Old home territory for me as well. Cycled past the former main gate to school in the 1960s.
Never understood why it was called "RAF West Kirby", nowhere near, must have been to fool the enemy ! Why not RAF Greasby ? And "Belsen-by-sea" ? It wasn't too close to the sea either. Best part of an hour's walk to either. When did it close ? Seems to have been gone by the early 1960s (was it a National Service training base ?), although Saughall Massie Road alongside is still known as "the camp road" to older inhabitants.
Never knew any aircraft were there.
The "RAF houses" (I presume they are sold now) to the west of Pump Lane are typical immediate post-war government/local authority housing designs taken from the 1947 Housing Handbook. This was a set of architects drawings produced centrally, using standard materials, which a builder could just work to. They are not "pre-fabs". Quite a good idea for dealing with the post war housing shortage, notwithstanding that they all look the same all over the country, and you have to watch for any asbestos specified in the insulation. They have obviously stood the test of time better than 1970s council estate structures.
The labour might have included PoWs but they would need managing, materials ordering, etc. I think you may find the local building firm of Tottey & Capper could have been involved. Apparently the company is still around, though doubt any records are.
Regarding PoW labour in 1949, this was when the last few were reptriated, but a significant number, particularly Italians, chose to remain in the UK as normal employees, so it could also have been ex-PoW labour.
Last edited by WHBM; 10th Dec 2009 at 15:42.