RAF Ibsley Dispersed sites

Ibsley village a small mostly thatched village with an ancient church nestling in the valley of the River Avon. With the New Forest rising on its eastern side. The A338 passes through it and in 1939 a quite backwater. Then a man from the Air Ministry turned up and change the village for ever. Fields to the S/E were cordoned off between the A338 and the old N/S back road. A perimeter track with three runways were laid out and 18 fighter pens allowing 46 fighters to stand in relative safety. 46 fighters equals three squadrons making Wing of fighter. Several Blister and two Bellman hangars were built and ten dispersed accommodation sites were laid out to the north for the airmen & women. A double cupola Battle Head Quarters, two Control Towers (one small and one large) just to make it interesting.

Photo - Squadron Leader P B "Laddie" Lucas, when Commanding Officer of No. 616 Squadron RAF at Ibsley, Hampshire.

There are two Communal sites and six Quarters (living) sites.

Communal site No.2
193 Picket Post TB. 17021/40.
194 Institute        (type 94-659) 17026/40.
211 Decontamination Centre (type KM) 13845/40.
216 Officers Showers TB. 6490/42.
218 Officers Mess N. (type100) 9029/41.
219 Officers Mess TB. 17024/40.
BS -- Blast Shelters.
AS -- Air-raid shelters.
TB -- Temporary Brick.
N   -- Nissen
216 plan site number. Officers Showers hut type. TB. Type of construction. 6490/42 building construction number.

Communal site No.2.

Terry's detailed plan of the Communal site No.2.

Communal site No.2.

221 Works Service Building. (Contractors Hut).

Communal site No.2.

219 Officers Mess TB. 17024/40.

Communal site No.2.

Blast shelter for 32 men, 2360/41.

Communal site No.2.

218 Officers Mess N. (type100) 9029/41.

Communal site No.2.

218 Officers Mess N. (type100) 9029/41.

Communal site No.2.

216 Officers Showers TB. 6490/42.

Communal site No.2.

195 Grocery & Local Produce Store TB. 17028/40.

Communal site No.2.

Air-Raid Shelter, Stanton type.

The second Communal site No.3 with: -
235 Picket Post TB. 17021/40.
236 Combined Institute & Sergeant Recreation, Recreation & N.A.A.F.I. Quarters N. 12634/41.
237 Combined Dining Room & Sergeants Mess N. 12658/41.
238 Fuel Compound 63'x54'.
239 Airman's Showers, Ablutions & Decontamination TB. 6495/42.
240 Dining Room N. 12772/41.
241 - 249 Air women's Barracks N. 14420/41
250 Air women's Latrine Block TB. 6498/42.
251 Ablutions Latrine & Drying Room TB. 13047/41.
252 Showers, Bath & Decontamination Etc. TB. 13047/41.
253 Emergency Water Supply B.
254 Sergeants Quarters W.A.A.F. N. 14420/41.
255 Laundry Block TB. 12851/41.
256 Officers Mess & Quarters N. 12947/41
257 - 258 Barrack Huts N.

Communal site No.3.

235 Picket Post TB. Guard room for the Communal site entrance. Under the green shed was: -

236 Combined Institute & Sergeant Recreation, Recreation & N.A.A.F.I. Quarters N. 12634/41.

Communal site No.3.

235 Picket Post TB. 17021/40. Guard room for the Communal site where coming and going you would have to sign in and out.

Communal site No.3.

250 Airwoman´s Latrine Block TB. 6496/41.

238 Fuel Compound 63'x54' low brick wall with wire mesh fence.

Communal site No.3.

250 Airwoman´s Latrine Block TB. 6496/41.

238 Fuel Compound 63'x54' low brick wall with wire mesh fence.

Communal site No.3.

251 Ablutions Latrine & Drying Room TB 13047/41 with the flag poles.

252 Shower Bath & Decontamination with its high water tower.

Communal site No.3.

251 Ablutions Latrine & Drying Room TB 13047/41.

Communal site No.3
Two of the displays at the Revival.
The first cross is for a German soldier who died in May 1943..

The second is for 2nd Lt D.J. Klink RNetherlandsAAF.
Klink, Dirk Jacobus 13 June 1912, (date of birth) Den Haag (Birth place), Vlieger (Pilot) 320Sqn., 118Sqn.
118 Sqn December 1942 -to- January 1943 were at Ibsley with Supermarine Spitfire VB's.

2e Luitenant Vlieger KLINK, DIRK JACOBUS Died 13/06/1942 ML.KL. ged. R.A.F. Royal Netherlands Navy Air Service.
Buried at the Dutch War cemetery at MILL HILL CEMETERY, Location: Middlesex, United Kingdom, Number of casualties: 331.
Cemetery/memorial reference: Plot 2 Row K Grave 8.(CWGC website).

Flying a Spitfire called 'Perfect' presented by HJ Heinz (Baked Beans) crashed whilst on a training flight into Alderholt Park, Fordingbridge.

Communal site No.3.

Hurricane display.

Communal site No.3.

252 Shower Bath & Decontamination.

Communal site No.3.

252 Shower Bath & Decontamination. ETC., with a barn built over it.

Communal site No.3

255 Laundry Block TB. 12851/41.

Communal site No.3.

255 Laundry Block TB. 12851/41.

Communal site No.3.

255 Laundry Block TB. 12851/41.

Communal site No.3

255 Laundry Block TB. 12851/41.

Communal site No.3.

255 Laundry Block TB. 12851/41.

Communal site No.3.

255 Laundry Block TB. 12851/41.

Dispersed Site No.4.

Mainly an Officer quarters site and two huts for Sergeants.

This whole site has been built over now.

Dispersed Site No.5 Quarters.

There may be more buildings and certainly air-raid/blast-shelters. I have not been able to get inside to have a good look. Site No.5 was quarters for Officers, Sergeants and Airmen. A full range of Nissen huts for quarters and Temporary brick huts for ablutions & latrines.

Quarters Site No.6.

340 Picket Post TB. 17021/40. Huts TB. 17021/40, 7030/40 & 17031/42 Barrack huts with attendant ablutions & latrines in TB/N & M.

Several air-raid shelters & blast-shelters.

Quarters Site No.6.

Stanton air-raid shelter still there.

Quarters Site No.6.

Closer look at the shelter.

Quarters Site No.6.

I took this photo several years ago of the only surviving Stanton Shelter on site No.6.

Quarters Site No.7.

Airmen´s and Officers barracks also Officers Servants quarters. Times have changed.

Dispersed Site No.7 Quarters.

371 Picket Post TB. 17021/40

Dispersed Site No.7.

Quarters Stanton Air-Raid shelter.

Dispersed Site No.7 Quarters.

The Stanton shelter escape hatch. A steel ladder would an exit if the main door was blocked. A steel flap door over the top of the escape closed it off.

Dispersed Site No.7 Quarters.

The Stanton shelter entrance made of bricks.

Dispersed Site No.8 Quarters.

410 Picket Post TB. 17021/40.

411- 424 Airwoman´s Barracks N. 14420/41.

425 Sergeants Quarters N. 14420/41.

426 Ablutions Block TB. 13047/41.

427 Latrines & Drying Room TB. 1304/41.

Dispersed Site No.8 Quarters.

427 Latrines & Drying Room TB. 1304/41. There I think is also the 410 Picket Post 17021/40 but I could not get a good picture..

Dispersed Site No.9 Quarters.

Sergeants and Airman's quarters.

All hutting in Nissen, Picket Post and Latrines in Temporary brick.

Dispersed Site No.9 Quarters.

433 Picket Post TB. 17021/40.

Dispersed Site No.9 Quarters

433 Picket Post TB. 17021/40.

Dispersed Site No.9 Quarters.

Latrine building no number.

Dispersed Site No.9 Quarters.

442 Airman's Latrine Block TB.

Dispersed Site No.9 Quarters.

There are still two single toilets like this on site. The toilets always seem to remain, farmers that had their land returned would obviously want to keep the toilets to use them.

Dispersed Site No.9 Quarters.

450 Fuel Compound. Where the coal & coke was stored for Site No.9.

Requisitioned Properties 471.

Beacon Cottage Officers quarters.

Requisitioned Properties 468.

Moyles Court, Station HQ and offices.

Requisitioned Properties 480.

Eastwood House was used as an Officers Mess 1941/42 and the first control tower with a caravan sat out the front as flying control.

Requisitioned Properties 474.

Mockbegger Slade was re-named Crossley Towers after the first Commanding Officer, Sqn. Ldr. Michael Crossley of 32Sqn. It was requestioned as an Officers Mess and later became W.A.A.F. Quarters.