgt Watts who had a habit of always catching you out with some misdemeanour to stop you going on your long weekend break.I always enjoyed the daily journey to Stanbridge and the scenery was stunning. For a small town there were plenty of pubs and cinemas, I remember the Grapes and the County and Studio cinemas. I wouldn’t imagine I would recognize Bletchley now. Thanks for you recollections it doesn’t seem possible that its over 60 years .
I signed a short term regular entry to the RAF in November 1954. Followed the usual route, Cardington, Hednesford to RAF Bletchley in early 1955. Now 80 years old I look back on those days as being very happy. Plenty of cinemas, and a few decent pubs. I worked in EPAS. During 1956 I was promoted to Corporal and posted to RAF Henlow, where I stayed until demob in November 1957.
I remember as I left Bletchley, they had already started the building of houses. One good thing at that time, the parade ground had already been lost to use.
Arthur Rees
arthur I dont remember you disappearing off to Henlow!!
anyway best wishes “Roger” peter jacobs
During 1956 a dance night was started at RAF Bletchley. It was organised and run by SAC John Setterfield, who was in my billet. It proved successful and was regularly attended by girls from the town, as well as Waaf’s and others bused from Stanbridge.
Arthur Rees
Hi Arthur, I was at Bletchley at the same time as John Setterfield. We lived in the small huts, John lived in the hut that joined ours, the coal party and cooks lived in the larger huts. John and I worked on the Equipment section, he in the clothing section. I was in the last hut in the group, packing and unpacking items received from other camps and civilian factories. We used to do the daily trip to Bletchley Railway Station, to pick up these items. The highlight was going into the station cafe for tea and doughnuts. We were all a happy bunch of men. After a few months at Bletchley, I was posted to Chicksands in Bedfordshire, my own quarters in the equipment section, pure luxury. My name, Dave Squires, demobbed 1958.
My name is Ted Bridges and I was stationed at EPAS RAF Bletchley from March 1958 until it closed and transferred to RAF Staybridge in November 1959. There were many empty huts, which were demolished later.
My last comment should refer to RAF Stanbridge not Staybridge
More info. Kitting out at Cardington, Square bashing at Bridgnorth, trade training as Clerk Equipment Accounts at Hereford. Arrival at Bletchley in March 1958, which as some have mentioned, was a pretty untidy camp, with only a few huts in use for EPAS, MT members, admin staff and catering lads. There were still remains of the stables in the lane that ran by the well equiped NAAFI (day cafe, two full sized billiard tables, table tennis and TV room). The GARRY ran several times a day to Stanbridge, and I took education classes there. We had a number of demob parties at pubs in Bletchley and Fenny Stratford, and we hired the GARRY to go to Flowers Brewery in Luton, followed by a feed of fish and chips! When was RAF Bletchley first built? The concrete beams used to construct the huts were marked Trollope and Colls 1934. As a child in 1944 staying at Lion Lodge on the Duke of Bedfords Estate I saw the WRENS returning to billet at Woburn Abbey after working at code breaking at Bletchley Park, and Queen Mary trucks carry aircraft parts to RAF Woburn. I have more, but will save it for another occasion!
Can I ask if any of you good people knew an air woman SACW Eve Russell at Stranbridge? I was as Telex11 at Northwest RAF Haydock, and worked Stanbridge as well as South West and Eastern Signals centres, way back in 1955 and onwards. I met SACW Eve Russell when we were on the TV and Radio show for two weeks at Earl’s Court, Had a photo taken together and I have lost mine and would love to find out if by any chance she would still have her copy. I was SACW Ray Atwell then, married in Seletar and became SACW Rachel Fenwick . Demobbed in Nov 1957.
If I remember correctly the basic training was for eight weeks. I was upfighted two weeks as I spent five years in the Air Training Corps. One stage of the training was to dismantle and reassemble a Bren Gun. I was told to get down on the ground and get on with the job. I had never seen that gun before let alone break it down and put it back together, I surprised myself by doing the job with no mistakes. I was able to join the camp band, which excluded me from some training, even though I was only doing six weeks training. On completion and after the leave when training was completed, my permanent posting had not come through, I had to go back to Hednesford on Pool Flight until the posting came through. That was an easy two weeks. I spent most of that time at Radio Hednesford, cataloguing music records. Apart from being told by some officer to get my hair cut, I don’t know why as I already had a close crew cut, there wasn’t much hair to cut. The posting came through to go to RAF Bletchley. My first mistake on going through the main gate was walking over part of the Parade Ground; a shout from the guard room woke me up. After reporting to the guard room, I was told to report to the equipment section. My RAF service had begun.the equipment section consisted of nine huts, EPAS main store offices run by two civilian men who mainly looked after the furnishing of all the married quarters in the group, which was the Central Signals Area. The main camp being RAF Stanbridge, all the Teleprinter Operators worked there, male and female, there were only four WRAF working at Bletchley, two in the stores and two tailoresses. One of the huts was for the collection and deposit of personal laundry. To one side of the section was the Officers Mess, the road from there would take you to the main mess hall, from there you could get to the Education hut. The other side of the camp you would find the MT section and the armoury, in the middle were the main huts for all personnel. There also consisted a Dentist and Medical centre. An area behind the guard room was a vacated army camp. We found in one hut two full size table-tennis tables, that my hut members used quite often. I forgot to mention the NAAFI, which we only used if we had any money left, which was not very often. If we did have money we would go to the cinema in Stony Stratford, which was situated near the main A5 road after a walk through Bletchley.
Hi David. I am Research Officer at Bletchley Park and currently doing some research into the RAF camp. We have some accounts about what life was like there during the war, and a few photos and maps, but what we lack is geographical info about the functions of the various buildings and even basic things like the locations of the entrances. Our focus is wartime but it is highly likely the organisation of the camp was substantially similar when you were there. Your recollections might be the only surviving record of the layout of the camp. If you (or anyone else reading this) would be willing to help solve the mystery, please contact me at tcheetham@bletchleypark.org.uk. Thank you.
Hi Thomas have just noticed your interest in the RAF camp that was next to Bletchley Park, I may be able to help
To complete my story, I made a mistake at the end of the last one, it wasn’t Stony Stratford but Fenny Stratford through Bletchley to the cinema. I had signed on for three years, the job I ended up doing was Storekeeper Non Tech, i cannot remember how long that I was stationed at Bletchley, before being posted to Chicksands in Bedfordshire, the camp was split between RAF and USAF. I had it made really, my own quarters, which included bedroom, bathroom and the stores office, the mess hall and NAAFI was just a short walk away. The person in charge of the stores was a civilian who lived in the town of Sheffield, just a short walk from the camp. The main RAF camp was the home of the RAF Regiment, my responsibilities were looking after laundry, any requests from camp personal, and to ensure the petrol deliveries were correct. From time to time transport was requested to take a trip to Bletchley. There was one trip returning to Chicksands where the road went through Woburn Abbey. One of the lads on board had a couple of rifles, returning them to the armoury at Chicksands. He also had some .22 ammunition. He spotted a pheasant so asked the driver to stop, he aimed and fired, we all had some pheasant for supper that evening. On board was one of our cooks. So my life at Chicksands was pretty good.
Should read Shefford Bucks not Sheffield.
Hi David,
The Civilian in charge of stores was a chap called Charlie Conte He was originally at RAF Bletchley, but as that camp ran down he moved over to RAF Chicksands, which was just. down the road from where he lived, and I live now. Incidentally Shefford is in Bedfordshire not Buckinghamshire where Bletchley is.
Arthur Rees
Hi David,
I’ve just spotted a mistake in my posting above. The Civilian Storekeepers name was Charlie Conde, not Conte
Hi Arthur, I was aware of my mistake about the counties when I read through, sorry about that. I am amazed that you new the name of the civilian store keeper, him and I got on very well, I remember him being interested in the plays of William Shakespeare, he had a large book with them all in there. One of the good things about being at Chicksands and the USAF camp, that those of us RAF people were able to use the USAF library, for me full of books I had never seen before. I mentioned that I had my own quarters attached to the stores, which was very nice, other than the time returning from a weekend at home, on unlocking my front door I could smell the cat that we hadwhen I left to go home, you can imagine the smell, it took quite a few weeks before the air was sweet again. The officer in charge of the camp wasn’t very pleased as he had visitor with him showing him the camp facilities.Thanks for your reply, take care.
Hi Arthur Ian a little confused as to the civilian store keeper, the name of Charlie Conde rings a bell, he was a little older than the store keeper I worked with at Chicksands, we were only allowed to call him Mr Conde, he was the man in charge together with another civilian, a slightly older gentleman with white hair, they were both responsible for all the barrack equipment, and items to furnish all the RAF married quarters. If as you have said he Mr Conde ended up at Chicksands, they must have started to break up Bletchley in 1958 the year that I was removed. On reading about Chicksands it carried on for quite a number of years.
Hi David,
As I remember, Charlie Conde was in charge of all Barrack Room, Clothing and Married Quarter Equipment, when I joined RAF Bletchley in 1955. I was promoted to Corporal and posted to RAF Tech College Henlow during the latter part of 1956. I believe that Charlie had already left Bletchley shortly before me. On arrival at Henlow, one of the first people I saw was Charlie.I was demobbed in November 1957, and I believe that Charlie then moved on to Chicksands.
Just as amatter of interest to noone but me, we had several civilian working in EPAS at Henlow. I started going out with one of them, and we married in 1962, and have been happily married ever since.
While at RAF Bletchley in 1955/6, 2 of us plus our Flt Lt in charge had to go over to RAF Chicksands for a week each year from EPAS to carry out an annual audit. Also all Airman had to go to Chicksands for a week each year for ground combat training.
One year we had to do a night exercise to defend RAF Stanbridge against attack from RAF Regiment personnel. Those guys don’t play nicely!! We had thunder falshes coming at us from all angles. All we had were old .303 rifles and 6 rounds of blanks. The benefit of being captured early was a visit to the nice warm dining area with hot cocoa and food.
Hi Arthur, I do remember a night exercise, and the attack on Stanbridge, a lot of the WRAF personall were included in protecting the camp, I myself at first was a medical orderly looking after the wounded, a WRAF was brought to me on a stretcher with a supposed chest wound, oops! What does one do, I asked the officer in charge, just make believe airman,was his reply, the girl and I had a good laugh. My next job was defending some living quarters, my partner and I were in a trench, very wet and muddy, to a point that my 303 rifle was covered in mud together with the barrel being blocked, one of the airmenin our group put in a blank cartridge and squeezed the trigger, that cleared the barrel. The Sgt armourer was not very pleased when I handed back the rifle at Bletchley.The airman with me was SAC Tony Pool, who worked in EPAS, he later got his corp stripes and was posted overseas.My late wife and I went to his wedding a few years later. I used to go home almost every weekend, on the return Sunday night, from Euston to Bletchley railway station, meeting others, we found a short cut back to the camp, this was through Bletchley Park out to the lane leading to the camp, I found out that at that time it was still a restricted area, we would have been in trouble if cought. I don’t remember after the exercise having cocoa and food.
Hi David,
One other thing about our night exercise. During the afternoon we had to dig our defence trenches. As we were doing this a land rover with officers on board drew up behind us and fired very lights in the sky. We all started laughing and saying things like “Look fellows Fireworks”. After they had stopped, a high ranking officer came over to our lot and told all officers and nco’s to fall out. They were assumed to be the victims of a low level atomic burst and were to be presumed dead. Next they went to working out who amongst us was the next senior airman. They decided it was me, and for the purpose of the rest of the exercise I was to be designated officer in charge. So none really cared that we were about the first to be captured.
The chap you mentioned, SAC Tony Pool. That sounds a very familiar name to me. Do you happen to know whether he was at Bletchley in 1955/6?
Hi Arthur I arrived at Bletchley, after Hednesford in 1956 can’t remember the month, I do know that Tony Pool was there before me, he was promoted and posted, it must have been around late 1956 early 1957, do not know exactly as I was at Chicksands for quite some time, him and I kept in touch for quite some time, he lived in Kent, he his wife and young daughter visited my wife and I on a couple occasions, he ended up being in the police force, I believe in South Africa, we then lost touch.
Hi Arthur two More to think about Warrant Officer Cosgrif and Sergeant Ranscomb, while I was there working in R & D, for some reason the Sergeant lost a sripe, why, I do not know.
Dave, just a quick note about Johnny Ranscombe. He and I were in the Station Badmington Team and he used to drive me to the away matches. When I got my stripes and was posted to Henlow, he had started going out with the WAAF Taylor. About 2 years later I bumped into them both in Dunstable after I had been demobbed. They had married and bought themselves out of the RAF. There was a chap who had been Court Marshalled and lost his stripes from Sergeant down to SAC, who came to work in our Office, but it wasn’t Johnny Ranscombe. So it would seem that unless something else happened after I had left it would seem that the same thing happening twice on such a small station as Bletchley would be unlikely. The one that came into our office was a Qualified Supplier 1, and as a full time regular was starting to work his way back up the ranks again
As for Tony Pool I certainly recognise the name.
Dave,
Thinking about you saying that Johnny Ranscombe lost a stripe. That could have been the reason that he told me he had bought himself out of the RAF. I wonder if it could have had anything to do with hims relationship with the WAAF Taylor. Probably not, but just a thought.
I have really enjoyed reading all your memories of The RAF camp. I wonder if someone could answer a question for me please. Was there a roller skating ring on the camp. My dad worked there for a while as a civilian, and I remember he brought home a pair of skates for me when the camp was closing down. I must have been about 9 at the time.
Hello Sandra
There was no skating rink there when I was there, and I haven’t read anywhere about one. So sorry, but i cannot confirm one.
Hi Sandra as Arthur has said, no skating rink, the only relaxing place was the NAFFI, Table Tennis, Billiards, or watch the TV. Another place was the vacated Army Camp, as far as I know it was just the Table Tennis Tables, that we found on a search of the camp.Arthur I have been checking dates, i arrived at Bletchley the last week in March 1956, John Ranscombe I remember treated me very well, after a week at home , on returning to the camp, I mentioned to John that my father had had a stroke, straight away he organised a pass and railway warrant for me to have a week at home. I do also remember john and the tayloress were very happy in each others company, they were very nice people. These conversations have brought all the memories back.
Hi Dave,
It’s great to talk to you about the days spent at Bletchley and the people I served with. I have tried for a long time to contact some of them without any success, only to suddenly hear from you.
At Christmas 1955 we organised a dinner party at the Half Way House in Luton. We hired a coach and a group of us from EPAS and the Stores had a very good time. Our Officer Flt Lt ( Wombwell I think) we invited as Guest of Honour, and the WO you mentioned also came. I am sure that Tony Pool was there as well. We took several photos and all signed each other menu for the event Sadly I cant find it at the moment, but I did show it to someone about 2 years ago.
In 1958 EPAS was , as you say, controlled by Flt Lieutenant Wombwell and under him was the Equipment Officer, W.O. Cosgrif. Stiffy used to give us lifts in his Austin Princess car,or take us sometimes to Stanbridge. Later on, maybe in 1959, new equipment officers took charge, including sergeant Hopkinson. Ted Bridges
PS AbouT 1958, we took the Garry for a trip to Flowers Brewery in Luton.
Hi Arthur, I have my dates wrong looking at my Certificate of Service my enlistment date was 10- 1- 55, so time at Cardington, then Hednesford, normal time 8 weeks, I did 6, one weeks leave, back to Hednesford on Pool Flight for 2 weeks, then Bletchley, so approx last week in March 1955. I had thought about my service there on many occasions, and about the friends made over that period.one good mate was Alan Chessman, he worked in EPAS, he started his service after me, we kept in touch after I was demobbed, me came to my wedding, stayed over at my mum’s house, my older sisters loved him, we kept in touch for a number of years until I had a call from Ann his wife saying that he had passed away, I couldn’t believe that I had lost a close friend.When he lived at home with his parents, my wife and I visited for the weekend, I remember on the Sunday at the table for afternoon tea, his mother brought out a large cake she had made, we each had a slice, there was silence, not because we were savouring the cake, we found that his mum had sprinkled salt instead sugar on the cake.most of this nothing to do with Bletchley, he was just a good mate, we were in the NAFFI one time when he bought me a packet of cigarettes as I had no money, stopped smoking year ago.
David, I think perhaps Alan Chessman’s correct name was Alan Cheeseman who worked as a typist in EPAS. He was in my billet in 1958, always very smart when he went into town, I assume to meet a lady friend, in a suit!
Arthur,. One more name I remember, Pete Blezzard, he was there before me, big man,always remember that he liked his food, although we all liked our food, I for one was always hungry, I noticed Pete at the mess for our evening meal picking up half a loaf to go with his meal.we used to go to the mess for supper that’s how hungry we were. I did enjoy my time at Chicksands, but lost touch with those I met at Bletchley, wish I new where some of them are, I do appreciate that we are now a little elderly. Just one more story, on returning from a weekend at home, reporting to the guard room, we were asked the number of our hut, at that time we were all in a large one, our large lockers had been broken into and clothing removed, we were shown some items , suits , jackets, overcoats and other items, which were found in a dust bin, over the weekend some of the men left in the hut, had all had a few too many beers and ran riot. Our clothing was dry cleaned, what happened to the group that stole the items I did not know. Those who lived there knows that there was a weekly inspection of the huts, which happened on a Wednesday, Tuesday evening we moved all beds from one side of the hut cleaned and polished the floor on that side then the same the other side then the centre, cleaned the windows then dusted. On the floor inside the front door was a pile of felt pads about ten inches square, these were used to slide to your bed space rather than walk on the polished floor, I think this was the norm for all huts.when the hut was clean we all went to the NAFFI. On inspection day one man was duty airman, who remained in the hut when the duty officer inspected accompanied by the admin sergeant.when all hut inspection was completed each duty airman had to report to the admin sergeant, to clean the main bathrooms and toilets. Sadly I have completed my stories about my time at Bletchley and Chicksands, it’s been good.
Hi Dave,
Pete Blezzard was in my hut. He came from near Carlisle and loved to go for a pint most evenings. I went with him a few times,and I also went with him to the local Church for Harvest Festiva, where we were made very welcome. Did you ever have to do issuing the petrol over a wekend. I was on duty one weekend as the Cyprus problem was under way, a lot of aircraft wings etc were being sent from the North of England to the Southern ports for onward sailing to Cyprus. Bletchley was a designated refuelling point for them. One Sunday I had just had my lunch when I was called to the Guardhouse where three Queen Mary’s were awaiting refuelling. With the pumps all being cranked by hand it took me a very long tong time to fill them up.
Going back to the all night exercise, Did you ever have dealings with a guy called Spike from RAF Edlesborough? He used to come to Blelchley every week to collect spares and supplies. On the afternoon of the exercise we were busy digging our trenches and Spike was wandering around. Of course as we knew him well we all chatted to him. It wasn’t until the debriefing that we learned he was acting as a spy for the attackers, and was able to locate our trenches in the dark for them.
I too have now run out of anything fresh to say. I have enjoyed talking to you. If anything else comes to mind I’ll be back in touch.
Gents,
Sorry to butt into your conversation, but you may be able to help me: I am trying to do some research on the history of the British Legion in Bletchley from when it started (at the Park Hotel on 7th July 1921, less than 2 months after the Legion was born) to present day.
When it started some of the significant family names were:
Tooth (Bob, who lost a brother)
Morgan, E.W., first Chairman
Sinfield, W., a committee man
Hellard, J., first vice-chair
Long, H.W., first treasurer
Taberner, T.M. first secretary
Clayfield, F.H, committee
Tuckey, H, committee
Vasey, R.F., committee
Norman,
Chandler,
Windsor,
Careless,
Souster, J.,
Rev. Bennitt.
Some of those are quite unusual names, and any info on those families would be gratefully received. Or any suggestions about where else on this site (or any other) to try.
I am hoping to get a decent history before the centenary, and any info / anecdotes from WWII or your era would also be appreciated.
Cheers,
John
Treasurer, RBL Bletchley
Hi Arthur back again, I cannot remember any of the stores personall issuing petrol, or receiving any from outside suplliers, it must have been the responsibility of the MT section. When at Chicksands it was a little different, I received from outside suplliers the fuel for the RAF camp. I only remember doing it once, which was enough, the officer on duty that day wanted to show that he was in charge, in as much that if I fiddled the paperwork with the supplier in my favour to make some money I would be in trouble, it did not enter my mind to do that, imagine, close arrest and a few years inside. I am glad I never saw that officer again. I do remember that the non regular officers were always agresive, I even remember the flying officer in charge of education at Bletchley was the same, armoury guard or fire picket, from him it was always get your hair cut. The regular officers were much different, treating you like people rather that conscripted airmen. Take care
Hi Arthur one more do you remember the seargent in charge of R&D they called him taffy, as he was a Welsh man, very interested in photography, showing his latest shots to us in his ofcice, in walked Ft Lt Wombwell, he was very rude about the photos, I suppose because we should have been working, It really hurt the seargents feelings, they were good photos.
Hi Dave,
No I,m sorry I don’t recall a Welsh Sergeant at all, in fact I don’t remember any R & D. Do you remember all the Reservists that were kitted out at Bletchley on the way to the trouble in Cyprus. They had umpteen medal ribbons from service in the second World War. It was the Sergeant GD that had to keep them occupied until their departure. The things he was called when he tried to get them ablution cleaning.
Hi Arthur I do remember at one time there was lots of men running around with Bren Guns, and small Machine Guns, I did not know what that was all about perhaps the Cyprus troubles, if the sergeant you mentioned was Bletchleys admin sergeant I new him very well, if you were duty airman for your hut, he always grabbed you to clean the main toilets, and anything else he could think of, if he came up with a second job, all we had to do was tell him to get permission from equipment section WO, he always changed his mind and released us when the toilets were cleaned to his satisfaction, that little ruse always worked, there were times that I felt sorry for the man, after all he had a job to do, and he worked very hard at it.
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.
Fascinating reading through all of the comments and memories on here.
Its worth pointing out (apologies if already mentioned and I haven’t seen the comments) that during the war years the camp was known as RAF Church Green (from Church Green Rd presumably)
I imagine that no official reference to any RAF establishment connected with Bletchley (BP especially) was the reason for the name Church Green?
I don’t know exactly when the name was changed to RAF Bletchley but I would assume quite soon after the war because I have seen official documents for RAF Bletchley dated 1946.
I too have been collecting memorabilia and artefacts connected with the RAF Camp and I am very keen to acquire more items wherever possible.
I do have one question for the group- up until at least 1956 there was a Wellington bomber on the camp.
For over twenty years now I have been trying to find out its identity, the reason for it being there in the first place and its eventual fate but I have yet to discover anything.
The aircraft WAS there- I have eye witness accounts from several sources but nothing has ever been confirmed from any of my lines of investigations.
If anyone has any more anecdotes, memories or documents/photographs that I can add to my archive then please do get in touch with me,
many thanks
Martin
hi’It was a relic bomber… removed about 55/56
Thank you for your reply, are you able to confirm that it WAS a Wellington? Also, do you remember where it was removed to?
Hi
Yes it was ! !
regards peter j
Enjoying reading everyone’s memories of the RAF camp here in Bletchley, can anyone recall if there was an aircraft on the camp, possibly by the parade ground?
Hi
Love to have aerial photo. How?
Best wishes. Peter j
Many of these letters brought back many memories. gave Tony Pool, who also lived in Gillingham, a lift back to camp on the back of my motor bike…..it rained most of the way! I’m Peter (Roger) Jacobs…………in Canterbury
Pete Blezzard came from 100 Durdar rd Penrith
Arthur Ress from Marien cresc Pontypool
John Setterfield from Watford or Bushey
Tony Pool from Gillingham
0wen Whitaker from Billericay
Trevor Titchmarsh from Hemingford grey
best wishes to all Peter Jacobs aka Roger
Peter Jacobs aka Roger ex EPAS
Just a few memories
Pete Blezard came rom Penrith……1957 Edinburgh Zoo
Owen Whitaker ditto Billericay…………Bank
Taffy Jones came from Pontypridd
Tony Pool Gillingham
John Setterfield Bushey
Trevor Titchmarsh Hemmingford Grey
I now live in Canterbury
Best wishes to all
Hi Peter Jacobs,
Nice to see your post about EPAS in RAF Bletchley. I’ve tried several different ways to see if any of us was still around. Do you know if any of the others are still alive? I came rom Bedfordshire and married the typist from EPAS in RAF Tech College Henlow Bedfordshire. I still live about a mile or so from that camp.
Very best wishes
Arthur Rees
Hi. Nice to hear from you. I have no news of the rest of our bunch. I will look again on Facebook. to seek them..
I will keep in touch if I get news
Best wishes. Peter. Aka Roger
Hello all,
I found this site quite by accident.
I have an undated photograph of the interior of a mess hall that dates from my dad’s WW2 RAF service years. He has indicated that he thought that this might be Bletchley but I know nothing else about it but its interior looks quite distinctive to me with its block walls and large tubular steel trusses and purlins supporting a corrugated roof. I do not know if my dad meant Bletchley RAF Station, Bletchley Park or anywhere else nearby.
My dad was a LAC airframe rigger during WW2 and I doubt he was able enough to have worked at Bletchley Park. He never mentioned the place and the RAF service record I have for him does not mention Bletchley at all but there are some places referred only by a number that I cannot identify.
Is there anybody interested in this? I cannot see a way to post it here for examination.
Hello Peter.
I’m one of the historians at Bletchley Park and we’d be very interested to see your photograph. You can send it to enquiries@bletchleypark.org.uk FAO myself, Thomas Cheetham.
If you would be willing to share your father’s service record as well that will help us work out if and when he was in Bletchley.
Thank you.
Hello Peter.
I’m one of the historians at Bletchley Park and we’d be very interested to see your photograph. You can send it to us FAO myself, Thomas Cheetham. https://bletchleypark.org.uk/contact-us/
If you would be willing to share your father’s service record as well that will help us work out if and when he was in Bletchley.
Thank you.
Hello Peter.
I’m one of the historians at Bletchley Park and we’d be very interested to see your photograph. You can send it to enquiries@bletchleypark.org.uk FAO myself, Thomas Cheetham.
If you would be willing to share your father’s service record as well that will help us work out if and when he was in Bletchley.
Thank you.
There was another RAF camp in Bletchley, it was on the Buckingham Road, opposite where Chestnuts school is now. This was way back in April, 1952 when we moved here from Brighton. There were foundations where the buildings must have been, and they had left a huge area of coloured tiles covering a quite large area. It was covered in wet cardboard. I cleared it off and spent every day there, practising my figure skating. I don’t know much about that camp or why it was there. Does anyone know anything about it?
There’s a photo in one of the local papers in 1956 of WRAF competitors setting of in a cycle race in front of Bletchley Park pavilion. It states it’s the Bletchley RAF sports, so could have been a regular event.