Grafton Underwood WW2 Airfield

reddwarf9 · Mar 23, 2008

Can anyone tell me what this building is? I'm sure it is associated with the nearby abandoned WW2 airfield.

It is about 30ft in length.
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It has access at both ends.
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And is semi submerged.
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USAF Memorial.
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I think there may be a couple of other buildings including the original battle HQ which I need to try and find when I have a bit more time.

Nick.

batroy · Mar 23, 2008

It's a Stanton shelter, a ubiquitous WW2 prefabricated reinforced concrete air raid shelter. Originally it would have been covered in earth. I seem to remember being told that they are all from later than 1941. I'm sure there will be others on here with a more in-depth description

Edit: Here are a couple of pictures of one of the Stanton shelters at RAF Finmere.

Foxylady · Mar 23, 2008

That's a really nice find, redd. It would be great if you could find the other buildings you mentioned.

Love that first pic of the underground one, Batroy. Those ones with the 'chimneys' always make me think of half-buried steam engines. :lol:

reddwarf9 · Mar 23, 2008

Foxylady said:
That's a really nice find, redd. It would be great if you could find the other buildings you mentioned.

Ive passed this one, must be hundreds of times and never seen it, then today in the snow it just jumped out at me lol.

Will go hunting the others when the weathers a lil better

Nick.

Bishop · Mar 23, 2008

Reddwarf9 wrote.

I think there may be a couple of other buildings including the original battle HQ which I need to try and find when I have a bit more time.

Do a search for Grafton Underwood on the Defence of Britain database.
http://www.britarch.ac.uk/projects/dob/index.html

According to DoB the Battle HQ is at Grid ref: SP 9290 8093, and is supposedly in good condition. It might be worthwhile taking wellies or waders if you do go and have a look, most of the Battle HQs I've seen have at least two foot of water in them.

There are also supposedly 3 quite rare mushroom pillboxes at RAF Grafton Underwood. Grid ref: SP 923 807 (condition bad), SP 9175 8100 (condition good) and SP 9298 8200 (condition good).

Mushroom pillbox at RAF Clyffe Pypard.

B

reddwarf9 · Mar 23, 2008

Bishop said:
Reddwarf9 wrote.

According to DoB the Battle HQ is at Grid ref: SP 9290 8093, and is supposedly in good condition. It might be worthwhile taking wellies or waders if you do go and have a look, most of the Battle HQs I've seen have at least two foot of water in them.

There are also supposedly 3 quite rare mushroom pillboxes at RAF Grafton Underwood. Grid ref: SP 923 807 (condition bad), SP 9175 8100 (condition good) and SP 9298 8200 (condition good).

Cool thanks for the info, i'll defo be having a scout around when weather improves, was at Deenethorpe briefly as well, the runway looks soooooo long when standing at the end

Cheers B

MD · Mar 23, 2008

nice pics mate
i like old ww2 sites
never seen a Mushroom pillbox!!

FusionRail · Jan 24, 2010

I do have some pictures on my other PC, of most of the visible buildings and their interiors. What is more interesting is the "pool" located near the three Stanton Shelters on the exit road, with two pipes leading into it, and what looks like some sort of tap buried into the ground.

mexico75 · Jan 24, 2010

FusionRail said:
I do have some pictures on my other PC, of most of the visible buildings and their interiors. What is more interesting is the "pool" located near the three Stanton Shelters on the exit road, with two pipes leading into it, and what looks like some sort of tap buried into the ground.

Sounds like an EWS ( Emergancy Water Supply). Used for fighting fires.

stevie · Feb 17, 2010

Bishop said:
Reddwarf9 wrote.

There are also supposedly 3 quite rare mushroom pillboxes at RAF Grafton Underwood. Grid ref: SP 923 807 (condition bad), SP 9175 8100 (condition good) and SP 9298 8200 (condition good).

B

I've been to Grafton Underwood several times now. Heres one of the Mushroom Pill boxes there ( I've only seen them elsewhere at King's Cliffe and Long Marston airfields) -

and view inside with the old gun rail visible -

Theres quite a few things in the woods where the old communial sites once were including a water tower, Operations Block etc. Defitnetly worth going for a look this time of year though as it gets pretty jungle-like in there during the summer.

Cheers,
Steve

outkast · Feb 17, 2010

While mushroom or cantilevered pillboxs seem quite rare elsewhere, they seem to be quite common in the south, I have seen them at hunsden, north weald and southend.

Grafton Underwood WW2 Airfield

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