History

The Battle Headquarters was found on many airfields and served the purpose of giving the defence officer a hardened and secure location from which he and his staff could coordinate the defenses of the airfield in the event of an invasion by hostile forces.

The "standard" pattern of battle headquarters was drawn up in 1941 and was to be used on any type of airfield from bomber, fighter and flying training it goes by the air ministry building number 11008/41.

There were other types of battle headquarters build before this time, mostly on the fighter airfields that ringed London this type being the MS2279 build around 1940 there are a few surviving examples of this type. This was later superseded by the 3329/41 and then the more familiar 11008/41.

The 3329/41 type of battle headquarters was an above ground structure, though this must of been very vulnerable to air attack hence it's replacement in the same year with the 11008/41 type.

The standard pattern of battle headquarters is found on or very near to the flying field and with a good overall 360 degree view, it comprises a 28 foot long by 9 foot wide underground box with an extra room to one side this room measures 6 foot by 8 foot. The main walls are 13.5 inches thick and are made of brick with steel reinforcing then a concrete coating. The roof is an 18 inch thick concrete slab. The rooms in the battle headquarters served the following purposes.

The first room to the left on entering the bunker from the entrance steps is the messenger and runners room, the runner would be responsible to relay messages to the various defense units stationed around the airfield and other officers that could not be reached by the local telephone net work. Joining on to the runners room is a small 6 foot by 8 foot room this was the PBX or Public branch exchange room where any telephone equipment was located.

Leading off the main passageway are two further rooms the first small room 3 foot by 4 foot 6 inches was the WC for the bunker and was fitted with an Elsan chemical toilet.

The second room to the left of the main passage was the station commanders office, this would of been where the curtail decisions would of been made and instructions sent out. the room measures 12 foot 6 inches long by 6 feet wide and features two issue or message hatches leading in to the PBX room and in to the runners room.

At the far end of the office is a small passage leading to a number of steps up in to the observation room with its thick concrete cupola on top. The walls of this are thicker than the main bunker at 18 inches.

Next to the observation room is the emergency exit with an iron ladder leading up to the surface, This would of had a steel cover which was able to be locked in the closed position.

Although built to a standard pattern 11008/41 there are many local variation around the country these range from having two observation rooms as at RAF Ibsley and RAF Little Saughton which has an extra room under the observation room, then RAF Tilstock and RAF Cranage both have issue hatches from the observation room in to the office.

Mention must be made that another type of battle headquarters that has been found during the research for this survey and that is the 11012/41, although it is very similar to the standard pattern it differs in the fact that it has an extra room joining on to the commanders office so far only three examples have been found they are at RAF Barrow, RAF Dale and RAF Hamble the purpose of this extra room is still not known.

There are other designs of Battle headquarters listed on air ministry site plans and they are the 11004/41, 11006/41, 11747/42, W627/41, T5373 and then there is the RH18 which is unique to Redhill, 2419/xx which is unique to Melbourne, 3684/40 which is unique to Aston Down and the last site plan building number is TP3689/40 which is linked to Kidlington although no building plans exist for these the RH18 at Redhill does still exist and the battle headquarters at Montford Bridge is listed as type 11747/41 but the bunker is sealed so a comparison with the standard type is not possible.