Summary : The site of the former Second World War military Headquarters at RAF Watnall, later part of the Cold War "ROTOR" programme (Radar and early warning against Soviet attack). RAF Watnall is not an airfield; during the Second World War, including at least part of the Battle of Britain it was home to the control and administration centre for Fighter Command's 12 Group covering the Midlands, Norfolk, Lincolnshire and North Wales. Elements included the officer's Mess, barracks, underground Operations Block and Filter Block (completed 1943). As well as numerous surface buildings including the domestic site, the hub of RAF Watnall consisted of 3 'bunkers', the control centre, the filter block and the communications centre. The filter block was a collecting point for information, duplicate and irrelevant intelligence information being filtered out here before passing on to the control centre. After the Second World War , the headquarters of 12 Group moved to RAF Newton. The operations block closed but the filter block remained in use; in 1950 the site was updated as part of the "ROTOR" programme, it was used for this purpose for much of the 1950s. The station closed in 1961. |
More information : AIR FORCE HEADQUARTERS. SRF with extra information, sketch location maps and 6 photographs
Kimberley Rifle Club
Fighter Command Group 12 Headquarters
RAF Watnall
Barracks
Officers Mess
Underground Operations Block
Filter Block
Recorder- M. & D. Sibley, and N. Catford. (1)
RAF Watnall was the administrative centre for 12 Group Royal Air Force Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain. 12 Group's area included Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Humberside, the Midlands and parts of North Wales (2)
The site of the former Second World War military Headquarters at RAF Watnall. RAF Watnall is not an airfield; during the Second World War, it was home to the control and administration centre for Fighter Command's 12 Group. Elements included the officer's Mess, barracks, underground Operations Block and Filter Block (completed 1943, situated at SK 5064540). As well as numerous surface buildings including the domestic site, the hub of RAF Watnall consisted of 3 'bunkers', the control centre, the filter block and the communications centre. The filter block was a collecting point for information, duplicate and irrelevant intelligence information being filtered out here before passing on to the control centre. After the Second World War , the headquarters of 12 Group moved to RAF Newton. The operations block closed but the filter block remained in use; in 1950 the site was updated as part of the "ROTOR" programme, it was used for this purpose for much of the 1950s. The station closed in 1961. The Subterranea Britannica website includes images of the site. (3) |