Wethersfield

**698** · 08-07-2012, 12:04

Originally Posted by Peter

What a fascinating place to explore.. It is nice to see the buildings in good repair. What was based there prior to the closure?

819th "Red Horse" a civil engineering unit for runway and building repair.
There was a comms unit that stayed some time after the official closure date. I assume it was after they left that the "periscope" antenna came down from the main mast.
There was a "war surplus" store held there ( along with Ridgewell and Chelveston I believe)that held stocks for RAF Alconbury.
I can remember there being vast amounts of trucks, bowsers, diggers etc stored. I was told that the WSA held small arms ammunition but I don't have a clue if this is correct, the place was lit up like Christmas at night though.
Personnel were also housed from Alconbury, some of the women got jobs in Braintree.
My wife worked with one and we used to get the occasional tin of Planters nuts and cans of Mountain Dew, all against customs regs !
I also believe that families were housed from Lakenheath as well.
Some of those from Alconbury stayed after 1990 until Alconbury was itself closed.

And , of course, the base was on standby status should it be needed.

**Dr_Bishop** · 08-07-2012, 13:30

Originally Posted by Peter

What a fascinating place to explore.. It is nice to see the buildings in good repair. What was based there prior to the closure?

In my time, up to 1990, they had the odd A10 flying out. I know, as I often took the P when the called me up on radar, informing me that they are geographically misplaced (lost).

**Dave Dubya** · 31-08-2012, 14:58

Originally Posted by 698

819th "Red Horse" a civil engineering unit for runway and building repair.
There was a comms unit that stayed some time after the official closure date. I assume it was after they left that the "periscope" antenna came down from the main mast.
There was a "war surplus" store held there ( along with Ridgewell and Chelveston I believe)that held stocks for RAF Alconbury.
I can remember there being vast amounts of trucks, bowsers, diggers etc stored. I was told that the WSA held small arms ammunition but I don't have a clue if this is correct, the place was lit up like Christmas at night though.
Personnel were also housed from Alconbury, some of the women got jobs in Braintree.
My wife worked with one and we used to get the occasional tin of Planters nuts and cans of Mountain Dew, all against customs regs !
I also believe that families were housed from Lakenheath as well.
Some of those from Alconbury stayed after 1990 until Alconbury was itself closed.

And , of course, the base was on standby status should it be needed.

The people based there were always very friendly and community spiritied (we had US families based there living offbase near us), unlike the current US bases which seem to shut themselves away. It was a very busy place, considering there was no regular flying from there in the final years.

AG · 08-09-2012, 22:34

Originally Posted by Dave Dubya

The people based there were always very friendly and community spiritied (we had US families based there living offbase near us), unlike the current US bases which seem to shut themselves away. It was a very busy place, considering there was no regular flying from there in the final years.

They certainly had visits from Finchingfield school, as that's where many of the American children went, shipped in on the "Base Bus" - which I recall was dark blue, rather than yellow as they are in the US. I also went to at least one birthday party up there, and remember being most impressed by the F100 on display. IIRC it is now on display somewhere in the Netherlands. Sometime later on, around 1988-9, I also went up there to a ten-pin bowling tournament that they again invited local schools to.

I have to say that I don't recall any regular flying - though I was at boarding school between 1982 and 1988. It certainly saw occasional use as I can remember looking out for the tails of Hercules and the like which could be seen from the road from Wethersfield to Sible Hedingham, and I also remember hearing them being warmed up when I was working at Little Sampford, again around 1988-9. Went to one airshow up there, and made myself thoroughly unpopular by having a headache...

Adrian

**698** · 10-09-2012, 22:43

I was speaking with a delivery driver today who I know has a round that takes him to Wethersfield, and he believes that there has been survey work done prior to demolition taking place, he didn't know where or what but did say that a lot of trees were going to be planted.

Thats all I'm afraid. !

**Tally Ho** · 26-09-2012, 12:11

I went to wethersfield on monday 24/09/2012 in connection with my job [refrigeration engineer] what a palarva getting in i had to virtually take everything out of my van a long wheeled mercedes and being a service engineer theres a lot of stuff, then had an armed escort, i done the repair i had to do when i came out to my van
i asked my escort about the airfield and got told "have you finished your job then its time to go" got to the gate and guess what, out with all the gear again from my van. What are they hiding in there it felt like there were eyes on me everywhere i went.

**keefyboyuk** · 01-10-2012, 11:05

i asked my escort about the airfield and got told "have you finished your job then its time to go" got to the gate and guess what, out with all the gear again from my van. What are they hiding in there it felt like there were eyes on me everywhere i went.[/QUOTE]

This is what I was trying to explain in some of my earlier posts, Wethersfield is still being used by MOD and civilian people (ie: Police and Fire Service)
and is subject to very close inspection upon in and out.