Mid 20th century operations block, Debden Airfield, Wimbish (EHER 39380)

An operations block at the former RAF Debden airfield, now Carver Barracks. The operations block was built in 1937 and represented a better protected building than previous designs. It was surrounded by a concrete and earthen blast wall and bank. The example at Debden is the most complete example of a sector operations block associated with the Battle of Britain's hardest engaged sector, Group 11. This Group bore the brunt of the Luftwaffe assault. The block was recommended in May 2003 for consideration as a potential Listed Building. The Royal Air Force and the United States Army Air Force used the site during World War Two, and the RAF continued a presence until 1975. Thereafter the building became part of an army barracks.

Sector operations block built in 1938, to designs of J.H. Binge of Air Ministry's Directorate of Works and Buildings (drawing no. 5000/137). It is reinforced concrete with Flemish bond brickwork cladding; thick-section concrete subroof slab supported by 20 large-scale rolled steel joists, with sand and shingle in the 4ft 6in space between this and the thin-section concrete upper roof, which is covered in asphalt. <1> NRHE data transfer: An operations block at the former RAF Debden airfield, now Carver Barracks. The operations block was built in 1937 and represented a better protected building than previous designs. It was surrounded by a concrete and earthen blast wall and bank. The example at Debden is the most complete example of a sector operations block associated with the Battle of Britain's hardest engaged sector, Group 11. This Group bore the brunt of the Luftwaffe assault. The block was recommended in May 2003 for consideration as a potential listed building: the suggested grade for consideration is II*. <2> RAF Debden, plan of the base in 1947. The operations block is number 5 in the legend, allowing a fairly accurate location to the west of the flying field to be calculated. <3>