RAF Upwood opened in 1917 as a satellite field for RAF Elmswell. Shortly after opening, a few hangars and buildings were built. It closed in 1919. During the RAF expansion period in the mid 1930s the airfield was expanded drastically. Five hangars were built, and around 100 other buildings of varying sizes. The base finally closed in 1995. Wikipedia has a lot more info about the base.
The last twelve years haven’t been kind to the base. It has suffered badly at the hands of vandals. The hangars are in use by a turbine company and are inaccessible. The rest of the buildings are totally gutted, and used occassionally by “airsofters” (people with guns and small balls).
Guard House
This is the first thing you see when entering RAF Upwood. The Guard House. Inside is a little cell to detain people, a small shower block and some other rooms.
Head Quarters
Opposite the Guard House is the main base HQ. Compared to the rest of the site, this is in quite good condition – there are even curtains in some rooms! In one of the back rooms was a huge black-board type thing for aircraft assignments.
Community Centre
Next stop was the community centre. This is where the people stationed on the base would’ve come to relax sometimes. There was a bar inside and a sports court.
Water Tower
The water tower looks the same as West Raynham’s. I would’ve climbed it but the ladders were covered in pigeon mess.
Gas Decontamination Buildings
This is one (two) of the most impressive things at Upwood – two “underground” (under-mound?) gas decontamination buildings. They were built as a precaution – the use of gas weapons had been outlawed in 1925.
Contaminated troops would’ve entered at one end, deposited their clothes in some chutes for washing/destroying; have a shower in the large line of cubicles; get new clothes from the store; and wait until the gas had gone outside. One of the bunkers was attatched to the hospital/sick quarters by a short passage.
Stores
Used for storing stuff.
Boiler House
Couldn’t climb this one – the door was blocked with bricks and debris.
Officers Mess
This is where the officers would have lived and relaxed. There is a huge ballroom and a small cinema room.
Sergeants Mess
The Sergeants Mess is joined to the Officers Mess via a corridor. It’s smaller and not as interesting. It is an E-shape.
Dining Room
No explanation is really needed for this – it’s where the airmen would have eaten. In the back was an impressively-huge oven. And a mortuary tray.
The chefs and staff would have accessed the upstairs level by this crazy little staircase. It was *really* narrow – I could barely fit up it! Upstairs was totally gutted (not a surprise) and the windows sort-of boarded up – again presumably for the gun people.
Out the back was this little room – the back of the ovens.
Entertainment building
This seemed to be some sort of entertainment area. I am not sure exactly what it was.
Random Barrack Blocks
They all look the same, and it got a bit boring looking through them all.
Tanks
There are two tanks at Upwood, used as elaborate props for the airsofters. They’re seriously cool…
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All the pictures on your site will keep the memories alive for people who used to work at RAF Upwood. By the look of the base now, you would never of thought the Pathfinders were base there during World War Two. At lest the four hangars will be there for many years to come due to Turbine Motor Works using them to recon Jet engines. As for the rest of the site, before long will all be house iam sure. Great Pictures. Great Site. Thanks! Sean Edwards
Hi great site!, i agree with Sean for such an airfeild which is packed with history ,it seems Upwood has just been left to die. All there is to remember the great Pathfinders is a very small plaque at the front ….. not big enough to pay any respects to at all, a great shame.
I went to upwood on Sunday 10th June and was surprised by what I saw. I didn’t realise that it had got into this state. It was a special place for me – the birth place of a long friendship so I am rather nostalgic about the whole thing. Does anyone know who owns the land? Is it still MOD?
Mark, the land is privately-owned by a sheep farmer and I understand that he is looking to develop, (housing).
It is sad the state of the buildings as I always feel the history when I visit there. What is worse is that having run out of windows to smash, the local kids have started burning the combustable bits. So very sad.
I spent four years at Upwood and made some of the best friends of my life. It is a shame.
At least I have my memories from 1951-54 and working on heavies! Let’s hope it stays for a while yet.
Hey Pete Snook, I was also there from about 1950 – 54. I was 10 years old in 1950. My father was posted there after we had spent about 3 years in Germany (RAF Wunstorf).He was a flight sergeant responsible for aircraft maintenance. At that time the RAF was flying Lincoln bombers out of Upwood but I can remember when we received the first Canberra in 1953. We were the first to move into the brand new (at that time) semi-detached houses on Lincoln st. I went to Bury school and later to Ramsey Abbey Grammer School. From Upwood we emigrated to Canada; first to Toronto and now Montreal. Regards
My father Tom McVie worked in the Officers Mess at Upwood from 1962 to 1968 and we stayed at 16 Lancaster Road. My dads 70 now and im 42. We stay scotland now and i took him down to Upwood a few months ago. It made him so happy to see all his old haunts but sad with the state of the place. He told me that we used to stay in one of the flats in the officers mess (for the duty mess steward)before moving to lancaster Road when i was born in 65. Great site.
Tom
hi there great site i have visted upwood was astonished at the amount of history in the base but was very disheartened by the amount of damage and vandilisum caused to the base i am only 22 my self and would not even think and wrecking a buliding with thank much history iam very intrested in millarty history and thankful for the men and women who have served in of forces but please could some one enlighten me in respects to if you are allowed on the base or not as i would like to revist but go further than the road
I grew up in warboys in the 80′s and used to visit the camp with friends who were posted there from the usa, I now live in one of the old married quaurters houses on Liberator Road. I drive past the camp every day and can see the hangars from my window, it breaks my heart to see the state its in, it could be used for so much. I don’t mind the sheep at the bottom of my garden though, they keep the children amused. Better than a big housing estate!!!
Hi Paul(Rainbow)
I served on 148 sqdn from the beginning of 1952 until the middle of 1954.. I was in the instrument section although I also spent a lot of my time there towing the “Lincolns” about!! Great days! regards
Pete Snook.
I spent 3 years as a USAF NCO Academy instructor at Upwood – three of the best years of my career. We lived in Valiant Square across the street. It’s really, really sad to see the buildings in such disrepair. I was literally the last USAF person on that base, handing the keys to our facilities over to PSA. I guess they were never occupied again, except by the vandals! It sure is sad to see how these buldings appear now.
My father was based at RAF Upwood in the early 50′s and was a mid upper gunner in a bomber, I’m not sure what type of plane though. He crashed while we were at Upwood and was the only survivor in the crew. I went on your site to see if the family quarters were still there. It was sad to see all those empty buildings.
I was stationed at Upwood from1985 to 1989. The years ’88 and ’89 have bittersweet memories. However, some of my more enjoyable memories are of going to Ramsey on Saturdays and going to the market, then picking up some scones. It’s a shame to see such a historic place go to ruins that way. RAF Upwood deserves better.
Hi Jill Mason
I wonder if your Dad was on 148 Sdn. They would have been Avro “Lincolns” at that time. I was on the sqdn from 1952 – 1954 so it would be good to find out.
Bye for now
Pete Snook.