RAF Woodcote (bits of)

Newage · Nov 27, 2008

Hi All

took a trip over to Crowthorne this week, on the way down the A4074 Wallingford to Reading road we spotted these in the woods as we drove by. After parking up and having a look we still have no clue as to what they are for.

There are 2 brick shelters of some sort, but they are too narrow to be air raid shelters, on the other side of the road is a large concrete water storage tank, running all along one side of the road in the woods are what look like loading platforms although very low, and lot of trenches etc.

If any body can shed a little light on this it would be a help. Pictures bellow.

Cheers for looking

Newage

Foxylady · Nov 27, 2008

The first thing that came to mind was overground blast shelters, but they're usually on airfields. They do look fairly old though.

DigitalNoise · Nov 27, 2008

RAF Woodcote.
Ive just spent the last month researching it then struck gold.....
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/amphiaraus/
Still havent done a full recce, just driven/ wandered about a bit. Tried the HQ field but theres cows everywhere and the farmer was about. Interesting site if you fancy checking it out sometime? Its only 5 mins from my home

goodeavens · Nov 27, 2008

Great site & pictures Newage. I think Foxy could be right, they could be blast walls / part of a blast shelter. I`ve seen something very similar in Sherwood Forest, an old RAF bomb store site

DigitalNoise · Nov 27, 2008

There is a key to this map on the link I posted above. Still quite a few buildings standing and one stanton shelter hiding somewhere. I know roughly where it is but the place is used in the day

Newage · Nov 27, 2008

WOW.........................................

Just took a look at the URL link the place is fantastic, but I can not find it in my
Air field book, looks like another visit is in order.

Cheers All

DigitalNoise · Nov 27, 2008

Yeah, I have been for plenty of walks through the woods years ago with my parents, I always thought there was more to it than just a few bits of brick and concrete. They used to do light repairs on plenty of aircraft, including one of my favourites- the P51 Mustang. There is a small stirp, which used to be grass at that time but I think but this was never used as an airstrip. The aircraft would turn up flat packed on flatbed lorries. The HQ site still has some nissen huts and a few other buildings. I got a bit paranoid in there on my own in the dark and went home. Id be up for tagging along with you if youre up for it.

krela · Nov 27, 2008

I've renamed the thread to reflect it's identification

Seahorse · Nov 27, 2008

Ah!!! The round thing is a static water tank. I did wonder cos there's a couple at Crimond.

What were they for then? As opposed to a dynamic water tank or whatever? Firefighting maybe?

krela · Nov 27, 2008

Seahorse said:
What were they for then? As opposed to a dynamic water tank or whatever? Firefighting maybe?

Nail, head hit on it.

DigitalNoise · Nov 28, 2008

I headed down that way last night, there's an old POW camp nearby which was originally part of the base. I got the impression it's just abandoned in the woods. When I got there I had a 4x4 pull up next to me before I even got out of the car! 'What are you doing?' I was asked, so I explained and although still somewhat suspicious he informed me that the buildings still stand and are rented out. There have been many break ins in the last couple of weeks so everybody's guard is up. I definately wouldnt reccomend a night trip! A mortuary still stands, as does a 'chapel' (glorified nissen hut by the looks of it).
I went to this site after and walked through the woods, only to find the old perimiter fence, a vintage car tyre which looked the right age for the base, and part of one of the asphalted roofs. By that point I was soaked so called it a day.

TrevorCB · Mar 1, 2009

Yes, I know what they are.. all part of RAF Woodcote, attatched to Milton Depot, Blast shelters and water storage for the sectret sheds embeded in the woods of Woodcote and Goring Heath..

Newage said:
Hi All

took a trip over to Crowthorne this week, on the way down the A4074 Wallingford to Reading road we spotted these in the woods as we drove by. After parking up and having a look we still have no clue as to what they are for.

There are 2 brick shelters of some sort, but they are too narrow to be air raid shelters, on the other side of the road is a large concrete water storage tank, running all along one side of the road in the woods are what look like loading platforms although very low, and lot of trenches etc.

If any body can shed a little light on this it would be a help. Pictures bellow.

Cheers for looking

Newage

Dooberry · Mar 4, 2009

DigitalNoise said:
RAF Woodcote.
Ive just spent the last month researching it then struck gold.....
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/amphiaraus/

I'm pleased you found the amphiaraus site. I used to live in one of the huts on the headquaters site at Woodcote in the early 1950's. There are a few photos of me as a boy on that website.

There was another part of the RAF Woodcote camp detached a short distance away nearer to Checkendon.
I had very vague memories of Polish families living there. Recently when doing a bit of internet surfing I came across this site putting it all into perspective.

This is the site: http://www.polishresettlementcampsintheuk.co.uk/checkendon.htm

night crawler · Mar 5, 2009

I drive past th eplace a lot and have offten wondered what they were and have ment to stop. Might have a look one of these days as it is not far fromme.

DigitalNoise · Mar 5, 2009

Dooberry said:
I'm pleased you found the amphiaraus site. I used to live in one of the huts on the headquaters site at Woodcote in the early 1950's. There are a few photos of me as a boy on that website.

There was another part of the RAF Woodcote camp detached a short distance away nearer to Checkendon.
I had very vague memories of Polish families living there. Recently when doing a bit of internet surfing I came across this site putting it all into perspective.

This is the site: http://www.polishresettlementcampsintheuk.co.uk/checkendon.htm

This place?

I'm working on all of this stuff as part of my own website. You're in some of the photos? Excellent! I may have to get hold of you at some point, have you got any exciting memories of the place?

As you were in the area, do you know anything about Bishopswood camp in Gallowstree common? It is only a mile or so from the Woodcote site. There are plenty of hut bases, and a stanton shelter. But also a strange building which I have no idea of it's use. If you have any recollections of the place it would be great to hear, I have struggled to find out any information on the site.

RAF Woodcote (bits of)

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