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Summary

World War II Airfield Battle Headquarters north of Luton Airport. Brick built with a flat concrete roof bearing a hexagonal cupola with gun ports on each side. Most of the structure is located underground with only the cupola visible.

Full Description

<1> Bedfordshire Wartime Defence Sites Record, No. 86 (Bibliographic reference). SBD10937.

Brick built building with flat concrete roof with a hexagonal 'tower' with 'gun ports' on each side. Research by Mr. M. Cole seems to suggest this is a Control Post/Generator Building for a night time dummy airfield north of the present airfield (Q site).

Mike Osborne maintains it is a Battle HQ.

<2> Mike Osborne, Coordinator for The Defence of Britain Project (CBA), Letter, Note/Letter from Mike Osborne, Coordinator for The Defence of Britain Project (CBA) (Unpublished document). SBD13176.

"The Luton Battle HQ ….. is a BHQ built 1940. The London airfields received such structures which were usually square with the hexagonal cupola (Type MS2719). Luton's is L-shaped - so is a variation. Apparently Northolt, Rochford, Hornchurch etc. had similar".

<3> Letter from member of the public, Letter from Tom Reeve, 12/07/1995 (Unpublished document). SBD10744.

Includes: "The Pillbox situated at Stockwood Park in Luton is not the only one to survive. There is one at the bottom of Colwell Rise where I now live. It is on the perimeter of the Luton Airport and I can remember manning it during the early part of the War when I was in the L.D.V. anjd Home Guard. At the time I was working on Aircraft production for Percival Aircraft Ltd., whose factory was based on what is now Luton Airport."

<4> Letter from member of the public, Letter from Owen Hardisty, 05/07/1995 (Unpublished document). SBD10744.

Includes: "Large pillbox at the rear of the Wigmore Hotel overlooking Luton Airport".

<5> Stephen R. Coleman, Comments (Observations and Comments). SBD10779.

Despite their referring to pillboxes, references 3 and 4 would appear to be related to this Battle Headquarters structure.

<6> NMR/AMIE, HE NRHE Monument Inventory, 1419505 (Index). SBD12367.

Second World War Battle Headquarters, RAF Luton airfield.

<7> 2002, CBA Defence of Britain Database, Anti Invasion Database UID S0004272 (Index). SBD11396.

Battle Headquarters. RAF Luton airfield.

<8> NMR/AMIE, HE NRHE Monument Inventory, 1422338 (Index). SBD12367.

Second World War Battle Headquarters, RAF Luton.

<9> 2002, CBA Defence of Britain Database, S0007971 (Index). SBD11396.

Battle Headquarters. Luton Airport.

Protected Status: None recorded

Monument Type(s):

• BATTLE HEADQUARTERS (Second World War - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events: None recorded

Sources and Further Reading

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