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INSPECTION AND REPAIR WORKSHOP BUILDING 85 –
Building 85 (Drg No. 2015/59) didn't have the blast walls like some of the others, suggesting it handled less explosive matter. With doors at each end, it is almost like a process line, in one way and out of the other, but it could have equally been used for other bomb components or even on-site support equipment.
RAF Barnham (also known as Barnham Camp) is a Royal Air Force station situated in Suffolk two miles south of Thetford, it is located to the north of the village of Barnham on Thetford Heaths, the camp is a satellite station of RAF Honington. During the 1950's and 1960's a part of RAF Barnham Station was set aside as high-security storage facility for Nuclear Weapons, this area of the site is now a scheduled monument. Earlier than that, RAF Barnham had been used as a Chemical Weapons Store and Filling Station from the 22nd August 1939. In the early 1960's, the Nuclear Weapons Storage facility was put up for sale, and now forms the privately owned Gorse Industrial Estate.
The Chemical Weapon Store and former Chemical Weapon Filling Station are situated down the dead-end Station Road. The present main gate of RAF Barnham can be found directly off the Bury Road A134 between Barnham village and Thetford, the entrance to the former Nuclear Weapons Store (now Gorse Industrial Estate) can be found on the Elveden Road between Barnham village and the old A11.
Military facilities have existed at Barnham since the First World War, and during the Second World War Barnham had been a Chemical Weapons Storage and Filling Station for Mustard Gas. During 1953 and 1954 construction began on a high-security RAF Bomb Store on the Thetford Heath. The site was to become known as RAF Barnham and construction was completed in 1955 with the site operational from September 1956. RAF Barnham was constructed as a sister-site to a similar facility constructed a few years before at RAF Faldingworth. Both sites were built to store and maintain Free-Fall Nuclear Bombs and RAF Barnham was able to supply the Bomber Squadrons at RAF Honington, RAF Marham, RAF Watton, RAF Wyton, RAF Upwood and RAF Bassingbourn, RAF Barnham came under the control of the RAF's No. 94 Maintenance Unit.
The operational life of RAF Barnham was relatively short, by the early 1960's this type of Storage Facility became obsolete as Free-Fall Nuclear Bombs were superseded as the weapon of choice, for the British Nuclear Deterrent, by the Blue Steel Stand-Off Missile. The storage and maintenance of Nuclear Weapons moved to the V Bomber Airfields. The last Nuclear Weapons were probably removed from the site by April 1963, the site was sold in 1966, and since that date it has been used as a light industrial estate.
The site was built specifically to store and maintain Free-Fall Nuclear Bombs, such as 'Blue Danube' this specific purpose was reflected in the facility's layout, the site was roughly pentagonal in shape, it consisted of three large Non-Nuclear Component Stores, surrounded by earthwork banking and a number of smaller Storage Buildings to hold the Fissile Cores, the Cores were held in Stainless Steel Containers sunk into the ground, with the larger buildings stored the Bomb Casings and the High-Explosive elements of the weapons.
The smaller Stores known as ''Hutches'' were constructed to hold the Fissile Core of the weapons, these Hutches were further divided into type 'A' and 'B'. The 'A' Type hutches having a single borehole for the storage of Plutonium Cores and the 'B' Type Hutches having a double borehole for storing the Cobalt cores. In total, there were 55 Hutches giving enough capacity to store 64 Fissile Cores. RAF Barnham had sufficient storage capacity for 132 Fissile Cores although it's likely that only a small number were ever stored there as only 25 Blue Danube Bombs were ever built at a cost of £1M per bomb !
In addition to the storage buildings, the site consisted of a number of other buildings including a Fire Station, RAF Police Flight, Administration Block, Mess block, Mechanical Transport Section, Kennels and Workshops. The Perimeter of the Site was protected by a double system of Chain Link Fencing and an Inner Concrete Panel Wall, all of which were topped with Barbed Wire. In 1959 security was enhanced by the building of Watch Towers around the Perimeter.
The former Nuclear Bomb Storage facilities are designated as a scheduled monument by English Heritage with several buildings on the site having listed building status. RAF Barnham is a Satellite Station for RAF Honington and is used by the RAF Regiment for training, It is used as an accommodation and training venue for the Potential Gunners Acquaintance Course (PGAC) The adjacent MoD Training Area remains the property of the Ministry of Defence and is still used by the RAF Regiment, as well as the Air Training Corps and Combined Cadet Force for training.
In January 2016, it was announced that RAF Barnham would close, A 'Better Defence Estate' published in November 2016, indicates that the Ministry of Defence will dispose of the site by 2020, domestic accommodation will be relocated to RAF Honington, with access to Barnham Training Area maintained, this was later extended to 2022.
Information sourced from – en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Barnham
A Cold War Emergency Centre is situated at the back of the staff car park of the Broadland District Council Offices in Yarmouth Road, the structure is a purpose-built two-storey bunker which was completed in 1990 and is believed to have been the last such bunker to have been constructed in the country during the Cold War era. It comprises of two levels, with the upper floor semi-sunken and the lower floor underground and in the event of an emergency would have been used by the council executives involved in the running of government, the building is currently still used for storage by the council.
The DKW Munga is an off-road vehicle built by Auto Union which was a partnership between DKW, Horch, Wanderer and Audi. The new company's insignia was the now familiar 4 rings which are still used by Audi. ''Munga'' is a German acronym for ''multi-purpose universal cross-country car with all-wheel drive''.
Production took place between 1956 and 1968 when almost 50,000 vehicles were built. It's 879cc cylinder two stroke engine is remarkably effective even though it sounds like a lawn mower ! Because of its light weight and four-wheel drive it can negotiate the toughest of terrain.
In 1957 the vehicle was used by the West German Armed Forces and Border Police and other foreign military units within NATO. Around 2,000 were aquired by the Dutch Army, many of which were shipped to the UK in the late 1970's. This example was one of these vehicles and was donated to the Museum by a private owner.
Specifications -
▪︎Engine: 3-cylinder inline 980cc, 44bhp
▪︎Speed: 60mph
▪︎Range: 248 miles
▪︎Weight: 1.17 tons
▪︎Transmission: 4 forward, 1 reverse
▪︎Battery: 2 x 12 volt to give 24 volt system
▪︎Crew: 4.
Information from The Muckleburgh Military Collection.
Waterlogged ship on pond bottom was extremely heavy, and superstructure very fragile due to corrosion. The ToyGantic was moved gently to shore by towing it slowly across the pond's bottom with a kayak and a rope, and then was carefully slid up onto the shore.
The following anecdote I have received from the chairman of a vintage model yacht society in Britain: "In the records of the MYSA, who sail on the Round Pond in Kensington Gardens, there is a note, dating I think from the end of the 19th century or early in the 20th that tells that when the lake was drained for some work to be done on the bottom a very large number of boats were found on the bottom. It's a long time since I saw this and I don't recall the detail, nor the actual number, but I think it was in three figure."
NON-NUCLEAR COMPONENT STORES BUILDING 61 –
Building 61 (Drg No. 1245/53) is a Non-Nuclear Component Stores with attached concrete gantry on four columns projecting over the road to the front (west). Reasons for Designation Building 61 is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
▪︎RARITY – A rare building on a unique site designed to accommodate and service Britain's first nuclear weapon, the ''Blue Danube''. It is the only such surviving facility in the country.
▪︎HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION – The building has outstanding national and international interest for its historical associations with the development of the earliest British nuclear weapons technology during the Cold War, which helped shape Britain's post-war history.
▪︎GROUP VALUE – The building has strong group value with other buildings at RAF Barnham, and was part of the national deployment of nuclear weapons.
▪︎INTACTNESS – Building 61 is largely intact.
Non-nuclear component stores buildings 60 and 61, held the high explosive part of the bomb and its outer casing. The central section of the casing held the high explosive lenses assembled into a large ball with forward sections containing electronics and radars. Owing to the weight and size of ''Blue Danube'', the gantry at the entrance was required to manoeuvre the bomb onto a trolley for storage. Building 61 is currently used as small work units and has blockwork partitioning which is reversible.
▪︎MATERIALS – A reinforced concrete frame and blockwork walls, and a flat concrete roof. ▪︎PLAN – Rectangular, aligned approximately east-west.
▪︎EXTERIOR – Building 61 is surrounded by substantial earth bunds. It has a central recessed entrance flanked by two projecting two storey, flat roofed plant and switch rooms which originally contained plant to maintain a stable environment. The original steel doors remain. The rear elevation has a central door and there are crittall windows to the rear and sides.
▪︎INTERIOR – Originally sub-divided internally into compartments of 11ft x 3ft bays allowing the storage of up to 66 bombs, Building 61 has been partitioned internally to create smaller work units.
Although the site was in use for storage of Mustard Gas and explosives during World War II, it was not until after the end of hostilities that the depot was constructed in its current form. In the early 1950's, the Air Ministry had a continuing need for high explosive bombs and storage facilities for them and was looking ahead to a ''future war in which atomic and thermo-nuclear weapons would be used by both sides''. It is within this historic context that the Special Storage Unit at RAF Barnham was constructed following the issuing of ''Blue Danube'', Britain's first nuclear bomb, to the RAF in November 1953.
The bombs were held in clutches in V-bomber airfields such as RAF Scampton and RAF Wittering and the purpose of the store at RAF Barnham, and the almost identical site at RAF Faldingwoth in Lincolnshire, was to provide maintenance and refurbishment to support the airfields and hold spare warheads. The Air Ministry plan for the Store is dated May 1953, although planning for the facility almost certainly had started before this, and it was fully operational by July 1954. In the first phase of works, the fences, earthworks, fissile core storage hutches, inspection buildings and gantries were built by August 1955.
The small arms and pyrotechnics store, barrack accommodation, gymnasium, telephone exchange, meat preparation store and dog compound were erected shortly after to strengthen security. By mid 1955 the double fence was in place, later augmented by the current observation towers erected in early 1959 replacing smaller structures. The Special Storage Unit remained the main holding place for the Mk. 1 Atomic Bomb, under control of Bomber Command until November 1956 when an independent Unit (95 Commanding Maintenance Unit) was formed. During the operational life of the site, second and third generation British nuclear weapons such as ''Red Beard'' and ''Yellow Sun'' were introduced on the site.
By 1962, the site was in decline and the maintenance unit ceased to exist on 31st July 1963. The closure of the station is probably linked to the operational deployment of ''Blue Steel'' from late 1962. The site was sold to the current owners in 1966 and let out for light industrial use. Some of the buildings have been altered and most significantly, one of the non-nuclear stores burnt down in the 1980’s, but there has been an on-going maintenance and repair programme agreed with English Heritage resulting in the preservation of the site.
Estonia - Tapa - 2017-08-25. Detachments from the French army, mainly from foreign infantry and engineer regiments (2e REI and 1er REG) were sent to Estonia to participate in Mission Lynx. Four Leclerc Tank and severals armored vehicles from the 501e regiment de char de combat (501e RCC) have been send to. This 300 French soldiers are based at the camp of Tapa in eastern Estonia to replace French Marines having already spent four months there. Tapa is the garrison town for Estonia multinational battalion battle group under the British leadership. Mission Lynx is a part of NATO s Baltic Enhanced Forward Presence (EFP) to protect and reassure NATO s member state of its security face to Russian army. In Estonia, the French will be replaced by Denish troops in 2018. Photograph by Fred MARIE / Collectif DR.
Estonie - Tapa - 2017-08-25. L armee francaise a envoye des detachements de legionnaires du 2e REI (infanterie) et du 1er REG (génie) en Estonie pour participer a la mission Lynx. Quatre chars Leclerc et plusieurs vehicules blindes du 501e régiment de char blinde (501e RCC) ont egalement ete envoyes. Les 300 soldats francais sont base au camp de Tapa dans l Est de l Estonie pour un second mandat. Tapa est la ville de garnison du Bataillon multinational que le Royaume-Unis commande pour au moins 5 ans. La mission Lynx s inscrit dans le cadre d’une vaste operation de l OTAN visant a rassurer et soutenir les Etats Baltes face a la Russie. Photographie de Fred MARIE / Collectif DR.
What the MoD thought an ordinary farm cottage looked like (from the air, at least), but with 18 inch concrete walls.
The anthem of the USSR replaced the Internationale as the national song of the USSR. Following Stalin's death, the lyrics were dropped, but eventually new ones were added. After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991 a new anthem, Patriotic Song, with no lyrics was introduced. This anodyne tune was replaced in 2000 by the much more rousing old Soviet anthem (with new words!)
When at the first military parade at Treptow Park in East Berlin after the introduction of the new anthem, we Brits had been briefed on it and immediately stood to attention and saluted as it was played, in accordance with protocol. We were delighted to watch the Russian officers chatting and laughing until one, horrified, screamed "Bozhe Moi! ("Oh my God!") To attention, it's our new anthem!"
Click the link to hear it:
– KrAZ-255V (КрАЗ-255В) –
The KrAZ-255 is a Soviet three-axle off-road truck with six-wheel drive (6x6), intended for extreme operations. It was manufactured at the KrAZ plant beginning from 1967. The KrAZ-255 was developed directly from its predecessor, the KrAZ-214 (produced 1956-1967). Despite being very similar at first glance (both using the same cab, flatbed as well as the suspension) there are few major differences.
Firstly, the 255 used new and much more powerful engine - the YaMZ-238 (same used in MT-LB tracked APC) replacing the previously used and sensibly weaker YaAZ-206B which was used in the 214. The 255 also featured new and more reliable transmission, the YaMZ-236N, instead of the previously used YaAZ-204. It also featured new headlights (which were now, together with turn signals, located in their own housings mounted on the fenders) and, most notably, much wider tyres (1300x530x533 in dimensions) which offered lighter ground pressure and thus, even greater off-road capabilities when compared to its predecessor.
Along with Ural, ZiL, Kamaz, GAZ and MAZ, the KrAZ once represented one of six models of cargo/towing trucks (in its basic version, the KrAZ-255B) used by the Soviet Armed Forces, as well as by many civilian organizations in the former Soviet Union (mainly by various construction plants) where it was also used as a logging (the KrAZ-255L/L1) and dump truck (the KrAZ-256).
Since the KrAZ-255 was the heaviest (weighing 12 tons empty) and most powerful (using a 14,900ccm engine, producing 240 hp) of all Soviet three-axle 6x6 military cargo trucks, it was most often used for towing heavier artillery pieces (such as D-74, M-46 and 2A65 howitzers or T-12 anti-tank gun) and also for towing various aircraft from their hangars to runways, or vice versa (in tractor-unit version, the KrAZ-255V).
Furthermore, it was also used as a platform for control cabin and the antennas of PRV-9/1RL19 Naklon (NATO reporting name: ''Thin-Skin'') and PRV-16/1RL132 Nadyozhnost (NATO reporting name: ''Odd-Pair'') Soviet height-finding radars, as well as for various engineer duties in specially-designed versions (such as PMP collapsible ferryboat intended to be used as a pontoon bridge and TMM-3 mobile bridgelayer) which are still being used today by various military forces across the globe.
The KrAZ-255 ultimately evolved into a new model as its successor in 1979, the KrAZ-260, whose only difference was a new design of cab and the interiors. Despite that however, the KrAZ-260 did not replace it in production, but was actually produced alongside it up until 1994, when both were finally discontinued in favour to KrAZ-6322 (a modernized model of KrAZ-260).
▪︎Manufacturer – KrAZ, called Sungri 256 (North Korea) and Sungri 64 (North Korea)
▪︎Production – 1967–1994
▪︎Class – 6x6 Off Road Truck
▪︎Powertrain – 14.9L YaMZ-238 V8 diesel engine, 240 PS @ 2,100 rpm
▪︎Transmission – 5-speed YaMZ-236N manual gearbox
▪︎Wheelbase – 17 ft 5 in
▪︎Length – 28 ft 4.4 in
▪︎Width – 9 ft
▪︎Height – 9 ft 8 in
▪︎Curb weight – 26,350 lb
▪︎Predecessor – KrAZ-214
▪︎Successor – KrAZ-260
▪︎Top speed – 44 mph.
Information sourced from – en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/KrAZ-255
MAINTENANCE BUILDING 58 –
To the rear of building 62, and separated from it by an earthwork traverse, is building 58 (Drg No. 1244/53) it is designated Storage Building 'C-D'. It is approached along paths which lead back towards the bomb stores and the main gate, the entrances to the store are shielded by freestanding breeze block walls. The construction of the building is similar to the non-nuclear component stores, buildings 59-61, being formed from reinforced concrete columns and beams infilled with block work. It is, however, taller than the stores, buildings 59-61 and stands 23ft 11i from floor to ceiling. The main central section measures 70ft by 30ft, at each end of which are air lock porches 20ft by 15ft, while to the rear is plant and dark room 34ft 5in by 20ft. The root is a 5½in thick reinforced concrete slab, with a coating of bituminous felt. The building is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
▪︎RARITY – It is a rare building in a national and international context. Designed in the 1950's for storing innovative nuclear technology, RAF Barnham is the only such surviving facility in England.
▪︎HISTORIC INTEREST – A unique building surviving from the Cold War, designed to accommodate Britain's first nuclear weapon, the ''Blue Danube''.
▪︎GROUP VALUE – Building 58 has strong group value with the other buildings at RAF Barnham, both in terms of their function and historic significance.
▪︎INTACTNESS – Building 58 is a largely intact, bespoke structure.
Maintenance Building 58 was probably one of two buildings on the site (the other being the much altered Building 62) used for the inspection of the bombs brought from the airfields. Documents record some movement of bombs between the site and airfields and indeed pantechnicons designed to carry a complete weapon were known to have visited the site. It is now used for light engineering.
▪︎MATERIALS – Building 58 has a reinforced concrete frame and blockwork walls, over-painted at the east end, and is shielded by freestanding blast walls.
▪︎PLAN – The building has a rectangular plan, aligned approximately east-west.
▪︎EXTERIOR – The building has projecting entrance bays to the east and west, which contained airlocks internally, both of which have double height steel doors through which the bombs would travel. To the north are attached single storey toilet blocks and a store room with replaced fenestration.
▪︎INTERIOR – The central section of the building is largely featureless except for a runway beam which originally supported four hoists. The airlocks in the porches have been removed.
Although the site was used for storage of Mustard Gas and explosives during World War II, it was not until after the end of hostilities that the depot was constructed in its current form. In the early 1950's, the Air Ministry had a continuing need for high explosive bombs and storage facilities for them in anticipation of a future war in which atomic and thermo-nuclear weapons would be used by both sides.
It is within this historic context that the Special Storage Unit at RAF Barnham was constructed following the issuing of ''Blue Danube'', Britain's first nuclear bomb, to the RAF in November 1953. The bombs were held in clutches in V-bomber airfields such as RAF Scampton and RAF Wittering and the purpose of the store at RAF Barnham, and the almost identical site at RAF Faldingwoth in Lincolnshire, was to provide maintenance and refurbishment to support the airfields and hold spare warheads.
The Air Ministry plan for the Store is dated May 1953, although planning for the facility almost certainly had started before this, and it was fully operational by July 1954. In the first phase of works, the fences, earthworks, fissile core storage hutches, inspection buildings and gantries were built by August 1955. The small arms and pyrotechnics store, barrack accommodation, gymnasium, telephone exchange, meat preparation store and dog compound were erected shortly after to strengthen security. By mid 1955 the double fence was in place, later augmented by the current observation towers erected in early 1959 replacing smaller structures.
The Special Storage Unit remained the main holding place for the Mk. I atomic bomb, under control of Bomber Command until November 1956 when an independent Unit (95 Commanding Maintenance Unit) was formed. During the operational life of the site, second and third generation British nuclear weapons such as ''Red Beard'' and ''Yellow Sun'' were introduced and stored there. By 1962, the site was in decline and the Maintenance Unit ceased to exist on 31st July 1963. The closure of the station is probably linked to the operational deployment of ''Blue Steel'' from late 1962.
The site was sold to the current owners in 1966 and later let out for light industrial use. Some of the buildings have been altered and significantly, one of the Non-nuclear stores burnt down in the 1980’s, but there has been an on-going maintenance and repair programme agreed with English Heritage resulting in the preservation of the site.
Information sourced from – historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1402411
English Heritage.
This ROC post was in use from March 1962 until September 1991. For some time it was overgrown but the site has since been cleared and kept free of vegetation. The fence surrounding the compound has been removed and only one concrete post is still standing (beside the former entrance gate).
The Royal Observer Corps was a uniformed volunteer organisation, which has enjoyed a long association with the Royal Air Force. The motto of the Royal Observer Corps is ''Forewarned is Forearmed'' and it would appear that the earliest system for the detection and reporting of aircraft was started late in 1914. Police constables were instructed to telephone reports of any aircraft including Zeppelins, seen or heard within 60 miles of London to the Admiralty, who were in charge of the defences at that time. In 1915, it was decided to extend the area covered by this arrangement, to East Anglia, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
In September 1941, due to the increased call-up of manpower, women were admitted to the Corps. In addition to reporting all aircraft flying over land, or the sea belt adjoining the coastline, ROC personnel on duty by then also assisted aircraft that were lost or in distress. On Saturday 10 May 1941, ROC posts in the Durham, Galashiels and Glasgow Groups were responsible for tracking and reporting what transpired to be the arrival of Rudolph Hess.
High quality Navy binoculars were issued and the observation posts were at first nothing more than a wooden shed located next to a telegraph pole, which connected them to the local telephone exchange. These were eventually replaced by more substantial brick-built structures, protected by sandbags, sited in playing fields, on hilltops or rooftops of public buildings and factories. The posts were manned continuously from 3rd September 1939 to 12th May 1945.
In 1955, the Corps was given the nuclear reporting role by the Home Office and in the early 1960s, Nuclear Reporting Cells (NRCs), were set up at Air Defence Operations Centres and subsequently at other key military establishments in the UK. A series of posts for the observation of aircraft was built for the new organisation. These were substantial structures that offered some level of protection from the elements or attack. Many were made of pre-cast concrete panelled structures known as ''Orlit'' posts, after Orlit Ltd the manufacturers. These structures were split into two sections: the entrance door led into the smaller roofed section which was used as a shelter and store; a sliding door led to the open section, which housed the post instrument and chart on top of a wooden mounting. There were two varieties: the ''Orlit A'' was at ground level and the "Orlit B" was raised on four 6ft legs with a ladder for access. Between 1952 and 1955, more than 400 Orlits were constructed.
Between 1958-1968, a countrywide building programme resulted in a network of 1,563 underground monitoring posts, located approximately 8 miles apart and distributed throughout Britain at an estimated cost of almost £5,000 each. The posts were 25ft deep and built of reinforced concrete, waterproofed with bitumen. The whole structure was then covered by a compacted soil mound. Entry was via a steel ladder in a vertical shaft leading to a single room, providing accommodation for three observers to live and work, with a separate compartment with a chemical toilet. Air was circulated from grilled ventilators at both ends of the post and electricity was provided by a 12 volt battery, charged occasionally by an electric generator. Instruments detected the size of any nuclear burst, together with the location and levels of radiation. Conditions were cramped, cold and in some cases damp.
Following the 1990 defence spending review, the ROC post and control personnel were stood down on 30th September 1991. Many of the ROC posts have since been dismantled or sold and sadly, quite a number have been trashed by vandals.