RAF Milton/RAF Woodcote

[tmmorris]

Discovered the existence of two former MUs in my area today - never knew they existed:

RAF Woodcote, on the road from Reading to Oxford
RAF Milton - (Berkshire) - where exactly was that?

Anyone know where I can find out more, especially about Milton? There's a good site about Woodcote here:

http://www.sadoldgit.com/b/index.html

(nice URL!)

Tim

[airborne_artist]

RAF Milton was probably on what is now called Milton Park? You can still see some of the former MoD buildings round the back.

[Airborne Aircrew]

Milton was indeed Milton Park. Prior to that it was known as Milton Trading Estate in the early 1970's. My bus used to go past it every day on the way to school. It got "upgraded" to Milton Park sometime during the 80's IIRC.

[The B Word]

For more sad decline of the UK's defence infrastructure see the following:

Military Sites - UK Urban Exploration Forums (http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=5&order=desc)

Enough to make me weep :{

[stackedup]

Milton started as an Army storage depot for ammunition during WW1. I don't know when it became 3MU but all the roads were railway lines in the dim and distant past.

[David Sherwill]

Hi Tim
I know it’s a long time since you posted your question on the 4th. August last year, but I was stationed at RAF 3MU, Milton from July 1952 until I was demobbed on the 12th October 1953. No wonder you could not find much information about the station, it was very small. There were about 30 officers on the site, officer in charge was Sqn.Ldr (I think) T.C, Downey of the Australian Air Force these officers mostly worked at nearby RAF Shrivenham. There were only 2 airmen on the site, myself and AC1 Fred Midwood who came from Southampton. I was the Adjutant’s dog’s body, He was a Flt. Lt. Forester Rtd. and between the 3 of us we were responsible for the admin side for other small stations nearby, Kingston Bagpuize, Grove and Wantage which were basically stores, possibly bombs. These were small units but were able to make up quite a useful 7 a side football team, one member of which eventually played for Wales. Milton was a huge site with some 2000 civilian workers and stretched about 2 miles to Didcot. Whilst I was there it even warranted a visit from the BBC Workers Playtime.
As you can imagine I was through my day’s work by 10.am and as a keen photographer I set up a business developing and printing the films of the civilian workers. It was a fantastic posting for me I lived in Reading and had a living out pass, I picked up an RAF coach at Reading station at 6.30am which was provided for the civilian workers. I occasionally lived in, there was a choice of some 30 rooms in what was the old Officers Mess. I even had the use of a full size snooker table, but it was boring playing oneself as Fred got fed up being beaten. Had I known that snooker was going to be such money making game I should have used my time at Milton to practice every day. Fred and I dined at the Officers Mess just up the hill from the Station. Once a week I travelled to RAF Abingdon to collect all the pay for the airmen at the other stations attached to 3MU.
I visited Milton a few years ago, the main building was as I remembered it, but the rest of the buildings had vanished and it is now quite a busy industrial unit. I was fortunate to have such a posting and it helped to pass the 3 years of my regular service.

[tmmorris]

Was the Officers' Mess on Milton Heights (now overlooking the A34 junction)? Did you go up to have a look? (see here http://www.multimap.com/s/tGoarx9X)

Tim

[David Sherwill]

Hi Tim
It was a long time age. The airmens' billets were beside the main GWR railway line. I remember that at lunch time walking over the railway bridge and the Mess was a little further up the hill on the left hand side.
Just a bit more background outside the main entrance to the office buildings was a wooden motor cycle workshop the owner collected old bikes and I believe he was quite well known for his racing efforts. I do have somewhere in my collection of over 1,00,000 negatives and slides a photograph I took of the main office with flag flying, if it is of any interest I could dig it out and send it to you if you can let me have your e-mail address.
Best wishes,
David

[Darnreb]

I was interested to read comments on Milton's RAF Depot's,
Because of my age I am perhaps able to give a little more insight into the history
At the age of 16/17 I worked at No: 3 RAF Milton as a wireless electrical Mechanic or (WEM) as was the proper RAF grade .

I was there from 1942 until the end of the war It was a large RAF storage depot built at the end of the Army depot at the Didcot end.

Apart from storage, we WEM's had an unending task of modifying and upgrading new aircraft wireless equipment, even though it had never yet been installed in aircraft.

I had obtained my qualifications by taking a Radio - City and Guilds examinations at Polytechnic institutes in London, then upon applying for enrolment in the RAF told I was under age for service and was directed to serve as a civilian technition attached to the RAF

The RAF depot consisted of about 50 large hanger type buildings for light industry and storage.

Hope this info is of use

Darnreb

[Roo82]

Hello Danreb,

I found the information you posted about Milton's RAF Depot really interesting, I have lived in the area for years and hadn't known there was such a facility at Milton.

I'm currently researching my family history and have recently found out that my Great Grandfather, James Douglas, worked at the depot for (we think) over 25 years. He retired in around 1952 and received the Imperial Service Medal in recognition of this.

We were just wondering if you knew of him and could tell us anthing about his work?

Thank you.

Rachel

[ColinB]

David
I spend a lot of time researching and interpreting various records but nothing even approaches oral histories or personal reminiscences. I think your description of the small forgotten outpost of Milton 57 years ago is just terrific.

[exbluejob]

See here...

History of RAF Woodcote Maintenance Unit Goring Heath 70 MU 1941-1959" (http://www.mycetes.co.uk/b/index.html)

which looking at the URL, no doubt replaces the sadoldgit URL.

and I have, if anyone is interested, a photo of my Mum (18) with workmates at 3 MU, 1940. Might be of use to someone...?

regards,

[pebox]

Not sure if this is of any interest or not - many years have passed since it was first raised.
Origins
Didcot was in a strategic position as far as railways were concerned offering easy access to all parts of the country (pre-Beeching). Recognising its important position the Army began to construct an Ordnance Depot to the north-west of the village in 1915. The supply of equipment for the Royal Flying Corps was initially handled by Army Ordnance but the changing requirements of a rapidly expanding flying service led to a number of separate depots being set up, eventually under the direct control of the RFC The First was at Farnborough, the second at Greenwich and what became Milton was the third.
Half of the almost complete Ordnance Depot at Didcot was transferred to the new depot which was to take the name Milton (Steventon); it opened in April 1916 to service the needs of RFC (and subsequently RAF) flying training stations, which locally included Upper Heyford, Bicester, Witney, Weston-on-the-Green and Oxford (Port Meadow).

Officially, by the end of WWI, it was 3 Stores Depot, South-Eastern Area, RAF, but known locally as Milton Stores Depot, or just plain Milton Depot. Rapid contraction of the RAF after the war led to a reduction in the number of depots required to support it; Milton was one of three to survive, later it was re-designated 3 MU. The others were Kidbrooke (No 1), Ickenham (No 4) and later a forth was added - Altrincham (No 2).

[apritchard]

I just came across this thread. I know it is old, but in case anyone is interested.

I lived on RAF Milton from around 1950 or 1951 to around 1956. In a bungalow on the left hand side as you entered the base from Sutton Courtenay.
My father (Frank Pritchard) was in the Air Ministry Works Department - a civilian outfit responsible for RAF base maintenance.
It was a brilliant place to live as it was primarily as storage depot. Plenty of interesting things for a 10 year old to explore. Running along lengths of PSP, sitting in rear gun turrets, etc.

I went to Sutton Courtenay primary school and then Abingdon School.
We left the base when my father moved to RAF Upper Heyford.