Battle Headquarters

Battle Headquarters of 1940 constructed for the command of the defences of the adjacent airfield.

MATERIALS: the tower is constructed of (probably reinforced) brick laid in English bond with concrete door lintels, shuttered concrete floors and a concrete gun mounting to the roof. The underground command post is constructed of brick and concrete with a prefabricated concrete Stanton air raid shelter raised on carrier walls.

PLAN: the tower is square on plan and of three storeys with a parapet roof. There are steps down to the below-ground command post that has a curved brick-lined tunnel from an aperture in the south-west side of the tower to a rectangular main office. There is a rear corridor to a PBX telephone exchange room and steps to a rear entrance.

DESCRIPTION: the door to the tower is in the south-east elevation (facing the airfield) with external lighting cabling above. There are observation slits to each storey on each elevation. To the roof are a brick parapet and a concrete mounting for a machine gun. Parts of a cast-iron downpipe are fixed to the north-east elevation. To the interior are iron ladders to each floor except from the ground to first floor where the ladder has been removed. There is electric cabling and a fuse box fixed to the walls at ground-floor level and tubular steel railings to the steps down to the command centre tunnel. The tunnel entrance is roofed in concrete and the brick tunnel was formerly rendered. The office in the command post comprises a bolted, ribbed, concrete panelled roof and walls on carrier walls with lighting, cabling and other fittings. At the rear is the remains of a timber door to the corridor, exchange room and rear steps. The rear entrance is brick-lined. Parts of the command post and tunnel may have been infilled.