RAF Davidstow Moor Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1.

RAF · Cornwall · England · United Kingdom

RAF Davidstow Moor, Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1.

Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1. This site was the one of main sites shared with Site No.5 Communal No.2. These areas are where the mess's (An Officers' or Senior Rate/Ranks' Mess is the home of its. living-in members and the centre of social life for those living out. As such, it must be run. efficiently and a high standard of service maintained). Here was an Officers, Sergeants and the Institute & NAAFI. The three main Mess's on an airfield. There was also sport with a Squash court, (very important for hand eye co-ordination). A fuel compound to store coke or coal for all the fires in the local buildings. Here eating, playing, relaxing, writing letters (There was a Pos Office here). Also this is where the CO. lived, he had his own hut close to the action and his office.

RAF Davidstow Moor, Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1.

Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1. Yellow is the area of the site, split by the road in between. To enter they would have passed by a Picket Post, a guard room, run by a Corporal and you should sign in and out of the site, thus a record could be kept of where people were and also if there was a bombing attack, fire, explosion, the officials would know who was here.

Record Site Plan 4947/44

RAF Davidstow Moor, Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1.

202 - Picket Post - N - 12404/41.
203 - Dining Room & Cinema Airmen - N - 16677/41.
204 - Ration Sore - C.B. - 9041/41'
205 - Fuel Compound - W - 9108/41.
206 - M&E Plinth.
207 - Standby Set House - P.B. - 16302/41.
208 - Tailor, Shoemaker, Barbers & Post Office - CB&HC - 9098/41.
209 - Grocery & Local Produce Store - C.B. - 12878/41.
210 - Static Water Tank.
211 - Ablutions & Decontam. Airmen - C.B. - 14433/41.
212 - Latrines Airmen - 14397/41.
213 - Institute & NAAFI - N - 13049/41.
214 - Mess Sergeants - N - 13049/41.
215 - Education Block - N - 9886/42.
216 - Gymnasium & Chancel - C.B. - 15424/41.
217 - Showers Officers - C.B. - 15424/41.
218 - Showers & Boiler House Sergeants. - C.B. - 16319/41.
219 - Mess Officers - CB&N - 12952/41.
220 - Squash Court - C.B. - 16589/40.
221 - Quarters C.O. - C.B. - 9023/41.
20 Blast shelters & 3 Air Raid Shelters.

Record Site Plan 4947/44

RAF Davidstow Moor, Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1.

217 - Showers Officers - C.B. - (101 to 120 men) - 12952/41. This is where Officers could come and shower, shave, etc. Rank was very important to the forces in WW2 and ranks had different toilets, showers, sleeping and mess's. A 12952/41 has a large water tower with a water tank behind the blue door. Steel ladder set into the wall allowed access. At the bottom was the coal/coke fired heating plant to heat water for showers and heating. Then laid out inside were toilets, showers, sinks and a changing area. Also a drying area for towels.

29 April 2012

RAF Davidstow Moor, Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1.

217 - Showers Officers - C.B. - (101 to 120 men) - 12952/41. Here it shows a WW2 building that was left dilapidated, can be re purposed to a very high standard, here as a museum.

22 January 2005

RAF Davidstow Moor, Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1.

217 - Showers Officers - C.B. - (101 to 120 men) - 12952/41. One of the 20 Blast Shelters.

22 January 2005

RAF Davidstow Moor, Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1.

217 - Showers Officers - C.B. - (101 to 120 men) - 12952/41.

A much earlier picture when they were re-building the block.

22 January 2005

RAF Davidstow Moor, Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1.

216 - Gymnasium & Chancel - C.B. - 15424/41.

The extension down the side are the Officers & Men's changing rooms. On the far end the Chancel.

22 January 2005

RAF Davidstow Moor, Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1.

216 - Gymnasium & Chancel - C.B. - 15424/41. The religious end.

MOW 15424/41

RAF Davidstow Moor, Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1.

216 - Gymnasium & Chancel - C.B. - 15424/41.

MOW 15424/41

RAF Davidstow Moor, Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1.

216 - Gymnasium & Chancel - C.B. - 15424/41. The chancel end.

22 January 2005

RAF Davidstow Moor, Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1.

216 - Gymnasium & Chancel - C.B. - 15424/41.

The view through the building.

22 January 2005

RAF Davidstow Moor, Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1.

Stanton air raid shelter.

Made by the Stanton Ironworks Co.

The picture reminded me at the time of a beached Whale skeleton.

22 January 2005

Escape end, there would have been a steel

RAF Davidstow Moor, Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1.

Stanton Ironworks Co.

RAF Davidstow Moor, Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1.

Another of the 20 Blast Shelters. Also sets of Nissen Hut steels.

22 January 2005

RAF Davidstow Moor, Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1.

219 - Mess Officers - CB&N - 12952/41.

The high tower was the water tower and heating plant, in the centre the kitchens, one long room for dining room and the other, resting & recreation.

22 January 2005

RAF Davidstow Moor, Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1.

220 - Squash Court - C.B. - 16589/40.

22 January 2005

RAF Davidstow Moor, Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1.

220 - Squash Court - C.B. - 16589/40.

Roof missing, so sad, but I believe the newer museum has re built it.

22 January 2005

RAF Davidstow Moor, Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1.

220 - Squash Court - C.B. - 16589/40.

Changing rooms on the front.

22 January 2005

RAF Davidstow Moor, Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1.

220 - Squash Court - C.B. - 16589/40.

You can just see the red line on the end wall.

22 January 2005

RAF Davidstow Moor, Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1.

221 - Quarters C.O. - C.B. - 9023/41.

The C.O. of an air station was often a Wing Commander, he would usually have finished his flying carrier and gone on to pastures new. His job was to run the airfield and its attached dispersed camps. He would also be in charge of the defence of the airfield and command from a Battle HQ. His job was to keep a smooth running [ship], he had nothing to do with the general flying of whatever squadrons that used his base. Discipline was another area that came under him. So a very important man on an airfield. He would have had his own batman/servant who looked after him in his hut. Who maintaining the officer's uniform and personal equipment as a valet, some times his driver (if he could drive), and other miscellaneous tasks the officer does not have time or inclination to do.

22 January 2005

RAF Davidstow Moor, Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1.

215 - Education Block - N - 9886/42.

24ft Nissen hut with a brick extension, the education block was very important so that Airmen could work their way up the ranks and at the latter end of the war, learn a trade so they could find work in civilian life. Remember many RAF personnel joined as they left school and had never finished further education, but they could fly a four engined bomber.

22 January 2005

RAF Davidstow Moor, Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1.

Now the est side of the site. Not six weeks ago (Jan 2005) this site was literally complete but due to the huts having a lot of asbestos as in the corrugated sheeting it was completely removed. The two inserted pictures are with permission of WW2 Airfields Website. Also inserted is a plan of the site showing in yellow, dining room and cinema airman's. In red institute and NAAFI. Both of these buildings were in 24ft Nissen hutting.

203 - Dining Room & Cinema Airmen - N - 16677/41.

RAF Davidstow Moor, Site No.4 - RAF Communal No1.

22 January 2005