the Commandant was "Gus" Walker.
I was lucky enough to meet him once - what a character! He only had one arm and I just found out why. In 1942, he was pulling incendiary bombs out of a burning Lancaster trying to prevent the 4,000lb cookie from going off. Unfortunately, it did removing his arm in the process. Fortunately, it didn't take his life. But when this happened, he was the Station Commander at Syerston. They don't make them like Gus these days.
A real shame about the Mess.