Report - RAF Wittering Bomb Store March 2019

mookster · Apr 2, 2019

This was a little cheeky revisit for me, having first been here a few years ago. We passed it on the way to another location and had time in hand, so my mate who hadn't been here before was more than happy to stop off for a wander.

History thanks to @HughieD

The site was built in 1955 as a Remote Weapons Store for the nearby RAF Wittering. The airfield changed from a Fighter Station to a Bomber Command Station, hence the need for a bomb store in the vicinity. Collyweston ESA was not, as some reports state, a Nuclear Weapons area, it was solely conventional.

The site’s main entrance was guarded by a Yarnold Sangar Pillbox with an extra section on but this has now been dismantled. By the entrance are a Guard House, Sub Station, Mains Room and Admin buildings, Various roadways open-up and 10 Bomb Maintenance Buildings are located towards the front of the site. These were re-vetted for use with 1000lb High Explosive bombs and Cluster Bomb Units.

Deeper into the site straight on and to the right of the main thoroughfare are three rows of ten explosive storage units. Nine of the middle row have been demolished leaving 21 in total standing. Nicknamed ‘Dutch Barns’, they were used for the storage of BL755 Cluster Bombs, manufactured by Hunting Engineering in Ampthill, Bedfordshire.

To the left of the central row can be found a row of ten more 1000lb HE storage buildings - all of which have been flattened. To the left of this were another four 1000lb HE storage buildings again all demo’ed. More interesting however are three intact 68mm SNEB Rocket storage buildings (as used by the Harrier II (GR5 & 7) in the Ground Attack Role). Most interesting of all, in the final row of the left of the site are nine hardened ‘Igloo’ cells, fitted with filtered air supply and enclosed electrical supplies, these hardened units were used for storing ‘unspecified’ American explosives from RAF Lakenheath. The site closed circa 1996.

The site in the past has been used for many illegal raves over the years, mainly by the An Watt Sound System on Bank Holiday weekends. More than 4,500 revellers took part in a three-day illegal rave at a former bomb dump in April 2006.

Not a whole lot had changed between my two visits although in the beautiful sunshine it was a lot nicer to walk around than the drizzly rain I found myself in there the first time.