RAF Old Sarum, Camp & Communal Sites, Wiltshire

RAF Old Sarum, Camp & Communal Sites

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This section covers the RAF Old Sarum, Camp & Communal Sites from the RFC days to the 1980's.

 

 

 

RAF Old Sarum, Camp & Communal Sites

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RAF Old Sarum, Camp & Communal Sites

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RAF Old Sarum, Camp & Communal Sites

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Plan Air Ministry 603/32
This is a 1932 plan of RAF old Sarum. It all started with the huge expansion of the RFC & then the RAF in WW1 (1917/8). When in Wiltshire alone Old Sarum, Stonehenge, Boscombe Down & Lake Down were all built and Netheravon and Upavon had already started in 1913. Just over the border in Hampshire there was Lopscome Corner and Chattis Hill.
At the end of WW1, most if not all were closed and literally wiped away. Lake Down, Stonehenge, Chattis Hill, Lopscombe Corner. Boscombe Down was just left until there was a need for a bomber aerodrome in Southern area and it was re activated. Old Sarum stayed open and so did Upavon and Netheravon, they were both training stations.
After this there came several RAF expansion schemes in the late 20's & 1930's
Old Sarum was added to the list of having a major upgrades as was Boscombe Down. Netheravon had new hangars and Station Sick Quarters, Upavon had new hangars & barrack blocks added.
RAF Old Sarum was transfered to Army Co-operation Command and became a very important station. It had a brand new Officers Mess to cope with the influx of RAF Officer pilots and training staff. Also many Army and Navy officers came and went and so did foreign service members. A new SSQ, an SHQ, Barrack Blocks and HQ Army Co-op. Command building. Until the 1980's and close down, it was a hive of activity in the second world war and then with NATO.

1932 expansion of the Communal site across the road with barrack blocks the Institute.

L   - Lake Down.
S   - Stonehenge.
BD - Boscombe Down.
OS - Old Sarum.
N   - Netheravon.
U   - Upavon

1930's expansion scheme building

RAF Old Sarum, Camp & Communal Sites

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This is how RAF Old Sarum Camp was laid out at the end of WW1 and used as a Training Depot Station. The three double Belfast Truss hangars and the ARS single shed (Aircraft Repair Shed) . Behind is the M.T. (Motor Transport) section and woodwork/Dope shop, stores and training rooms.. Old Sarum in white chalk on the grass and the compass platform circle in the centre.

ARS Aircraft Re[air Shed. The three double hangars were for the squadrons aircraft to be stored and the ARS shed was where the aircraft were repaired.

Audax.

Hector.

RAF Old Sarum, Camp & Communal Sites

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Here I am covering the Administration, Communal, Station HQ, Sick Quarters, Officers Mess, M.T., etc.
Entering Old Sarum Airfield today at the traffic lights.

 

 

 

RAF Old Sarum, Camp & Communal Sites

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22 - Guard House
The main entrance Guard room where everybody would have a had to book in and out of the camp. Now removed and a very blank building replaces it.

The comment:
RAFP "Sorry Sir - But the Air Chief Marshal will just have to go back and get his 1250"

Guard party.

Early RAF guard.

RAF Old Sarum, Camp & Communal Sites

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Blazon: A double- Headed Eagle Or armed Azure displayed gorged with a Ducal Coronet Or in front of a representative Castle Mound of Old Sarum Vert ensigned with a Castle of two Towers proper (Light brown wood).
Link: The badge represents the close connection of the unit with both old and new Old Sarum. The mound is a symbolic representation of the great Castle Mound of Old Sarum whilst the double-headed eagle is taken from the Armorial Bearings of the City of Salisbury.
Motto: Latin, Semper inter primos– Ever amongst the first.
History:  Opened, known briefly as Ford Farm in August 1917 before becoming Old Sarum. Transferred to Army control on 15 December 1971.
from RAF Heraldry Trust.

RAF Heraldry Trust.

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Main Entrance.
Just after the 22 - Guard Room was removed 2003.

RAF Old Sarum, Camp & Communal Sites

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22 - Guard House
This is what has replaced the guard room.

RAF Old Sarum, Camp & Communal Sites

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23 Technical Store 285/17
A 12 bay rectangular building with storage racks, tyre racks, store man's rest room, a clerk's office and yard.

WAAF's running the stores.

 

Solid tyres.

RAF Old Sarum, Camp & Communal Sites

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Main Drive now Lancaster Road
The RAF in the 1930's expansion period used a nursery to grow trees to plant on RAF stations. To soften their presence and also as camouflage. Here the tree lined main drive through the middle of the camp.

Main Drive.

RAF Old Sarum, Camp & Communal Sites

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Main Drive now Lancaster Road
In the winter time with no leaves on the trees.

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30 Q store
In the RAF it was the Q store was the salvage shed, now its a brewery, Dark Revolution. Enjoyed by many of the BDAC crew.

Dark Revolution Brewery.

Inside the brewery and the bar area.

Bar area.

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Today
This air photo shows the main RFC area now left at Old Sarum. The yellow ticks are the buildings extant and the red ? are the two hangars in a very damaged condition 2024.

 

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1,2 & 3 - Flight Sheds.
4 - ARS Shed.
5 & 6 - Plane Shed.
7 - Wood Workshop & Parachute Store.
8, 9 & 10 Flight Co,,anders Office.
11 & 12 - Petrol Installation (Aviation) .
13 - Switch House.
14 - W & B Office & Store.
15 - Photographic Hut.
16 - Gunnery Inst. & Armoury.
17 - W & B Workshops.
18 - Wireless & Bombing Hut.
19 - Lecture Hut & Photo Hut.
20 - Buzzing Hut.
21 - Depot Office.
22 - Guard House.
23 - Technical Store.
24 & 25 - Pump House.
26 - Tank (Water Storage).
29 - Latrines.
32 - Petrol Installation (M.T.).
33 - Picture Target House.
34 - Metal Workshop.
35 - M.T. Shed & Engine Test Shop.
36 Coal Yard.

 

 

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31 - Latrines
Well I thought this was a unique and interesting building, possibly a Squash Court or something like that. On the plan it states it was 31 - Latrines.

I checked and this building has been removed. I still think it was another squash Court.

Plan.

RAF Old Sarum, Camp & Communal Sites

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2001 before a lot of demolition had taken place.
.2 - Flight Shed.
7 - Wood Workshop & Parachute Store.
22 - Guard Room.
23 - Technical Store.
26 - Tank (Water Storage) High Level.
30 - Q. Store.
31 - Latrines (pos. a squash court).
33 - Picture Target House.
34 - Metal Workshop.

Officers quarters.

Wood working shop.

26 - Tank (Water Storage) High level.

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7 - Wood Workshop & Parachute Store 283/17
In 1917/18 the left side was the Machine Shop Blue on plan.
Dope Shop in Pink on the plan.
Carpenters shop Green on the plan.
Sail-maker Shop Yellow on the plan.
The Parachute Store would have been a latter addition when parachutes became available to the RAF.

DFW 286/17 Barrack Design.
Drawn by J.P.M. R.C.T. H.V.R. Schofield & F. Hatch 22:8:17. Also H.B. Clarke Major R.E.

DFW 478/17 Dope Shop exhaust delivery stack & duct.

Plan.

Dope shop face.

Plan.

Aircraft repairs.

The work of a sail maker.

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A Dope & Covering Shop. (this one is dated 1920 at Supermarine s factory in Woolston, Southampton. But it gives a good idea of how they would have worked here at Old Sarum.

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7 - Wood Workshop & Parachute Store 283/17
Heating Chamber or boiler house to heat the Woodwork/Dope shop. I believe Dope shops had to be kept at a standard 70°F.

DFW 286/17 Barrack Design heating Chamber.

Plan.

Parachute packing.

Bristol Scout.

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7 - Wood Workshop & Parachute Store 283/17
This is the Sail Makers Shop. They did not make sails but the same process was used for the fabric covering of aircraft.

Inside the Sail Makers Shop.

 

 

RAF Old Sarum, Camp & Communal Sites

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7 - Wood Workshop & Parachute Store 283/17
Original doors.

 

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7 - Wood Workshop & Parachute Store 283/17
The far end.

Plan.

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View into the MT section
Left:      33 - Power House & then Picture Target House trainer.
Right:    34 Metal Workshop 288/17.

Plan.

RAF Old Sarum, Camp & Communal Sites

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33 - Power House & then Picture Target House trainer.
The Power House. in WW1, there would be no mains electricity, by 1930's the mains supply would have come out to Old Sarum from Salisbury, so it would have had a change of use to a Picture Target House.

Plan.

Power House or standby set house.

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34 - Metal Workshop 288/17
There was a coppersmith's, blacksmith's and engine repair shed.

Plan.

Hand files.

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35 - M.T. Shed 289/17
Motor Transport Sheds & Yard. The RFC had nearly 100% motor transport, they did have at times the odd horse drawn vehicle, but if you were the most advanced service the armed forces, why would you need to use a Napoleonic Horse.

At Boscombe Down Aviation Collection, we often get visitors who were stationed here, come back and as this gentleman was an MT driver in the 1950's. We managed to get the Army to open up for us and show him around. It was a lovely day for them and us.

WW1 MT.

 

 

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35 - M.T. Shed 289/17
13 Bay M.T. shed. They would have had earth floors with concrete for the vehicle wheels to drive on and one or two may have had a vehicle pit for maintenance.
1 touring car, 12 light tenders, 12 heavy tenders, 9 motor cycles and side cars. Five trailers, 2 ambulances and two tractors in WW1.

Plan of the MT section.

12 Bay MT shed Stow Maries.

Stow Maries.

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M.T. Section
35 - M.T. Shed
Both garages are 13 bay and in the centre was the vehicle was down.

RAF MT heavy lorries..

Hillman staff car.

Tilly light pickup.

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86 - Engine Test House 702/26
Built around 1927 to a 1926 plan. Aircraft engines under testing and checking before fitting into its aircraft.

Plan.

A French engine test facility.

Engine test propeller.

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86 - Engine Test House
Rear view..

Modern engine test.

09 April 2012.

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Station HQ 7985/35
A 1935 building, with an Operations Block at the rear.

View of the SHQ.

 

 

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Station HQ 7985/35
Quite an imposing building.

View of the SHQ.

Operations.

Operations.

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HQ's entrance Entrance.

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Station HQ 7985/35
Operations Block at the rear.

Operations

Library.

 

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Station HQ 7985/35

Main hall. I believe this was the 'Operations Block'

Plan.

 

 

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SHQ's Guard Room

A guard party with dogs.

RAF guard.

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Post Box
King George V. (postbox placed here between 1910-1936).

Post man.

King George V.

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Royal Wessex Yeomanry
The latest users of the SHQ building.
The Royal Wessex Yeomanry supports the Regular Armoured Regiments of the British Army by providing fully trained Challenger 2 main battle tank crews on operations and exercises across the world. The role of Armoured Regiments like the Royal Wessex Yeomanry is to defeat the enemy using shock action: the sudden and overwhelming application of controlled violence. The Royal Wessex Yeomanry also provides close support to infantry units in offensive and defensive operations. As Reservists, soldiers in the Royal Wessex Yeomanry complete all of their training in their spare time

Challenger 2 main battle tank.

Plan..

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Station HQ 7985/35
Operations Block, the large roof, with two Link Trainer building.

Link trainer a 1920's designed instrument flying trainer. It was manufactured in America by the an organ manufacturer. All wind and whistles..

Link trainer.

Operations.

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Army Co-operation School Building.
In January 1921, the School of Army Cooperation moved to Old Sarum. For many years, it ran mixed courses for Army and Air Force personnel, focusing on development of efficient air/ground communication under operational conditions.

Army.

Airforce.

Navy.

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Army Co-operation School Building.
A quite large building with behind two attached buildings for Haskard Ranges.
They were a training aid for pilots to view the ground from about 4,000 ft. A large canvas painted layout of the River Wallop. Under it, using magnets, lorries, and tanks could be moved around for a pilot inside a mock up of an aircraft cockpit to look over and spot the movements then transmit to the artillery.
The inventor was a Lt Col Dudley Haskard RA.
Paul Francis.
The Annual Army Co-operation Report for 1934 (TNA AIR10/1914) notes that a Haskard trainer, which permitted model tanks and the like to be moved about by operators under the table using magnets, had been installed at Old Sarum.

Plan..

Haskard range,

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Women's Hostel.
This is the women's hostel under construction around 1917. They had their own self contained barracks and messing arrangements.
There part of the camp would have been situated around where the married quarters are today.

RFC Training Depots Hostel plan for W.A.A.C. (Women's Auxiliary Army Corps).

Plan..

Women's Auxiliary Army Corps..

Women's Auxiliary Army Corps..

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The W.A.A.C. poster telling all the jobs available to young ladies.

A book cover of the story of the W.A.A.C.

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108 Station Sick Quarters
Station Sick Quarters for a two squadron station.
Now owned by Wessex Archaeology.

Wessex Archaeology

Plan..

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Station Sick Quarters
Built in 1933 these date stones are very good for historians to record dates.
A two squadron Sick Quarters with Officers, NCO's and airman's wards, a kitchen, dispensary, waiting area and doctors rooms. There was also an ambulance garage and a mortuary.

 

 

 

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This is a photo taken by Mr Fuller in around the 1970's of Old Sarum showing the RAF expansion buildings (SHQ, Army Co-operation School Building, Sick Bay, Men's accommodation & Officers Mess + a lot more married quarters added in the 1950's.

Early helicopter evaluation.

Westland Dragonfly a type that would have used Old Sarum.

Westland Whirlwind.

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1930's to 1980's
Men's barracks and Institute, above them is the Warrant Officers Married Quarters and the Men's MQ. Behind again the Officers Mess.

Married Quarters.

Airman's permanent barracks.

Airman's permanent barracks.

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Barrack Blocks
Four barrack blocks were built and a large Institute for the men to eat.

Barracks today..

National Service lads.

1951.

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Barracks & Parade Square
Plan showing the four 1930's barrack blocks & the institute behind.

Tables laid out for dinner.

 

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Barrack Blocks
The two barrack blocks today have been turned into Maisonette’s. The third centre one looks to be a new build using the old style and in keeping.

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59 Station Warrant Officers quarters. .

The date it was built.

Station Warrant Officer, the most feared man on the station.

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Married Quarters and Officers Mess
The very large building on the top left is the 1930's Officers Mess and the white buildings are the Flight Sergeants & Mens married Quarters. Also there are many added in the 1950's.

RAF houses at Uxbridge to almost the same design.

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123 Officers Mess & Quarters 1935
Continuing along the Roman Road just past the camp and you come to Throgmorton Hall. This was the 1935 Officers Mess , a very imposing building now split up into flats.
The building is "unique and reflects the importance placed on Old Sarum as a School for Army Co-operation" (Paul Francis).

Officers on a night out.

The Mess servant.

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Plan
This is the plan of the first RFC Old Sarum. 1916/17 RFC needed to train pilots in a more professional way. They formed T.D.S.´s, (Training Depot Stations). With six Belfast Truss sheds and one ARS (Aircraft Repair shed) with storage, repair, transport and quarters.

 

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AM Site Plan 2310/27
This is the plan in 1927 and you can see several buildings have been removed and several married quarters have now been constructed. .

 

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AM Site Plan 659/35
This is the plan in 1935 after the RAF's expansion and many more buildings were added, a larger Officers Mess, HQ building, Station Sick Quarters, Men's Quarters and a large amount of married quarters. Men's & Warrant Officers in the North East corner & Officers Married Quarters South Eastern corner.

 

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AM Site Plan 52/45
This is the plan for 1945, showing the layout around the time that Old Sarum was taken over in April/May/June 1944 as a centre for the waterproofing of RAF vehicles for the D-Day landings. The yellow areas were the expansion of the airfield and B - Blister hangars. All the Site No.´s were vehicle parking areas and flying took place on one strip down the middle of hundreds of parked vehicles.

Testing waterproofing this was done somewhere to the N/E of the airfield.

And the real thing, hopping it will get onto dry land.

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72 Squash Courts 2078/18
One of the first Air Ministry designed courts. Ideal sport for the pilots to keep their eye in and also to keep fit.

 

 

 

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75 Machine Gun Range
An unknown aerial photo, probably 1930's.

Shooting end.

 

 

 

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75 Machine Gun Range
Shooting butts where the targets are normally seen.

The back side of the butts wall and there was also a wooden shelter there.

09 October 2020, Tim and I looking over what is left and the rear of the butts.

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AM Plan 715/23 alterations to existing house to a married officers quarter.

Site plan of Officers Married Quarters in 1964.

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Control tower with no numbers.

There were several of these built around the same time of airfields that had no WW2 control towers, here and RAF Upavon to name two.

Rear view.

1970's Fuller.

 

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