CONTROL TOWER

PROGRESS REPORT

SUMMER 2006

The above painting by local artist, John Chandler, based on one of the few war time photographs that have featured the Control Tower, shows a scene from the United States Eighth and Ninth American Air Forces who were based at RAF lbsley in 1944 just prior to the D-Day invasion. The water colour was commissioned, by Hansons in 2001.

Brief History of the Control Tower (up until March 2005)
Such was the pressure on Britain to defend its shores with the imminent threat of invasion in 1940 that lbsley opened incomplete with no permanent Watch Tower, there being only a mobile unit initially and then Eastwood House, an imposing New Forest house in Mockbeggar Lane, was commissioned on a temporary basis. A single storey Watch Office was then built on the Airfield to a 17658/40 specification used on a number of early Fighter Satellite stations, especially those with grass airfields.

The single storey Watch Office was quickly replaced by a two storey Watch Office with Meteorological Section based on a drawing 518/40 and comprised a brick and timber building (1). A further drawing No 8936/40 called for only the floor above the Watch Office Room and balcony to be in timber, the remaining floor area, roof and staircase to be in pre-cast concrete slabwork. Approximately fifty six Watch Offices of this design were eventually built but at lbsley the timber elements of the building were replaced altogether at first floor level by concrete (2). It is believed that the lbsley Watch Office is unique, in that it was the only one constructed to the modified drawing, with the use of concrete in the balcony, first floor and the stairways. The structure was registered in 1998 as part of the Imperial War Museum's Defence of Britain Project (together with a number of other smaller remaining structures in the locality of the main Airfield)

The modified design is probably the reason why the building is still standing to this day. The Control Tower stands on the edge of several worked out gravel pits which are now water supply lakes. These and the Tower are in the ownership of the Bournemouth and West Hampshire Water Company , part of the Biwater Group. The Tower has suffered the ravages of weather and petty vandalism over the past sixty five years. No structural or building survey of Tower has been undertaken since it was built.

The lakes immediately adjacent to the Tower, known as the lbsley Water and Mockbeggar Lakes form part of the Blashford Lakes Management Plan area. The Plan has been updated and was published in 2005. The main partners of the Plan are New Forest District Council, Hampshire County Council, Wessex Water and the Bournemouth and West Hampshire Water Company, Hampshire Wildlife and English Nature.

A new Management Forum, representing all the ownership, conservation and recreation interests in the Plan area has been established under the chairmanship of Councillor Bill Dow, the local New Forest District Council ward councillor who is a member of the Group and serves on our Committee. The RAF Ibsley Historical Group was invited to be represented on this Forum and attended the inaugural meeting in March 2005.

The Control Tower Project becomes a reality
The Group produced a Report, some ten years ago, setting out their ideas for the Tower. Discussions with the owners had ebbed and flowed over the years but with no real progress being made the Group decided to co-opt Michael Halpin, a new member with project management skills and experience, to their Committee. His brief was to research the whole matter and develop a way forward which could eventually see the Tower being renovated and used for activities compatible to the area, whilst interpreting the military and natural history within an outstanding landscape.

Terms of Reference for a full Feasibility Study were prepared for approval/amendment by the Bournemouth and West Hampshire Water Company on behalf of the key interested parties in the Blashford Lakes, and with the awarding of the £10,000 grant by the Hanson Concrete Trust in May 2006, the first stage of the Study - the initial survey by a qualified chartered surveyor and engineer - is underway. Hopefully a positive report will confirm that the building is structurally sound and capable, in principle, of refurbishment. This will be presented to the Hanson Trustees in September this year, the feasibility study will proceed to its next three stages - the preparation of a more detailed specification and budget price for the refurbishment, access/use and planning matters and then finally the creation of a Trust and fund raising mechanisms

A case for Listing with English Heritage
The Group, at the same time when commissioning the Feasibility Study, decided, with the approval of the Bournemouth and West Hampshire Water Company, to apply to English Heritage to have the Control Tower listed. Apart from the unique design and construction methods used in building the Tower in 1941, the other case, which has been made for listing has been the location for the making of the war time classic film "The First of the Few". Based on the life of R.J. Mitchell designer of the Spitfire and its crucial role in the Battle of Britain, this film places the lbsley Airfield in a unique position. Although the film contains inaccuracies about the life of one of Britain's greatest inventors, it still remains the only film dedicated to the life and genius of this man, who with his team, worked and lived no more than 20 miles from this location.

Leslie Howard, the Director and Producer, with the famous actors David Niven and Rosamund John were based at the Airfield for a number of months. Quite how this extraordinary decision to use an operational fighter station as a film location was made by the War Office, demands further research, but even more incredible was the involvement of a number of leading flying "aces" in Nos. 501 and 118 Squadrons, who had been key players in the Battle of Britain, and who by chance happened to be based at lbsley when the decision was given for Leslie Howard's Company to go ahead with this film. Their names were never used in the film credits.

It seems remarkable that these two squadrons were able to re-enact some of the summer of 1940 Battle of Britain scenes in the middle of operational sorties. With budgets tight and actors at a premium Leslie Howard doubled up as R.J.Mitchell as well as Director/Producer and David Niven as Geoffrey Crisp the Test Pilot.

The composer William Walton wrote the score to the Film - Spitfire Prelude and Fugue - and International Conductor Anthony Inglis, whose Uncle Peter Howard Williams flew from lbsley in the war, was recently able to highlight the Airfield and its place in history when conducting this work with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra at the Bournemouth Pavilion on the 10 March. Vice President of the RAF lbsley Historical Society Flying Officer (retd) Bob George a Spitfire pilot with No. 616 Squadron, who flew from lbsley in 1943, was introduced to the audience to prolonged applause. Anthony Inglis, whose father Jeremy Howard-Williams was a night fighter pilot and whose Grandfather was Sir Frank Inglis, Head of RAF Intelligence in the last war, has recently joined the RAF lbsley Historical Group.

In July, one of English Heritage's representatives from their Heritage Protection Division, Veronica Fiorato, visited Ibsley to view the Control Tower and meet Vera Smith, the Group Secretary, Mike Halpin and several members of the Group who had served at the Airfield in the War including Flight Lieutenant (Retd) Desmond Smith of No. 501 Squadron and Charlie West, Air Frame Fitter attached to No. 66 Squadron. Jennifer Dexter, daughter of the late Squadron Leader Frank Howell, of No. 118 Squadron was also able to be present to explain how her father had taken part in the First of the Few. Veronica Fiorato was also able to meet Campbell Sampson, owner of Brooklands Farm and view the Exhibition Hut that formed part of the Airfield's No. 2 Communal Site.

How can you help ?
- By writing to English Heritage reinforcing our case for listing the Tower
(Dr Nina Wahlberg, 1 Waterhouse Sq., Holborn, London, EC1 N 2ST).

- Making a financial contribution today to our "out of pocket" expenses in co­ordinating the Feasibility Study

- Offering any particular skills that you possess that we may wish to draw upon if and when the Control Tower looks as if it will become a viable project

Our Thanks
The RAF lbsley Historical Group, at this stage would like to thank the Bournemouth and West Hampshire Water Company, the owners of the Control Tower for all their help and co-operation in recent times (Roger Harrington Technical Director, Tony Read, Richard Barton and John Eastwood, as well as the Hanson Concrete Trustees for their generous support (Nigel Cox, Chairman), and Hanson Concrete Blocks Company (Site Manager, Steve Alvis). The Group would also like to thank Richard Dean, Headmaster and Trevor Batchelder, Bursar at Moyles Court School for their interest and help in pursuing our aims.

Contributions, cheques payable to the RAF Ibsley Historical Group, can be sent to the Hon Treasurer, Graham Steele,9 Elington Drive,Brighton Hill,Basingtoke,Hants,RG22 4EZ

For more information, please email enquiries@rafibsley.co.uk