Summary : A military base used in both World Wars. The Royal Flying Corps and later Royal Air Force station has occcupied Hillingdon House and grounds from 1917 (for the history of the house please see record 1431086). In the grounds are a cinema (Please see record 1431102), a sergeants mess, officers mess, gymnasium, military chapel (see 1431173), bunkers and accommodation. The World War One base was the home for the Royal Flying Corps Armament School. During the interwar years it was a military training site for recruits to the Royal Air Force, with barracks and a parade ground built in 1928. In World War Two, although not an actual airfield it fulfilled a particularly vital role during the Battle of Britain as the main operations centre for the hard pressed 11 Group under Keith Park, defending London and the south-east against the Luftwaffe. Operations were directed from the underground operations room bunker built in 1938, which has been restored as a museum that is viewable by appointment (please see record 1431113 for details of this installation).On 31 March 2010, RAF Uxbridge formally closed as a military base. |
More information : A military base: the Royal Flying Corps and later Royal Air Force station which has occcupied Hillingdon House and grounds from 1917. The World War One base was the home for the Royal Flying Corps Armament School. During the interwar years it was a military training site for recruits to the Royal Air Force, with barracks and a parade ground built in 1928. In World War Two, although not an actual airfield it fulfilled a particularly vital role during the Battle of Britain as the operations centre for the hard pressed 11 Group under Keith Park, defending London and the south-east against the Luftwaffe. Operations were directed from the underground operations room built in 1938, which has been restored as a museum which can be viewed by appointment. (1-5)
1948 Olympics male athletes were billeted here. (8)
On 31 March 2010, RAF Uxbridge formally closed as a military base. Please see source for further details. (6)
This website contains details of the mixed-use development planned for the former RAF Uxbridge site. See source for details. (7)
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