RAF Box (Rudloe Manor Site 1) 10gp Fighter Command

[krela]

This is RAF Box (since known as Rudloe Manor Site 1 or North Site).

Originally built in 1940 as the home for 10Group Fighter Command it controlled actions at RAF Filton, RAF Middle Wallop, RAF St. Eval, RAF Pembrey, RAF Boscombe Down, RAF Colerne, RAF Exeter, RAF Roborough and RAF Warmwell and was responsible for air defence of the western region, scrambling fighter planes to intercept incoming German air raids.

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The site has two main buildings, the original manor house and a specially built operations block. The manor house was probably used as the officers accommodation and the operations block contained the communications and operations functions, including the main ops room where air defence was coordinated which was a room with a large map in it with balconies and observation rooms surrounding it.

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The site also housed the Royal Observer Corps Western Area HQ (later renamed Southern Area HQ) from 1937 to 1990 when operations were moved to the nearby ROC 12Group HQ in Bath.

In 1951 the Ops Centre for 10Group Fighter Command was moved into an underground facility in nearby Browns Quarry (part of the massive underground quarry complex in Corsham utilised during WW2).

In post war years the site was taken over by the RAF Provost and Security Services (P&SS) who were responsible for the policing and security of the RAF and it's installations. During this period one of the ops rooms was given a false ceiling and used as the peace time ops room, and the other was turned into a squash court! Parts of the building were also used to house the P&SS photography unit.

During this time the site was also rapidly expanded and photographs of these buildings are below.

And so on to the visit, all made with Bishop.

1) The Operations Block (visited in March 2007)

Exteriors.

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Ops Room.

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Squash Court.

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Other.

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2) The Manor House (visited March 07 & March 08).

The original manor house is now entirely stripped inside.

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3) The rest of the P&SS site (visited March 07).

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The P&SS moved out to Rudloe Manor Site 2 (south) in 2001 and this north site has been laying derelict ever since. It is due to be demolished and replaced with industrial units or barratts boxes sometime in the next 2 years.

 

[Foxylady]

What an extraordinary place! The Manor House is gorgeous (beautiful roof beams) but the rest of the site is very exciting...what a history, eh! Fantastic stuff, guys...that must have been an absolute delight to explore.

 

[Neosea]

Yes, those manor house roof beams are a great treasure. Cool place

 

[Reaperman]

Looks really good, Great for having the history there too. You'd hope they could do something with the manor house rather than demolish it. I'd live there!

Ps do you have any pictures from inside the barracks style buildings in this picture?

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[krela]

Looks really good, Great for having the history there too. You'd hope they could do something with the manor house rather than demolish it. I'd live there!

Ps do you have any pictures from inside the barracks style buildings in this picture?

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Yes I have loads more pictures, I just didn't want to bomb the post with 100s.

I might go back and take some more tomorrow too if we have time around our other plans.

I'll see what I can sort out later.

 

[smileysal]

I love that manor house, and those beams are gorgeous. Is that a gymnasium in the 3rd group down, with the gorgous dome type ceiling and the lovely floor complete with mats?

Really really like the look of this place. Not seen any pics from inside before,

Cheers Krela,

Sal

 

[krela]

Is that a gymnasium in the 3rd group down, with the gorgous dome type ceiling and the lovely floor complete with mats?

eheheh, I can see how you might think that from the picture... but it's actually the officers bar!

 

[freebird]

Wow I love the house. It would be really gorgeous done up it such a shame that it will be demolished. Great report on an interesting place.

 

[krela]

I very much doubt they'll demolish the manor house. You can't see it from the pics I've posted but the whole site is about 20 acres and has barrack buildings on the rest of it which will all go.

I'll post more photos of the rest of the site later, this post was purely about the ww2 parts, the rest of the site is post ww2.

 

[King Al]

Excellent report K, that Bar gym looking place is great. I like the stairs with the triple spindals on the banisters, it would be a shame if they scraped them.

 

[reddwarf9]

Great report and interesting history there. Ive been visiting a customer in Corsham for nearly 20 years and until DP didnt realise there was so much stuff around that area. Good work.

 

[ThenewMendoza]

Nice one, that look's a cool place. **whispers...any UFO's?**

TnM

 

[Virusman26]

That is really quite some report there dude!!!!!!

Nice work mate, great photo's

 

[Manix]

Amazing..and thats all part of one facility?

 

[sqwasher]

Great report, looks a fantastic place to spend a few hours! Well done!

 

[rigsby]

Good stuff looks bigger than i had imagined.

 

[MD]

i like the ops room
and the peeling paint in the squash court
i could spend hours there

 

[borntobemild]

love these pictures.

my cousin was in the r.a.f. and was stationed here for a while. He was always a bit vague about what he did, but i know it was something to do with signals and communications. (not UFOs).

I'll send him this link and see if he can provide any more info.

 

[krela]

love these pictures.

my cousin was in the r.a.f. and was stationed here for a while. He was always a bit vague about what he did, but i know it was something to do with signals and communications. (not UFOs).

I'll send him this link and see if he can provide any more info.

That would be great, thank you.

 

[Bishop]

Few more pics.

Vickers pillbox.

The manor house.

Large out building next to the manor house.

More out buildings.

Door in one of the barrack blocks.

37mm riot gun rubber bullet.

b