RAF Watton closed in 1991 and sold in 1998. The residential areas were sold for residential use; and most of the technical buildings have been demolished, ie control towers, water towers, boiler rooms etc.
Not much remains of the base when I visited – most of it had been demolished.
There were four hangars concrete C-Type hangars at Watton…
Hangar 1
This has been partly demolished. Just the roof remains…
Hangar 2
This is still complete, and full of dirt.
Hangar 3
This has been totally gutted, and the doors taken off. The offices on the airfield side have been demolished. Half of the ones on the other side are gone too. There are lots of red crosses painted on the side – I can only assume for drilling and filling with explosives…
Hangar 4
This hangar was full of diggers – presumably owned by the demolition contractors. The offices on the side are relatively un-interesting. But colourful.
The little building
The armoury was once here.
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I spent the major part of my National Service working as an Equipment Clerk at EPAS (Equipment Accounting and Provisioning Section) facing rhe main parade ground at RAF Watton from 03 July 1957 until my demob on 25 Feberuary 1959. I was billeted in Room 1 of Block 11 also overlooking the parade ground at right angles to the NAAFI. I remember two extremely cold and very snowy winter spells there when we had to hack away at inches of ice underneath a foot of snow on the runways in dense freezing fog but at 19 years of age that was great fun. A very hapy time at RAF Watton. I stayed in an inn in Watton this month 8 – 12 May 2011 and the change was amazing – and very sad to see the old base now a housing estate.
I worked as an RAF Telephonist at RAF Watton in the back of the SHQ between 1977 – 1980. My parent unit was RAF Honington, but I was permanently detached to Watton. They were the best years of my Air Force career. I also lived on Airman’s married quarters at Watton during this period, firstly in Cardington Road, and then after my son was born (Norfolk and Norwich Hospital) we moved into Akrotiri Square. I only discovered a few years ago that my sister only lives a few miles away from Watton, all the year’s I have been visiting her and I never knew!! Went back to have a look around and what a sad sight, the old RAF Station looked. Great memories and a realy great period in my life.
I am interested in finding out more about the history of RAF Watton and the underground unit, the supposedly unusual happenings and anything else regarding here, as I now live in Tedder Close on the old Officers patch!
All emails will be welcome!
Regards,
Stan Hebborn
I would love more information on the Blenheim Bombers that my great Uncle Abraham Lackenby (WO/Air Gunner) flew in whilst he was stationed at RAF Watton during the second world war. Also would like as much information about the living quarters that they lived in at that time as I have a couple of photographs of my great Uncle and a fellow crew member standing what looked like a small wooden structure with small white windows in it which i presume were the living quarters.
Regards, Mel.
Looking for information pictures, film, and reference to 89th Depot Repair Squadron which my father, Lloyd “Freddy” Noseworthy was a part of. I’m his son, trying to learn more about his tour of duty which included Watton. I did hear him once mention a USAAF film being made about wreck reclamation which I am curious about. Mostly curious of photos etc. Thanks, Roger