....Recollections of RAF Wyton in the 1960s
...
The main road into camp looking towards the roundabout where the flag pole is located opposite SHQ. The main Guardroom was on the left behind the camera. Straight ahead just over the other side of the roundabout on the right hand side is where the NAFFI grocery shop was. Further down on the left was Station Sick Quarters. Behind the Naffi shop was a green and across the green was Devon Road (AMQ). Turning right at the roundabout led to Cornwall Road and the Airman's married quarters. On the right hand side of Cornwall Road was the Families Club.
Turning left at the roundabout the road led to the NAFF! and the Junior ranks club on the right handside of the road. On the left the first building was the hobbies and education centre. This was where the amongst other things the Youth Club was located. The other buildings on the left hand side of the road were all Airman's accomodation blocks. The road going off to the left led to the Airmans mess where Connie Coppin's newspaper kiosk was located. There is also a road going off to the right (out of shot) that led to the Officers mess and to Officers married quarters.
RAF Wyton the main road into camp (Pathfinder Way)
 
...RAF Wyton and the Cold War
 
 

"You are now at the United Kingdom Strategic Reconnaissance Base which is allied to the 'V' Force of Bomber Command - Britain's major deterrent against global war". That is how the Foreword page described RAF Wyton in the station handbook back in 1963, and that was indeed the case, and for many of us it was also the place where we lived, because that was what our dad's job was: defending the realm. The days of the 'V' bomber force, serving to provide the United Kingdom's major deterrent against global war, was however, coming to an end. In 1962 Prime minister Harold Macmillan had been in talks with American President John F Kennedy, and, Kennedy had insisted that Britain should abandon it's airborne nuclear capability in favour of the submarine based Polaris delivery system. (See the Daily Mirror headline on the left). What this meant of course, was that the Royal Navy would in future assume the mantle of being the nations major deterrent. Wyton would continue to carry out it's it's very important reconnaissance role for many years to come, but the strategic deterrent element would be transferred from the air to under the sea

 

 
 
Pictured left. The first thing that you would see when you arrived at RAF Wyton. The Wyton water tower. It did not matter from which direction you approached RAF Wyton the water tower was clearly visible. Back in the 1960s the tower was not hidden behind the Normandy poplar trees as it is today. Inevitabley, in this age of mass multi media electronic comunication the tower is now festooned with a vast array of mobile phone aerials. The picture on the right shows a Whippet coach in 1965 about to depart from Kings Cross in London for RAF Wyton probably on a Sunday evening. The passengers would have alighted at the water tower. The alternative for getting back to camp would have been by train from Kings Cross to Huntingdon, and then hiring a taxi. The bus in the picture might well have been back at Wyton the following morning to do the Ramsey Abbey School run.
 

 

image: Pathfinders plaque  

In 1943 RAF Wyton became home to 156 pathfinder squadron. The actual Pathfinder Force General Headquarters was located in Huntingdon at Castle Hill House. On the outbreak of WW2 RAF Wyton based Blenheims were some of the first RAF aircraft to attack Germany.

The plaque reads: "Between 1943 and 1945 this building was the Headquaters of the Pathfinder Force. This was the target and route marking force of the RAF which led bomber raids over continental Europe during the second world war"

 
The Wyton Club (NAFFI) Airmens mess Devon Road AMQ Station Head Quarters (SHQ) Post Office MT section Barrack Stores Station Workshops Station Gym Clothing stores S.C.A.F. R.C> Church Ground Photo Section Education and Hobbies Centre (where the Youth Club was located C of E Church WRAF Block Transit Block Station Sick Quarters Tennis courts Operations Wing Camera Repair No 1 Hanger NAFFI shop The Wyton Club (NAFFI) No 2 Hanger No 3 Hanger No 4 Hanger Air Traffic Control AMQ
     
Pathfinders memoriall plaque on the wall of Castle Hill House in Huntingdon     This plan of the the station is from the Wyton Hand book. By running your mouse cursor over the areas highlighted in red you will be able to identify the locations of buildings and some of facilities at RAF Wyton in the 1960's. This plan is limited to the central area of the base and does not extend to show areas such as the main married quarters complex, the officers mess or the Astra cinema for example
 
...The Wyton Eye magazine
 
 

 

The Wyton Eye magazine was published every month by the station education section. The magazine was distributed through out the Station and was free of charge. All personel were invited to contribute to the the magazine. Anyone interested in doing so would have submitted their contribution to the senior education officer. The magazine featured articles on various station activities and social events, sporting fixtures, and results. This particular edition (according to the front cover) is featuring and giving details of the Wyton at home day on May 30th. The year was almost certainly 1964, because the 30th of May in 1964 fell on a Saturday, and "At home" or open days were always held on a Saturday. Historically open days were associated with the Battle of Britian which is normally celebrated in the month of September. It is of course possible that this was a families only home day, and that it was not open to the general public.

 

 

 
...Station security in the 1960s
This what the Wyton Hand Book had to say about security matters."In peace and war continous watchfulness is essential for effective security and all ranks have a duty to report any breach of security. In particular all strangers should be viewed at all times with suspicion until YOU have checked their credentials. REMEMBER: SECURITY IS YOUR BUSINESS, KEEP YOUR BUSINESS SECURE Basically, if a building does not concern you it is out of bounds unless you are required to enter it on duty. When entering Security Areas your identity tag must always be worn. Bounds apply equally to technical and domestic buildings, including messes and quarters".
 
 

 

Despite what the Wyton Hand Book said, surprisingly in practice, the reality was, that although in the early 1960's it was at the height of the "cold war" security was quite lax. There was always an RAF policeman on duty outside the main guard room, but in the early 1960's access to RAF Wyton was unrestricted. Passes and proof of identity were not required to be shown. There was a single pole barrier, but it was always in the raised position. Visitors were free to come and go more or less as they pleased. Although airman's married quarters could only be be accessed via the main gate entrance, entry to officers married quarters was by a direct and unmonitored entrance from the B1090 St Ives to Abbots Ripton road (Sawtry Way). By the mid sixties however, security arrangements had been revised.
 
 
Vehicle pass
RAF Wyton Police Flight 1959. Click image to enlarge
...The aircraft based at RAF Wyton in the 1960s
There were three squadrons operating from RAF Wyton in the sixties. 543 , 58, and 51. 543 flew Valiants and Victors. 58 flew Canberra PR9's. 51 squadron was equipped with a highly unlikely assortment of aircraft. Canberras, Comets, and Hastings. All three squadrons were involved with reconnaissance and surveillance operations, but 51 squadron probably had the most secretive and interesting tasks. Illustrated below are the aircraft types that were operated in the sixties. In addition there was also Comms flight that operated Devon and Ansons. To read more about 51 Squadrons activities in the cold war click on the External Links button at the bottom of the page
The aircraft in service with 51 squadron in the 1960s

51 Squadron

The aircraft in service with 543 Squadron in the 1960s

543 Squadron

 
The aircraft in service with 58 Squadron in the 1960s

58 Squadron

 

 
The aircraft in service with comms flight in the 1960s

Comms flight

 
...RAF Wyton at work
 
The Vickers Valiant was the first of the "V" bombers. However, due to the discovery of severe metal fatigue in the main wing spar the Valiants were all withdrawn from RAF Service in early 1965. Repair and rectification was deemed to be uneconomic. The 543 Squadron Valiants were replaced by Handley Page Victors in May 1965.You can read more in greater detail about this and the Valiants photo reconnaissance role fitment by clicking the external links button at the bottom of the page. The 58 Squadron Canberra WH796 pictured here on the right is reported to have been preserved by the Hemswell Aviation Society museum. (nose section only)
 
Preparing a camera for a 543 Squadron Valiant
 
Loading cameras into a 58 Squadron Canberra
image:58  Squadron  PR9 s(
58 Squadron Camberra PR9s and crews in 1960
...The fire section
 
 
RAF Wyton Fire Section
 
RAF Fire Service Crest
 
Wyton Fire Section Alvis crash tender.
 
Four of the guys from RAF Wyton fire section in the 1960's. They are from left to right: Bob Marshall, Ted Bailey, John Irwin, and Mick Donaghue. I would like to express my thanks to John who kindly submitted this photograph and for identifying the people in it
 
Bob Marshall was the lead singer in RAF Wytons rock'n'roll band The Drifting Strangers. I remember that Bob used to ride a Triumph 21 motorcycle like the one pictured below. You can see Bob with the Drifting Strangers here
 
Click on the image to see more RAF Wyton Fire Section pictures
 
 
The 1960s Station Commanders The 1969 Daily Mail transatlantic air racee
Group Captain
E.G.Jones
 
There were four different station commanders at RAF Wyton during the 1960s. The first was: Group Captain E.G. Jones (who had assumed command of RAF Wyton in 1957) and was the Commanding Officer until 1961. He was then succeeded by Group Captain P.H.G. Wintle (1961- 63). Followed by Group Captain G.Young (1963 - 69), and finally Group Captain A.G. Steele who took command in 1969.
 
 

In 1969. The Daily Mail organized a transatlantic air race, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first transatlantic air crossing by Alcock and Brown in June of 1919, and RAF Wyton was part of it. Shown here is a letter carried by a Victor belonging to 543 squadron. The letter was taken from Wyton to Wisley (BAC aircraft factory airfield) from where the Victor and a Royal Navy Phantom flew to a New York Naval Air station.. For a full size view click on the image. For the full story of the race. 543 Squadron and the air race click on the External Links button below.

And not a lot of people know this
A Bristol Blenheim of No. 139 Sqn, Wyton, carried out the RAF's first operational sortie of the the second world war - photographic reconnaissance of the German naval base of Wilhelmshaven.

 

 

Please choose