Care and Maintenance 1945

The following is an account of the procedure of closing down a station, in this case Hunsdon but it could be any Fighter Command station. Incidently the writer refers to the two stations as 'RAF Station' but I got bored with repeating that title.

From HQ 11 Group – date 21 May 1945 to RAF Stations Hunsdon and North Weald, HQ Fighter Command and AO i/c Records, Gloucester

In accordance with the instructions contained in Headquarters No.11 Group Organisation Circular No.47/1945, reproduced from HQ, Fighter Command Organisation Circular No.80 dated 17 May 1945, para. 551 RAF Station Hunsdon will be reduced to a Care and Maintenance (C&M) basis with effect from 19 May 1945. With effect from this same date it will be a Satellite to RAF Station North Weald.

It is realised that closing down a station is a major undertaking which requires time and labour to carry out. Station Commanders are reminded that at present they have considerable numbers of personnel at their disposal who cannot now be operationally employed; therefore all personnel on the station, irrespective of trade, should be used in the clearing up process.

The new establishment for Hunsdon shows that it will be reduced to 2 officers, 23 RAF O/Rs and 13 WAAF O/Rs, and in view of the urgency necessity of giving up requisitioned propertied and reducing the area to be guarded, suggestions are made as to the accommodation of the C&M pastry in (para. 5 (iii).

It is desired to emphasise the need for speed in carrying out the following instructions whilst personnel are available, as now that the new establishment has been issued the Air Officer i/c Records is at liberty to post all surplus personnel.The reduction of Hunsdon to C&M basis is to take place as follows:

Unoccupied Buildings

All buildings that are unoccupied are to have all barrack stores and other equipment removed and the buildings cleaned up, both inside and out, and handed over to the Clerk of Works, with the usual marching out inspection. For disposal instructions in regard to barrack equipment in these buildings see (para. 5 (IV).

Requisitioned Property

All requisitioned properties are to be emptied immediately, cleaned up, both inside and out, and handed over to the Clerk of Works. The usual de-requisitioning pro-forma are to be forwarded to this HQ if this has not already been carried out. It will not be possible to clear the WAAF communal site situated in and around Hunsdonbury House until all WAAF have been moved. The contents of the requisitioned properties ie barrack stores, equipment etc are to be disposed of in accordance with (para.5 (IV).

Accommodation

The aim should be to vacate all outlying sites and for the C&M party to live on the airfield in existing barrack hutting on the perimeter, officers to be billeted. The question of messing the C&M party may present difficulties as the only cooking facilities on the airfield are those located in one of the night dispersals. These should be examined to see whether they are adequate to cope with the final establishment. If the CO of Hunsdon considers they are not adequate arrangements should be made to retain the sergeants’ mess which should be used for messing all ranks. The barrack stores and equipment on all sites including the communal site, when vacated should be disposed of in accordance with (par. 6 (IV).

Equipment

All barrack equipment removed from unoccupied buildings (para. 5 (I), requisitioned properties (para. 5(II) and dispersed sites (para.5 (III) should be placed in the large T2 hangar on the airfield to await disposal instructions which will be issued by HQ FC in due course. HQFC will also issue disposal instructions in regard to technical equipment, technical stores etc.

Accounts Section

RAF North Weald is to make arrangements to take over the Accounts Section ftom RAF Hunsdon as soon as all inventories have been cleared.

Equipment Section

The Equipment Section at RAF North Weald is to arrange to take over all equipment at RAF Hunsdon and dispose of same in accordance with instructions which will be issued by HQ FC.

Flying Control

Flying Control facilities will be withdrawn immediately and disposal action taken in regard to the crash tender and ambulance etc.

Medical

The Senior Medical Officer at HQ, No.11 Group will forward detailed instructions in regard to medical matters.

Salvage

Salvage is to be placed in a central dump and immediate arrangements made with the Army for its disposal.

Signals

Separate instructions regarding the disposal of signals equipment both on the station and in the signals out-stations, together with signals personnel, will be issued by the Chief Signals Officer at this HQ.

Arms, Ammunition & Pyrotechnics

The Armament Officer at RAF North Weald is to make arrangements for the disposal of arms, ammunition and pyrotechnics at RAF Hunsdon, leaving sufficient arms for the C&M party to use for guarding purposes.

Link Trainer

Disposal Instructions with regard to the Link Trainer will be issued by HQ FC in due course.

Barbed Wire

All barbed wire entanglements, both on and off the station are to be removed and the wire scrapped. RAF North Weald is to give assistance in this work. It is understood that there is no salvage value in barbed wire, therefore other methods of disposal are to be employed. It is not; repeat not, to be dumped in places from which it will have to be removed at a later date. It is considered the best way to deal with it is to bury it. Perimeter wire should not be removed at this stage.

Disposal of Files

All secret, confidential and other files are to be disposed of in accordance with Air Ministry Order A903/43 and KR and ACI (Para.8199). Files dealing with works services and other current matters are not to be destroyed but forwarded to RAF North Weald. Care is to be taken in the packing of these files in order that North Weald can easily refer to any particular subject with the minimum delay.

Operations Record Book

The ORB is to be disposed with accordance with KR and ACI (Para.2350). Any matters which require entry in the ORB after the 19 May 1945 in respect of RAF Hunsdon are to be included in the ORB maintained at RAF North weald.

Non-Public Funds

Disposal instructions for all non-public funds belonging to the officers’ mess, sergeants’ mess and PSI will be issued by HQ FC in due course. In the meantime all accounts are to be closed, books balanced and audited. A priced list of property belonging to the officers’ mess, sergeants’ mess and PSI is to be forwarded to this HQ immediately.

Air Publications

All Aps are to be returned to APFS Fulham or Harrogate , under cover of Form 2743. The register of Aps is to be endorsed:
‘Certified all APs held on charge have been returned to APFS, Fulham (or Harrogate). Officer i/c Air Publications’ and forwarded to HQ.

Secret and Confidential Publications

Disposal instructions for secret and confidential publications will be issued by this HQ in due course.

NAAFI

Arrangements are to be made for the NAAFI to close down as soon as the numbers at Hunsdon are reduced. It will be the responsibility of RAF North Weald to ensure that the C&M party located at Hunsdon are supplied with NAAFI commodities after the NAAFI on the station closes down.

Personnel

Disposal instructions in regard to officers will be issued by HQ FC in due course.

Disposal instructions for Other Ranks will be issued by the officer i/c Records, Gloucester and in consultation with HQ, FC and this HQ. In order to facilitate the closing down of the various sections at RAF Hunsdon, the AO i/c Records is requested to allow personnel from the following sections to be retained at Hunsdon for around 14 days:

• Accounts – Clerks Pay & Equipment
• Equipment Section – Equipment Assistants
• Orderly Room – Clerks OD
• MT - MT Drivers

Nominal rolls of the actual personnel desired to be retained for the above period are to be forwarded by RAF Hunsdon to the AO i/c Records immediately.

Works Services

No requests for works services can be entertained in regard to accommodation and messing facilities for the C&M party.
Any further points which require clarification should be brought to the notice of this HQ immediately.

Air Historical Branch would have received the files (in theory)

The opening post is now complete.