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EAS0a via Barry Davidson dated 1988
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RAF Watton before its ATC role, was a Bloodhound missile station. photo below from Barry Davidson. Above from Don Gilham is the JATCRU’s crest. And from Terry Day (via Barry) is this copy of the unit Magazine
you’ll need to reset the zoom setting to view the C-130 cartoon in Timebase, and for younger readers who don’t understand the punch line on Page 14, there was a contemporary advertising campaign for STORK margarine which claimed that “You can’t tell Stork from butter.
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and even earlier the wartime control tower building
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EASOf Bristol Blenheim L1345 at Watton
EASOg Handley Page Hastings of RAF Signals Commands Inspectorate of Radio Services and Installations, (IRIS). This is either Hastings TG560 ‘ IRIS II’ or Hastings C.2, WJ338 “Iris III”.
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Our thanks to Russell Coy-Burt for the following photos of Eastern Radar. Russell thought the photographs were taken by an Airman named Donald Henderson. Its subsequently known these photographs were taken by Norman Henderson, a civilian assistant at Watton from 1975 to 1988 (thanks to Norman and Steve Jones for the update) . The ops room photos were taken in 1988.
Northern and Midland were similar inside and out.
EAS 1Eastern Radar main building
EAS2 Type 82 Radar
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EAS3 Gloster Meteor gate guardian
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this NATS Civil ATC Training Handbook also includes a floor plan of the operations room
Civil North Sea Radar Unit Training Handbook – JATCRU Watton
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EAS7 Civil Cell: Pam Bufton
and here is what a civil North Sea controller needed in terms of knowledge and skills in order to go solo.
North Sea Radar sector controller validation objectives JATCRU Watton
EAS8 Civil Console
EAS9 still from a time lapse film of Eastern Radar created by a piece of kit called the Kelvin Hughes Photographic Projector
Now a new selection of photographs from Dave Wilton
EAS10 The first was taken at Eastern for the presentation of the station crest to Winston Boardman (ATCO2) upon his retirement in May 1987. Left to right: S/L Andy Fagg, W/C Peter Raikes OC Eastern Radar, John Horn (ATCO2), Val Wilton (ATSA2), Dave Wilton (ATCO2), Winston Boardman, Mike Sargent (ATCO2), Mike Frampton (ATCO1, Eastern Civil boss), Bill Hastings (ATCO2), Pat Phillips (secretary), Pam Bufton (ATCO2).
EAS 10a for Colonel read Wing Commander! photo and caption Department of Defense. American Forces Information Service. Defense Visual Information Center.
US Air Force air traffic control officer Captain (CPT) Susanne Hechinger coordinates air traffic from a controller station while British Flight Lieutenant (LT) Mark Wordley looks on at the RAF Watton eastern radar installation for air traffic control operations. The base is jointly used by the British and the US Air Force/Army.
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EAS11 The second was taken during Eastern’s final afternoon duty on Friday 4th March 1988 (myself seated, Val Wilton working the edge-lit board).
EAS12 The third was taken while signing the watch log after the handover to North Sea Sector at West Drayton.
and when it moved here is the provisional LATCC MATS Part 2 for North Sea
MATS pt 2 North Sea Sector Provisional
EAS13 Final ATCO watch-list (top) and an earlier one too from 1985
EAS 14 Another picture taken on the final afternoon. Left to right, Stacey Wilby (ATSA2), Bill Hastings (ATCO2), Tony “Zero” Stephenson (ATSA2), Val Wilton (ATSA2), Dave Pitman (ATSA2), Bill Wright (ATCO2), Bob Johnson (ATSA2) & Paul Winstanley (ATCO2).
EAS15 A day or so after the closure the Eastern (Civil) staff were given a farewell ride around Watton on the horse and cart owned by local removal firm Abel’s. Mike Frampton and Steve Jones seen admiring the horses, while those on the cart include Alan Sandison, Paul Winstanley, Bob Johnson, John Horn, Bill Hastings, Geoff Brown, Stacey Wilby, Pat Phillips, Val Wilton & Barbara Long.
above, a short summary of the career of Eastern’s first CO Sdn Ldr Don Newall RAF via Barry Davidson
EAS 16 Station Plan 1965
plus two downloads. First the above plan as a larger PDF file Watton station plan 1965
and the 1965 RAF Watton Station Brochure 1965 RAF Watton Station Brochure
Terry Clarke , His name was indeed Graham. After retirement from the RAF he became Director of Operations for Tag Aviation at Farnborough. He sadly passed on 30th June 2012 after a difficult 2 year battle with illness.
An Inspiring Leader.
Richard Elwell, The AOC during his tenure was directly involved with Cossor in the development of their CR62 PAR unit. I am sure you enjoyed the ‘accolade’ at Cranwell Tower and also the ‘Dinner’ @
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I would have enjoyed the dinner but for the fact I was on detachment to Waddington. I made it to the dinner, but had to leave after the speeches as I was working at Waddington the following morning!
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Did the USAF control at Eastern? And back in 1989 I met a Sgt AATC who had Watton tower as his first posting in 1965.
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No, when Eastern Radar was an ATCRU, USAF officers were not allowed to control except under close supervision and after completing the RAF Shawbury area radar course. Capt Suzanne Heckinger had done that course, and she is shown controlling under Mark Wordley’s supervision.
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In addition the closure ceremony was signed off by Air Commodore G Wood. AOC ATC Operations. the flypast was executed by 4 Canberra from 360 Sqn Raf Wyton and the Band of the Royal College Cranwell played ‘Sunset’ during the flypast. life with all its twists and turns allows room to look back and realise ‘They were the best of times’
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Would that be Air Cdre Grahame Wood?
If so, he became Airport Director at Farnborough after he retired from the RAF and we had several friendly ‘shouting’ sessions, me being ATC Ops Mgr and 2nd I/C to the Manager ATS!
We also collaborated in the transition from military to civil ATC and airfield operations.
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360 Sqn were formed at Watton, hence the reason for them doing the flypast. I met Air Commodore Wood just before he left the RAF when he visited the tower at Cranwell. A few months later we realised why hed visited when it was announced that wed won the Cossor trophy.
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In answer to your question Dan Smith. the official Closure Ceremony was held at Border Radar Ops Building on 27th November 1992. I have my booklet that was signed by all my Controller and Assistant colleagues and signed by Sqn Ldr Rush .
A great experience with wonderful folks and Sqn Ldr Mike Rush was a fantastic OC indeed
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Looking at Google satellite maps of Northern and Midland radars, I have found both the radar head and the Ops room buildings. Having been stationed at both – lucky me – I knew where to look. However, I can’t find any trace on the maps of the buildings housing Eastern at Watton. Have they been demolished, or am I looking in the wrong place? I assume they were essentially the same.
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I would guess that they have been demolished. From what I can gather most of RAF Watton has been demolished.
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And there was a clip of RAF Watton from the mid fifties on BBC2 on Saturday night. It was part of a tribute to the first fifty years of the BBC. It was the first time the BBC ever did a broadcast live from an aircraft. I have seen the whole programme (and its rare to see programmes from the fifties) on you tube.
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I was I visited Watton in November 2019. The Ops building and radar head were gone. The officers/sergeants mess had just been pulled down and all the hangars were gone.
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The T 82 building and the ERD Ops building were demolished about 20 years ago. It’s been built on, but if you find “Eastern Drive” on a map of Watton, that goes through the old site
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Anyone remember sacw Claire Collingwood 1968/69?
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Maurice R Heard Eastern Radar Watton 1969/70—I don’t remember sacw collingwood but I remember a blonde girl sacw Swan can’t think of her first name but we all used to hang out in the civvy cafe just up the road from camp , hope this helps
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Maurice R Heard
Eastern Radar. Stationed RAF Watton—1970/1972
What a walk up and down that road in all weathers!
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Lovely pictures. Brings back memories.
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RAF Crest is not the JATCRU Watton one – I have a photo of it somewhere Jon !
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Circa 1991 Eastern Radar closed, and Border moved here from Boulmer still using the Border callsign.
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Border Radar moved into the Watton ops room in late 1989 and closed in December 1992. The unit kept its operational area using the Claxby and Great Dunn Fell Radars, or 180 degrees of each. Great fun
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Anybody remember what the actual last day of JATCRU at Watton was?
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Thanks for that. Mind you it does beg the question as to why Border moved to Watton?
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A hi to all from my Eastern Days. Nice Memories
Best Wishes Stacey
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Mike Sargent transferred from Northern Radar, Lindholme, another T82 JATCRU, which was very similar inside except that NATS staff occupied 3 radar positions (Mainland, North Sea (joint with Watton) and Northern Joint Radar Service Area – forerunner of Pennine Radar – operated jointly with Boulmer aka Border Radar.
After the closure of the civil task at Watton, Pam Bufton was posted to Farnborough before moving on to the college.
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The unnamed Wing Commander in EAS10 is Wing Commander Peter Raikes.
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What A wonderful person he was!!?
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Jon, here in Northern Michigan, it is cold (28°F), snowing and generally miserable. Your comment just made my day 🙂
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These photographs were taken by Norman Henderson, a civilian assistant at Watton from 1975 to 1988.
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Photo’s in fact taken by civil ATSA Norman Henderson.
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Thanks Steve
atchistory
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Hi Steve, good to hear from you.
Norm
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Yes it is Pam Bufton! I have similar photographs taken in the last days!
Colin Smith ex Northern Radar, Stanstead, Belfast, West Drayton, Eastern Radar, Boscombe Down, Manchester and ex Head of ATC MoD (PE)
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Yes, these photos were taken by me, Norman Henderson, a civil ATSA at Watton. Hi Steve, good to hear from you.
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eas10b. Flight Lt (actually the USAF equivalent is Captain!) Mark Wordley was SATCO Cranwell when I first got there. I think he ended up as a Group Captain.
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