RAF Little Rissington Officers Mess

Officers Mess.

All RAF stations have an Officer's Mess, a place where Officers can sleep, eat and socialise. After a hard day in the office. They could retire to the mess for a pre dinner drink and then a good meal. After relaxing in large leather arm chairs over Brandy's. Then off to bed for another day.

When arriving at a new station, personnel would instantly know where to go as air stations were designed to have the same basic layout. So that Officers Mess's, once entering the front door, you would know where to sign in, where to find your room and where to eat in the large dining room. It was a men's club where rank held sway. A bit like an English boy's school (for grown-ups).

Officers Mess.

The main entrance in 2011 very derelict.

Now Lutyens Court, named after the architect Edwin Lutyens
RAF buildings that were attributed to Lutyens. Briefly, Sir Edwin is not the architect of any of the 1930s RAF station buildings. The buildings of the expansion period are the work of Archibald Bulloch FRIBA…appointed Architectural Adviser to the Directorate of Works & Buildings (DWB) in 1934. Lutyens’s involvement was as one of the commissioners of the Royal Fine Art Commission…who acted in a purely advisory role from 1931 until about 1935.” You might like to read Hullavington revisited by Jonathan Glancey which puts a bit more light on the Lutyens saga.

Officers Mess reception at RAF Upavon, now an Army establishment.

The board, who is in and who is out.

Officers Mess A window in the roof 2011.

And 2023

Officers Mess.

Heating plant room.

Officers Mess.

Officers Mess.

The garden would have looked lovely when the station opened. There would have been nice clipped lawns and lots of Rose beds.

Officers Mess.

39 officers and senior NCO's in front of the officers mess, this was a WW2 period photo. It shows what the windows would have looked like.

Officers Mess.

Possibly an anti room where a very nice fire place would have been with a worming coal fire. Leather soft chairs laid out and small coffee tables. The bi fold door could open or close the room off to the size needed.

The senior Officers married quarters.

Beautifully laid out.

The senior Officers married quarters.