Mid 20th century military airfield, Debden (now Carver Barracks), Wimbish (EHER 16539)

A former military airfield, opened in 1937 and closed in 1975. This airfield is today recognised as a key site in Britain's military aviation heritage. Construction by W.L. Fench Limited began in 1935 and continued through to 1940 when the station was already open. It was designed as base for fighter aircraft, initially the two landing surfaces were grass, replaced with concrete in 1940. During the Battle of Britain, the base played a vital role as one of Group 11's sector stations- this was the group that bore the brunt of the air battle. The base was bombed and raided twice in August 1940. Eight RAF fighter squadrons served at the base in addition to 51 Operational Training Unit (in 1941). In 1942 the base was transferred to American use, as United States Army Air Force Station 356. It was then the home of 71 Eagle Squadron, which later became 334th, 335th and 336th Squadrons of the 4th Fighter Group. Late in 1944 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force used the airfield for new Meteor (jet) aircraft. The airfield then became a Royal Air Force Technical Training School and later became the British Army's Carver Barracks. Today the site is considered so important because it features a largely intact defensive perimeter and flying-field with associated blast pens, representing one of the most complete fighter landscapes of the Battle of Britain period.

1996. Field survey. RAF Debden was built as part of the RAF expansion scheme. Construction commenced in 1935, the only example of this period built in Essex. Initially Debden had a grass landing area with technical and domestic site located in the south-east corner in typically expansion-period style. Three 'C' type brick hangars with hipped roofs were built on a curved concrete apron facing the landing field. Each hangar was 7 bays, long for fighter stations. The watch office (type 207/38, 1358/44) stood in front at TL5664 3486, and remainder of the buildings laid out behind it in neo-Georgian 'Garden City Style'. This includes accommodation for airmen and sergeants in two storey 'H' plan blocks, 3 of which can be seen around the parade ground (TL5895 3463). In WW2 Debden became an important sector station in 11 Group with the southern half of East Anglia being watched by Debden Operations Room. Two runways and a perimeter track were added, and ground defences strengthened. A Bellman hangar, (not extant) (TL5877 3447) and 11 Blister hangars were built - 5 of which were dispatched across the road to the south of the airfield (TL5682 3404) of which three remain. Around the perimeter were protected pens for 28 aircraft, of which evidence for most survives. Temporary accommodation was added at TL5710 3520, TL5580 3430, TL5745 3490, of which there are no remains today. The sewage works exists at TL5765 3471 as does the W/T (Wireless/Transmission) Station although this is in private use, (TL5779 3475). In September 1942 the USAAF took over the airfield flying Spitfires and Mustangs. Post-war the site has seen many uses although the airfield itself closed in 1975. Debden was used during the filming of 'The Battle of Britain' in 1968 and the sole surviving 'C' hangar was used in a legendary stunt in which an aircraft was flown through the hangar, in a pre-war George Formby film. Carver barracks now occupies the expansion period buildings, which remain largely intact. <1> <2>. Historical importance attached to this airfield. This site is well preserved and largely unaltered. MoD cuts represent threat of closure and subsequent dereliction/demolition. Importance - ****. <2> Aerial photos: <3> <4> 13 photos of the site. <5> October 2003. Field survey. In October 2003 the former Debden airfield, now Carver Barracks, was visited to briefly assess the status of the site prior to more specific visits in the future. The 'C' type hangar was found to be in the process of being demolished with less than half of it still standing on the day of the visit. Walking around the barracks it became clear that while a great number of the original Expansion period buildings still remain, and are being used on a daily basis, some of them are scheduled to be demolished in the coming months to make way for more modern buildings. These include most, if not all, of the WWII barrack blocks. The airfield itself still remains, although in a semi-derelict condition. Various pillboxes survive, one with four Turnbull machine-gun mountings. Other buildings and structures stand in the long grass and scrub around the perimeter. One Pickett-Hamilton fort was visited; it is probable that there are two more but their location on the site is unknown. 36 photos taken of site. <5> February and March 2013. Field survey. Carver Barracks was visited in February and March 2013. None of the three main 'C' type hangars now remain. In their place are modern buildings and a car park. Similarly, all of the wartime barrack blocks appear to have been demolished, mainly replaced by modern accommodation. The Guard House, Station Headquarters, Officers Mess, Dining Room/Institute and at least three Stanton Shelters all remain, seemingly in good condition. All except the Stanton Shelters (sealed) are used daily. The Operations Block is a massive, 70 foot square, flat-roofed building, protected by a surrounding traverse wall banked up with grassy earth. It is a type 5000/37, still surviving in fine condition. It was accessed internally in early March with members of Saffron Walden Historical Society. Having been maintained within the security of RAF Debden, now Carver Barracks, since the war it remains in remarkable condition with lighting and, to some extent, heating. The central Operations Room is a large area, on two levels, measuring approx., 30 feet square x 14 feet high. At the time of the site visit a major part of the lower level was occupied by an erected boxing ring. The flooring is of vinyl tiles. Coming off this central area there are a number of rooms, four of them with the printed sign 'RT Chamber' and one signed 'Teleprinter', plus corridors with more rooms. In all, there are around 14 rooms, including toilets. Most have wooden floors and glazed windows, and all have electric lighting. It can be seen from the surviving brackets on the outside, that the windows were originally shuttered, almost certainly, with steel. The overall decoration is good, cream painted and well maintained. At this stage it is not known how much of the accoutrements, the lighting, heating, flooring, windows, etc. is original but clearly all the main structure is. 22 photos were taken of the interior of the Operations Block. <7> Carver Barracks is a secure area. Outside of this is the former airfield of RAF Debden, now somewhat derelict but still used by the military of the barracks. On this, a number of pillboxes, dispersal pens, Pickett-Hamilton forts and Blister Hangars stood. Seven of the pillboxes still stand (EHERs 21518, 21537, 21538, 21539, 21540, 21541 and 21542). The fourteen dispersal pens are almost all semi-demolished or covered with heaped soil and grass such that but for the odd length of banking only parts of the hard-standing mark their positions. One of the Pickett-Hamilton forts has been found (EHER 21536). None of the six Blister Hangars on the main site have survived. NRHE data transfer: Former RAF Debden, Wimbish, Essex; TL 562 351, now Carver Barracks. Noted in an English Heritage Report. Debden opened in 1937 and according to the report by the Thematic Listing Programme "has retained much of its 1930s character, despite some demolition in recent years. Its historical importance largely resides in its role during the Battle of Britain as one of 11 Group's vital sector stations. The base was raided twice in August 1940. Its transfer to the army has promoted the largely intact preservation of its flying field and defensive perimeter, the most complete of the fighter landscapes completed before and associated with the Battle of Britain after Kenley (Surrey) and ranking with North Weald (Essex)". <8> Construction by W.L. Fench Limited began in 1935 and continued through to 1940 when the station was already open. It was designed as base for fighter aircraft, initially the two landing surfaces were grass, replaced with concrete in 1940. During the Battle of Britain, the base played a vital role as one of Group 11's sector stations- this was the group that bore the brunt of the air battle. The base was bombed and raided twice in August 1940. Eight RAF fighter squadrons served at the base in addition to 51 Operational Training Unit (in 1941). In 1942 the base was transferred to American use, as United States Army Air Force Station 356. It was then the home of 71 Eagle Squadron, which later became 334th, 335th and 336th Squadrons of the 4th Fighter Group. (Initially Eagle Squadron was a volunteer unit of Americans fighting under the aegis of the RAF). On FEB-14-1941 an incident occurred at the airfield where a German He111 pilot landed by mistake at Debden and swiftly took off again. Late in 1944 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force used the airfield for new Meteor (jet) aircraft. The airfield then became a Royal Air Force Technical Training School and later became the British Army's Carver Barracks. <9> - <12> Debden has been described as a "key" site in the military aviation Heritage. <13> RAF Dedben, plan of the flying field in 1945. <14> RAF Debden: a plan of the site as it appeared in 1947, with a legend listing 72 buildings and structures. Helpfully the source differentiates between the pre-war and later features. <15> Debden Airfield TL 562 351 (NAT), see OS sheets TL 53 NE and TL 53 SE. <16> - <17> The Defence of Britain Database records RAF Debden airfield at TL 562 351. <18> Debden Airfield, TL 562 351: an additional source giving a statistical profile of the base in 1944. <19> Debden was a Sector airfield of 11 Group during the Battle of Britain, and as such was provided with a Sector Operations Room and staff. During the battle the following units were stationed there: No 85 Squadron from 22 May 1940, No 17 Squadron from 19 June 1940, No 257 Squadron from 15 August 1940, No 601 Squadron from 19 August 1940, No 111 Squadron from 19 August 1940, No 17 Squadron from 2 September 1940, No 25 Squadron from 8 October 1940. <20>