| Posted | Message |
|---|
Paul Bellamy
10/29/2007 1:13:00 PM | I took a quick walk around the remains of the technical site at Deenethorpe this afternoon.
W/T Training building:
Crew room:
Chute Shop:
Sub Depot area:
I'll get the photos of the rest of my trip uploaded and post them shortly.
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
|
Phoenix
10/29/2007 1:40:13 PM | Hey Paul how did you managed to get into the buildings without being manacled? who do you know that maybe I should as well?
Dale
improvise, adapt, overcome
|
Paul Bellamy
10/29/2007 1:45:32 PM | I had a sheet of the original photos printed out in my pocket, and showed it to one of the tractor drivers who was passing, asking if it was OK to stick my head into the W/T shed to match up the photo.
I didn't get a chance to ask if I could enter the secured workshops, but the ones that were open I just stuck my head through handy windows/doors.
I didn't risk going around behind the workshops to get to the Link Trainer building and the site of the gunnery trainer, as by then there was no-one about to ask.
Paul Bellamy
|
Paul Bellamy
10/29/2007 2:42:56 PM | 
No Forts over Deenethorpe today........
Here follows a series of seemingly random shots, but they are in some semblance of order
Buildings 13-17.
L-R: Squadron Office, Crew, Locker and Drying Rooms, W/T Instruction Building.
Fuseboards in the W/T building:
W/T Building interior:
Buildings 14-15. Flight Offices.
Base Sub-Depot workshops and stores area:
Remains of a loudspeaker on it's pole. (I can remember this being intact circa 1983 😞 )
Building 20: Triple bay Link Trainer Building, hiding behind the trees.
Building 26: Main Workshops:
Welding Shop:
Building 27: Dinghy Store:
Inside:
Building 28: Parachute Shop, looking a bit sorry for itself now:
One of the ventilators from the roof:
Building 29: Main Stores:
Building 32: Main Stores:
Building 33: Gas Respirator Store and Workshop:
More to come from the other end of the site.
Paul Bellamy
|
Paul Bellamy
10/29/2007 2:45:28 PM | Buildings 34-64 have all been demolished, and a caravan storage yard sits in their place, so I'll begin again with......
Building 65: Sub-station:
Building 66: Gas Clothing and Respirator Store:
Buildings 67-74 have aso been demolished, consisting of another Crew, Locker and Drying building, flight offices, the radar workshop, assorted stores etc.
They would have filled the nearest half of this paddock:
Then comes Buildings 75-78: Works Services Huts.
A self-contained courtyard of buildings, with their own latrine block and even kerbstones along the main access road to the airfield.
In we go...
Rooms and a covered area in the far wing, store to the right.
Windows look out into the covered area.
In through the doorway from the covered area....
Room that once had benches all around the walls.
The wooden frame for the blackout boards still remains:
Back into the courtyard, the offices and latrines:
Finally, back to the car and off home.
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
|
Paul Bellamy
11/7/2007 6:30:05 PM | Not my photos, but something that caught my eye on Mr Brotherton's website:
401BG Commemorative Window in Weldon church:
The centrepiece is a window from the original base chapel, formerly on Site No3 (Communal) in the Gym/Chapel:
I'm just running through some more of the NA photos, there are a few where I can narrow down the location to a small area or two. If anyone can clarify more precisely please let me know.
I'll post these photos shortly, when I've finished finding the possible locations.
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
|
Paul Bellamy
11/7/2007 7:02:44 PM | First photo:
The Briefing Room.
Was this;
a) In the purpose-built briefing room beside the Operations Block,
😎 In the Nissen hut block beside the Radar Workshop,
c) In the Nissen hut block by the Radio Training building?
Here's a photo of the Nissen hut block by the Radar Workshop, with Hangar 1 in the background. The telephone cable running to the doorframe matches, but obviously there's no sign over the door:
I'd also like to identify which of the two Communal Sites the following were on:
Aero Club.
Combat Mess.
Consolidated Mess.
Sergeants' Club.
Officers' Mess.
They would have been on either Communal Site 2, south of the main airfield where the gym and chapel were, or Communal Site 3, either side of the road to Benefield where the water tower stood.
If anyone can help it would allow me to locate quite a few more photos, thanks.
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
|
win-win
3/11/2008 4:56:18 PM | Paul: Wonderful photos of then and now. Some comments & questions:
- - Bldg.17, Radio. Could you identify the compass directions of your and the two NARA photos 65633AC and A-65633AC (by post or E-mail)?
- - Bldg.65: Do you suppose this was for back-up power (and two diesel-generator sets) over the two floor trenches (Paul Knight and I were wondering, Oct.'07)?
- - Bldg.70, Operations Block (Caravan Sales): two NARA photos - A-65620AC showing the big board and man on ladder posting information) and (photo no.?) looking opposite at offices show the northweast and southeast corners of the building's interior, now a car parts' shop;
- - Briefing: From NARA photos 65535AC A-65535AC, 65536AC & 65537AC, all (I believe) taken at the same time at and from the Briefing Room entry; and from Vets that seemed to recall that Briefing was 'next to the runway', my guess is Bldg.69. Thoughts?
- - Officers Mess/Combat Mess: My 'guess' from NARA photo 65512AC, the Officers mess (linen tablecloths) is in a wing of the Combat Mess. And in trying to identify its location to me George Menzel recalled 'there was an on-grade, square, water tank out back where officers were 'dunked' when their mission committments were completed. We were looking at 'Communal Site 2', straddling the road to Benefield (shown on RAF map 4228/44) with 'Bldg.190' listed as 'static water tank'. We thought Bldg.191 or Bldg.189 was the Combat Mess with Officer's dining wing. Does that help? (A/C 'nose art' and Crew names decorate the quanset ceiling panels).
Win Bryson win-z@comcast.net.
|
Jackie Sharp Sheflin
3/11/2008 6:33:26 PM | Paul,
The pictures are very nice to see and I like the fact that you were able to reference many of them against the old photos and map. A job well done.
I look forward to seeing any more you come up with as well as matching up the buildings that are in question. There is so much history in those buildings and I can't help but think of my father and all the other men and women who were there at that time. If those buildings could only talk...think of the stories they could tell.
Jackie
|
Paul Bellamy
3/11/2008 7:15:09 PM | quote "win-win"
Paul: Wonderful photos of then and now. Some comments & questions:
- - Bldg.17, Radio. Could you identify the compass directions of your and the two NARA photos 65633AC and A-65633AC (by post or E-mail)?
Building 17: AM Dwg No. 7352/42.
W/T Instruction Block.
65633-AC and it's modern comparison are taken in the central room, facing South.
65633A-AC and it's modern comparison are taken in the north-eastern room, facing West.
- - Bldg.65: Do you suppose this was for back-up power (and two diesel-generator sets) over the two floor trenches (Paul Knight and I were wondering, Oct.'07)?
Building 65: AM Dwg No. 13241/41.
Main Inlet Electrical Sub Station.
Permanent 9in brick construction with a reinforced concrete slab roof.
The intake sub-station was sited on the technical area site, as the main load centre, and positioned with reference to the route of the incoming local mains power cable. The main incoming electrical supply of 13,000 volts was transformed to medium voltage and distributed on a 3,300V ring main. The medium voltage switch gear and equipment in the sub-station consisted of main switches to control the supply from the main transformers, changeover switch for connecting the distribution circuits to either the mains or standby supplies and 20 tail-less distribution units required to feed the dispersed step-up transformers located around the aerodrome and dispersed sites.
- - Bldg.70, Operations Block (Caravan Sales): two NARA photos - A-65620AC showing the big board and man on ladder posting information) and (photo no.?) looking opposite at offices show the northweast and southeast corners of the building's interior, now a car parts' shop;
Correct. The Ops Block main room had the status board on the Northern wall, behind which was the equipment and filter rooms. The three offices were on the opposite, Southern, side of the main room, facing the board. This southern wall has been knocked through to provide access inside now, through the offices and the corridor behind them.
- - Briefing: From NARA photos 65535AC A-65535AC, 65536AC & 65537AC, all (I believe) taken at the same time at and from the Briefing Room entry; and from Vets that seemed to recall that Briefing was 'next to the runway', my guess is Bldg.69. Thoughts?
Building 69 was a small (16' span probably) single bay Nissen, originally designated as a Squadron Office.
I now believe that Building 70, formerly Crew, Locker and Drying Rooms, was used as the Briefing Room and attached offices, with it's partner CLD Rooms (Building 14) used as the flight clothing/equipment stores. The photo's, 24' or 30' interior span and the road layout match up for Building 70 much better than for 69.
- - Officers Mess/Combat Mess: My 'guess' from NARA photo 65512AC, the Officers mess (linen tablecloths) is in a wing of the Combat Mess. And in trying to identify its location to me George Menzel recalled 'there was an on-grade, square, water tank out back where officers were 'dunked' when their mission committments were completed. We were looking at 'Communal Site 2', straddling the road to Benefield (shown on RAF map 4228/44) with 'Bldg.190' listed as 'static water tank'. We thought Bldg.191 or Bldg.189 was the Combat Mess with Officer's dining wing. Does that help? (A/C 'nose art' and Crew names decorate the quanset ceiling panels).
I'm still working on that.... 😉 There were 20,000gal static water tanks on both communal sites, and both were close to the original AM Officers' Messes.
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
|
donaldbyers
3/11/2008 7:42:20 PM | Wow Great Photos and matching up with new photos. Great Job Thanks For that....
Don
Sgt. Donald C. Byers, 613th Bomb Squadron, Togglier, 42-97344 Carrie B II, KIA 08/24/1944.
|
Paul Bellamy
3/12/2008 6:47:24 AM | Since I first posted those photos last October Dale informs me the Chute Shop has been demolished, presumably on safety grounds.
I got a chance to get up to the Link Trainer Building a few weeks ago, but although I did have a camera with me, I'd left the memory cards at hope. Oops!.
Apart from missing doors and window glass, and some of the interior panelling, it's in fairly good condition.
The AML Bombing Trainer that was beside it was been removed a long time ago, and the only trace is a marshy patch in the grass where the footings once stood.
The site of the Free Gunnery Trainer Blister Hangar behind the Main Workshops has also had the footings dug out, leaving a scrubby area with piles of stones from the hardcore. I did find the original entrance door half-buried close by though. It's the one that can be seen open in this photo:
TTFN,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
|
win-win
3/13/2008 4:01:39 PM | Paul:
- - WOW: Yes, Don Byers certainly has it right! And thank you very much for the stunning RSVP info about my questions/comments. It looks like the Deenethorpe buildings are 'going away' more quickly now, so your then-and-now is, well, just in the nick of time'. (I'd like to continue 'what was where' with Vets at the upcoming Washington Reunion).
- - 613Sq.Qtrs: Do you know if any of the (post-WWII pre-fab) buildings remain in the 613Sq. Quarters area (nearest Yokehill Farm, I presume)? In 1999 there seemed to be about 4-6 with in-tact building shells that appeared to be in the same locations as original quansets. I've not found any photos of the original 613Sq. Quarters, have you?
Win
|
donaldbyers
3/13/2008 6:34:52 PM | @Win.
Yes would be a good topic just like the Letter Reading was at the last reunion. I had forwarded this Topic to Joe La Grasta from the 613th and he loved it.
Don
Sgt. Donald C. Byers, 613th Bomb Squadron, Togglier, 42-97344 Carrie B II, KIA 08/24/1944.
|
Paul Bellamy
3/13/2008 7:31:12 PM | The "post-WWII pre-fab" buildings on Site 9 aren't post-war. 😉
Paul Knight brought this subject up at the last 401st Historical Society meeting a few weeks ago.
I was able to show that the remaining buildings on Site 9 are original BCF (British Concrete Federation) Huts, AM Buildings 431-439 on the site plan. I was also able to locate the high-level water tower for the base on the plans (on the Eastern Communal Site), and identify it in the background of various wartime photos to cross-check. The six concrete footings for the support legs, along with where the pipes met the ground, show up clearly on the current Google Earth imagery when you know where to look for them.
I've not had the chance to get up to the base for a few weeks now, but if I get a couple of hours free at the weekend I'll see if I can check whether the BCF Huts are still standing.
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
|
win-win
3/14/2008 3:18:06 PM | Paul & Don: Double and triple WOW!
DP 'then': It sure would be great to do a 'Mission Day' 'trace' with Vets at the upcoming Reunion, using the DP Maps - plus this wonderful new then-and-now photo and builfing ID match-up information. That should really help help prompt recollections - and Joe LaGrasta's, too. I am particularly interested in the Mission Day trace 'path' of 613Sq Crewman - from wake-up to post-mission de-briefing and meal, as it relates to my Uncle, S/Sgt. J.T. Dorris, Radioman, and his 613Sq., '1st.Lt. A.J. Nelson Crew (all KIA 10-7-44, Politz, in IN-C).
613Sq.Qtrs. Very interesting find. In our 1999 visit to the 613Sq.Qtrs area, Paul Knight showed me bits of 'cleat wiring' ceramic posts for anchoring electrical wiring in one of the pre-fab buildings there. I still thought the pre-fabs replaced quansets when the RAF took over after the 401BG, but In 2007, Paul showed me more of the same 'cleat wiring' in the Operations Bldg.#170, that is definitely the same building 'now' as 'then'. Was there any pre-fab info on the (nearby) Site#10, 612Sq.Qtrs., or any photos of either Site#9 or #10? Pre-fabs would have been the 'lap of luxury' compared to quansets, wouldn't they?
DP aerials: Your water tower find is really something - I haven't seen Google Earth, but will certainly look into it now. FYI, if you don't have or are interested in 'then' DP aerials, the US National Archives has one I know of which I have 8"x8"+/- prints of parts of it: (WWII photography in UK; Deenethorpe Airfield; RG 373 ~ Can ON 14506 ~ Exposure 5022; One 9"x18" aerial Negative; Scale =3D 1:12,500; Date: 22 April 1944). I'll look my partial prints to see if there's any pre-fab/quanset clues.
Photo Problems: Understood. In 1999, While snapping (35mm) photos a-mile-a-minute while touring the DP base with Paul Knight, the camera's shot counter was on #37 when I realized I had a 20-exposure roll in the camera...duh. The film hadn't engaged and remained in the can, while the take-up reel and counter went merrily round and round. Definitely one of those 'you have a back-up plan, right?' moments. (Thankfully, Nancy's point-and-shoot worked...it always does).
Wonderful work, Paul,
Win
|
Paul Bellamy
3/14/2008 4:03:47 PM | Hi Win,
Site 10 was one of the sites without BCF Huts, they were only on Sites 4, 6 and 9.
The living huts on Site 10 were as follows:
Site 10 (Quarters)
Jane's x 4 (inc 1 half-length hut)
Nissen x 40 (inc 9 Sgts Qtrs and 7 subdivided Officers' Qtrs)
I've not yet started building Sites 9 and 10 in the Virtual Deenethorpe, but I have done all of the both Communal Sites now. Here's a couple of snaps of the Eastern Communal Site, showing the just-added water tower:
In Sketchup.
And placed (slightly off line) into Google Earth.
I've just noticed something on the AM Site Plans...... the two sheets number the dispersed sited differently. :?
In all cases I've used the numbering from Drawing 4228/44, Sites 2-12 Dispersed Sites so I'll carry on in that manner.
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
|
win-win
3/14/2008 5:30:32 PM | Paul:
- - What a spectacular project you are doing. If there's any possible way to understand the DP base, that's surely it. (We're up to a thousand Wows!, now). You're right, almost every 'Site' reference is confusing - they differ from reference to reference.
- - I just had to look right now at my 1944 aerial photo print to see 613Qtrs - Pre-fabs or quansets - but I didn't think I would be able to see much. But in-fact your 12/18/07 'Squadrons Locations at Deenethorpe' post of the 3-building types help show clearly differentiations of roof and shadows. There are some other buildings and types on the site beyond these 3-types, but:
- - Per the RAF DP Map 4228/44 Site 9 building locations and numbering:
9-BCFs: Bldgs. 431, 432, 433, 434, 435, 436, 437, 438, 439;
4-Janes/Laings: Bldgs. 445, 446, 447, 448;
25-Nissens: Bldgs. 433, 442, 444, 449, 450, 451, 452, 454, and (8)Sgts. 457, 458, 459, 460, 461, 462, 463, 464, and (9) Officers 469 471, 472, 473, 474, 475, 476, 477, 479 (1-more than Pauil's llist's 24).
- - Haven't looked at the Site 10, 612Sq site yet, but again, your 12/18 posting will help identify 'what I'm lookinf at'.
- - I'm certainly convinced now that the pre-fabs we saw (in '99) are original 613Sq. (but probably not all that luxurious).
Win
|
donaldbyers
3/14/2008 6:36:14 PM | Win,
I think that would be a great Idea for the re-union, maybe why I mentioned the letters from DP, it would do well to present the work that has been done on this site and topic. Always look to see more on this topic..........
Don
Sgt. Donald C. Byers, 613th Bomb Squadron, Togglier, 42-97344 Carrie B II, KIA 08/24/1944.
|
Paul Bellamy
3/19/2008 8:52:21 PM | With the great help from Win's aerial photo, I've got the bulk of the model of the 613th BS barrack site built in the Virtual Deenethorpe.
I'm running up against the RAM buffer on this one, not sure why as it's not that large a file, but there's already a lot of building detail in this one and I've still to detail the nissen huts with doorways and windows, let alone stovepipes and powerlines etc.
It might take me a few days to get this one ready to upload to Google Earth due to the discrepancy between the map and the GE image proportions.
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
|
Paul Bellamy
1/21/2010 10:35:56 AM | 614th Bomb Squadron Officers' Quarters: Then.......
And Now.....
Despite the modern infill, the two cottages in the background can still be seen.
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
|
MaryAlice
2/1/2010 5:45:49 PM | Hey guys...as some of you now know, I am a "rookie" at best with all of this, and I am doing my homework in hopes of educating myself about teh War, and in particular the 401st/615th because of (as again, some already know) my Grandpa.
Anyways, as I am going over the forum, and I came across this thread and pictures, and I saw "Deenethorpe". So, since I know that "Mary Alice" was stationed there (or at least, is what I am led to believe), am I correct in assuming that my Grandpa "lived" somewhere in the pics listed above? I have no probems admitting something I have no clue about, and home computers is one of them and military lingo is another!!! I can also say that I am not that familiar with living quarters and such for crew members. So, was wondering if guys can tell me if my Grandpa would have stayed here, and if so, are there any pics to show me what it looks like?
And if not, where would my grandpa have stayed during his time in the war?
As usual, thanks guys for all the info!
PS: I checked status on my B-17 model plane, and should be here @ Wed of this week!
Derrick Morris, Grandson of S/Sgt Engr/Top Turret William "Dale" Sartor, 615th BS 401st BG, "Mary Alice"
|
Paul Bellamy
2/1/2010 7:20:03 PM | Hi Derrick,
Yes, your Grandpa was stationed at Deenethorpe, and lived on the base.
All wartime-built airfields in Britain had their living and recreational sites dispersed around the countryside surrounding the airfield itself, as protection against enemy air raids.
How the various units on each base were allocated their living quarters varied from base to base, but at Deenethorpe it seems the practice was for each squadron to have their own seperate site, with the non-combat units fitted in wherever there was space.
Although identifying which squadron was where at Deenethorpe, the current thinking is that the 615th were on Site 8, around a wood to the north of the eastern Communal Site which held the Combat Mess (for aircrew), and the Officers' Club.
I can't remember if we have a map of the dispersed sites on here already, but if not I'll post one up.
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
|
MaryAlice
2/2/2010 8:15:24 AM | "Paul Bellamy":
Hi Derrick,
Yes, your Grandpa was stationed at Deenethorpe, and lived on the base.
All wartime-built airfields in Britain had their living and recreational sites dispersed around the countryside surrounding the airfield itself, as protection against enemy air raids.
How the various units on each base were allocated their living quarters varied from base to base, but at Deenethorpe it seems the practice was for each squadron to have their own seperate site, with the non-combat units fitted in wherever there was space.
Although identifying which squadron was where at Deenethorpe, the current thinking is that the 615th were on Site 8, around a wood to the north of the eastern Communal Site which held the Combat Mess (for aircrew), and the Officers' Club.
I can't remember if we have a map of the dispersed sites on here already, but if not I'll post one up.
All the best,
Paul
Awesome! Thanks for the info! Again, this is really helping me in so many different ways. I am gonna check for teh map you mentioned, and see if i can't find it. Thanks again Paul!
Derrick Morris, Grandson of S/Sgt Engr/Top Turret William "Dale" Sartor, 615th BS 401st BG, "Mary Alice"
|
EDanaII
2/3/2010 6:45:28 PM | Awright, you guys gotta stop posting photos that are larger than what my forum can handle! 😉 (Or I gotta figure out how to make them display within the available space...)
(Grumbles...)
|
Paul Bellamy
2/3/2010 6:47:36 PM | Sorry Ed, guess I've just gotten used to posting at 800 pixels wide.
I can start again with 600 wide if that helps?
Paul
Paul Bellamy
|
EDanaII
2/3/2010 6:49:56 PM | No worries, Paul. It looks tacky, but it just means a new "challenge" for me in trying to figure out how to configure the site so that it displays the photo within the allocated space. It'll probably take me a while to figure it out.
Oh, and... it's the kinda challenge I love anyway, which is why it's "no worries." 🙂
Ed.
|
Paul Bellamy
2/3/2010 7:01:10 PM | If it's any consolation, the forum displays them perfectly for me on my new flat widescreen monitor at 1680x1050. 😉
The forum layout itself resizes itself nicely too, with no clunky bits. Nice job!
TTFN,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
|
EDanaII
2/3/2010 11:03:38 PM | That was my primary mission when designing this style, Paul: allow the Forum (and .Org site) to resize to any monitor. 🙂 So, thanks for the compliment, I'm glad it's lookin' nice for ya on that shiny new monitor. 😉
BTW, the issue is "my bad." After I posted, I realized that I had the browser in "magnify mode," which caused the images in question to be larger than the size you posted. This forced them outside the margins of the layout, causing my consternation, so your size is just fine. But that changes nothing, cause it still leaves the images poking out the right side of the layout and that's still pretty ugly.
Stupid computers!
(I hate them, you know...)
Ed.
|
Phoenix
2/4/2010 4:16:50 AM | Ok, ok, you guys butt out about photo sizes 😶 I can only get teeny weeny ones onto the forum no matter what I try and it makes me mad 😶 Man I hate computers 😉
Death to the PC
Dale
improvise, adapt, overcome
|
EDanaII
2/4/2010 6:58:23 AM | Uh oh. Someone has "photo envy." Muahahahaha!!! 😉
|
MaryAlice
2/4/2010 9:13:30 AM | Hey Phoenix, do you think I could trouble you again, and ask you to send me a photo of Mr. Knight to my email address? I think you sent me some pictures yesterday, did not get chance to open them up yet Going to this morning though.
Thanks for everything you have done for me!!!
email is:
logava@yahoo.com
Derrick Morris, Grandson of S/Sgt Engr/Top Turret William "Dale" Sartor, 615th BS 401st BG, "Mary Alice"
|
Phoenix
2/4/2010 11:49:57 AM | Ok guy just give me a little time to go through my CD's and see what I can put together.
Roger dodger
Dale
improvise, adapt, overcome
|
MaryAlice
2/4/2010 4:45:29 PM | "Phoenix":
Ok guy just give me a little time to go through my CD's and see what I can put together.
Roger dodger
Dale
Take your time! No hurry over here Brother.
Derrick Morris, Grandson of S/Sgt Engr/Top Turret William "Dale" Sartor, 615th BS 401st BG, "Mary Alice"
|
Paul Bellamy
2/5/2010 6:27:02 PM | Next photo on the "Then and Now" list is this one:
I'll try to get a comparison snap over the weekend, along with a couple of others from Rick's collection.
This is the first copy of this particular photo that I've been able to get that's clear enough to read the bumper markings.
The incident is well remembered in Weldon, "the day them Yanks from the airfield rammed a cottage."
Well, the truck wasn't from any of the units at Deenethorpe.... the ASC lettering shows it to be a stores delivery truck belonging to the VIII Air Force Service Command.
It would however have been either heading for, or coming from, the base at the time of the prang. 😉
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
|
MaryAlice
2/6/2010 8:07:33 AM | "Paul Bellamy":
Next photo on the "Then and Now" list is this one:
I'll try to get a comparison snap over the weekend, along with a couple of others from Rick's collection.
This is the first copy of this particular photo that I've been able to get that's clear enough to read the bumper markings.
The incident is well remembered in Weldon, "the day them Yanks from the airfield rammed a cottage."
Well, the truck wasn't from any of the units at Deenethorpe.... the ASC lettering shows it to be a stores delivery truck belonging to the VIII Air Force Service Command.
It would however have been either heading for, or coming from, the base at the time of the prang. 😉
All the best,
Paul
Cool shot Paul!
Derrick Morris, Grandson of S/Sgt Engr/Top Turret William "Dale" Sartor, 615th BS 401st BG, "Mary Alice"
|
Paul Bellamy
2/6/2010 11:08:48 AM | It was a wet and foggy afternoon at Deenethorpe today, and out of the seven original photos I took with me to match up I could only identify four, and by then the fog was too dense to photograph the current views of three of those.
I did manage this one though:
The original photo is from Webmaster Rick's Father's scrapbook.
(Hope you don't mind me posting it here Rick, I've identified a couple more locations from the scrapbook but couldn't get the shots today.)
It shows the static water tank (#190) beside the Combat Mess (#189) on the eastern communal site.
In the background, on the other side of the public road can be seen the squash court (#199), Officers' Club (#200) and the tower of an ablutions and shower block (#197).
With the exception of the water tank, none of the structures in the original photo remain today.
RSP Building Numbers are in brackets.
All the best,
PB
Paul Bellamy
|
EDanaII
2/6/2010 11:46:01 AM | Ya know... some of these photos are perfect candidates for our "Life in England" album. I assume these are public domain, Paul? Let me know.
|
Paul Bellamy
2/6/2010 12:16:14 PM | Virtually all the "Then" photos are from NARA, so are Public Domain.
The "Now" ones are mine, so feel free to use on the site. 😉
If in doubt on any particular non-NARA photo, let me know and I'll let you know what the situation is.
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
|
MaryAlice
2/6/2010 1:44:29 PM | Again, cool shot Paul!! Really digging on teh then/now stuff!!! 😎
Derrick Morris, Grandson of S/Sgt Engr/Top Turret William "Dale" Sartor, 615th BS 401st BG, "Mary Alice"
|
pappastratos
2/8/2010 9:51:04 AM | Love the before & after shots,
|
Paul Bellamy
2/9/2010 3:02:44 PM | The fog's lifted, so I braved the sleet and biting wind to get these this afternoon:
Cont...
Paul Bellamy
|
Paul Bellamy
2/9/2010 3:05:47 PM | 
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
|
MaryAlice
2/9/2010 3:29:00 PM | Wow, jsut can't get enough of these pics.
Hey Paul...on Monday I am going down to visit my Grandma and I am gonna try and go through my Grandpa's war Box and see if he has any pics that might be of interest to the site. I am also going to copy down my grandpa's flight book (I saw it a few years ago, and it's meticulous) and post up for you guys to see/compare.
From what i remember, he wrote down exact time they took off, the date, hours in air, where they flew to, time they landed, etc....I ALSO believe that he wrote notes in his book, like if they took on any damage/got hit, etc...
Now, i talked with my Mom today, who has been staying with my grandma and helping out, and she says Grandma is still being very "protective" of grandpa's stuff, so I pretty much expect her not to let me take anything out of the house to copy, but I can take some notes/describe the pics. My mom said that she had put on my Grandpa's dog tags and his wings to wear @ the house, and Grandma yelled at her, and told her she better put those back as she did not want those leaving the house yet (my Grandpa left all of that stuff in his will to my Mom, but appears grandma is not ready to let go)
Anyways, will gather what I can so i can share @ here. That is on this comnig Monday.
Derrick Morris, Grandson of S/Sgt Engr/Top Turret William "Dale" Sartor, 615th BS 401st BG, "Mary Alice"
|
Phoenix
2/12/2010 9:47:51 AM | Paul,
The last 'now' photo, before the memorial, I'm racking my brain trying to locate it 😐 , is it the path leading away from the tower area to runway 33-15 with the 613th dispersal in the background ‽
Cheers
Dale
improvise, adapt, overcome
|
Paul Bellamy
2/12/2010 10:02:05 AM | That's the one Dale, the one the crash tender was usually parked on.
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
|
Paul Bellamy
6/21/2010 4:20:08 PM | Yet more Deenethorpe Then and Now...
Modern photos all taken this evening. I took full advantage of the longest day. 😉
Combat Mess, Officers' hall (Building 189, northern wing):
Combat Mess again:
Post Exchange (Building 191 from the window spacing):
Officers' Club (Building 200):
42-39873 IY-Q Stormy Weather falling off dispersal 22, 13th December 1943:
All the best,
PB
Paul Bellamy
|
donaldbyers
6/21/2010 5:27:43 PM | Quite a trip through time shown in the pictures here. Great Job Paul.
Don
Sgt. Donald C. Byers, 613th Bomb Squadron, Togglier, 42-97344 Carrie B II, KIA 08/24/1944.
|
Paul Bellamy
3/28/2011 9:25:29 AM | It's been a while since the last then-and-now photos, but with a "Permitted Access" footpath running right across it I finally visited the Base Hospital for the first time:
Not much to see, but the concrete floor of the nearest Nissen hut can be seen behind the trailer in the middle of the picture.
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
|
Paul Bellamy
1/14/2014 6:06:54 PM | Communications Training Section outside Building 17:
The wording over the door is still just about visible:
Paul Bellamy
|