2015

TF7834 : WW2 Battle Headquarters (BHQ) - interior

taken 9 years ago, near to Bircham Newton, Norfolk, England

WW2 Battle Headquarters (BHQ) - interior
WW2 Battle Headquarters (BHQ) - interior
Most WW2 aerodromes were equipped with such a structure, all of which were built to a similar design (with variations) and commonly situated not too far distant from the flying field. Unusually, RAF Bircham Newton's BHQ had six rooms instead of the more commonly found four, and two entrances/exits. The round shape of the observation cupola would appear to be unique.
RAF Bircham Newton

The aerodrome at RAF Bircham Newton was constructed during WW1, when it was used for fighter pilot training before becoming a bomber base. A major rebuilding programme was undertaken in the 1920s and again in the 1930s. Many of the buildings are still in place and today used by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), who has owned the site since late 1964.

During WW2 the base was one of the most important Coastal Command stations on the East Coast, serving in No. 16 Group. Two satellite aerodromes were opened, one at Docking > Link and the other at Langham > Link.

The flying field never received concrete runways and after the war there was little use for grass landing strips. For a short time the station was transferred to Flying Training Command and was later used as a demobilisation centre and aircrew holding unit, and by Transport Command as well as for the training of the Blind Approach System and other radio aids the base was finally closed in December 1962. For more information see > Link.

When the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) purchased the site in late September the intention was to house its Head Office and Training Centre there. In September 1966, a training centre was opened which has become the National Construction College (East), also known as ConstructionSkills.

(Please note that the CITB site is strictly private and anyone wishing to visit must obtain prior permission.)

Airfield Battle Headquarters (BHQ)

In 1939 the defence of airfields had been confined to a limited number of light machine-gun posts for anti-aircraft use to protect against enemy attack. Some operational stations had the use of additional guns of a higher calibre, such as two-pounders and three-inch guns. With the increased threat of an invasion, pillboxes, rifle pits and Dannert wire entanglements were also constructed in 1940, but owing to variations and topography there was no standard procedure for the defence of an airfield and the task of planning the defences usually fell to the local military authority. Their designs and drawings for the structural work were then sent to the Air Ministry Works Area Headquarters for the preparation of detailed drawings to be used by the contractors who were to carry out the work.

When the threat of invasion lessened in 1941, the location of airfield defences was considered a priority second only to the runway layout and above the requirements for accommodation and emphasis was placed on all-round defence, with priority given to establishing defended localities to protect key elements of the airfield. In July 1941, a General Defence Strategy was agreed which placed all airfields in one of three classes depending on location and importance, from Class 1 with the greatest provision for pillboxes, modified buildings, rifle pits etc, to Class 3, which frequently ended up with only rifles points and Dannert wire (coiled barbed wire which could be extended concertina-like to form a barrier to impede the movement of hostile troops).

Many if not most of the airfields constructed from now on were equipped with a Battle headquarters (referred to as "Emergency Control Bunkers" by the US Army Air Forces) from which the defence of the aerodrome could be co-ordinated. BHQs were frequently built on high ground, at times concealed in a hedge or close to farm buildings; some were built in the vicinity of the Watch Office (control tower). Like other types of defence work, BHQs were not always included in the airfield site plans as they were sited in agreement with the local Army authority, taking into account terrain and camouflage.

Several variants existed, with the most common having been the type constructed to the Air Ministry drawing number 11008/41. It comprised an underground structure consisting of the defence officer's room, a runners' room (a member of the personnel who would have acted as a messenger in case the telephone communication was cut), a toilet, and an observation room (measuring 1.80 x 1.80 metres), the floor level of which was raised to about 0.90m (3ft) above the other rooms and accessible via a few concrete steps. The only part of the structure visible from aboveground was the observation room's bombproof concrete cupola which had observation apertures all the way around. The whole building was approximately seven metres (20ft) long and 2.50 metres (8ft) wide, with a flight of brick steps at one end for access.


Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Evelyn Simak and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Geographical Context: Defence, Military
This photo is linked from: Automatic Clusters: · WW2 Battle Headquarters BHQ [10] Title Clusters: · WW2 Battle Headquarters (BHQ) - interior [7] ·
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TF7834, 32 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Evelyn Simak   (more nearby)
Date Taken
April 2015   (more nearby)
Submitted
Tuesday, 21 April, 2015
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! TF 78 34 [1000m precision]
WGS84: 52:52.7007N 0:39.0649E
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Image classification(about): Supplemental image
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