Waddo Brain Freeze
 

I was having a "Pull up a sand bag" session with an aero modelling buddy and I got to reminise about the RAFMAA. One part of the conversation was regarding the facilities we had at Waddo and it has been bugging me that I can't remember the name of the building were we had our club room so wandering if anybody on the forum remembers. I'm talking about late 60's early 70's and it was turn left at the Guard Room on the main road and the building was situated on the right hand side of the road, it was a large building and looked to have maybe been an officers mess in times gone by. I can remember the spiral staircase inside and also other associations/societies having facilities based there. I also remember the building had the word House in its title.

Newall House, the former Officers Mess. Still there. The Station Church building was the former dining room for the OM building.

CC

I believe that could be the large building which was empty in 1953 at the time when I was 10 years old and resident in airmens' married quarters. My father was a F/Sgt in 61 Sqn. I was very good at climbing drainpipes at that time, and got up on the roof for a wander round. I and my fellow climbers didn't realise that the roof was in plain view of the guardroom, and was soon ordered down and taken to the guardroom for a very painful interview by my father. I had difficulty walking for a few days afterwards!

Caped Crusader is Correct - the building is called Newall House and was built in 1929 as a new Officers' Mess for 503 Special Reserve Squadron which was based at Waddington at the time (The old Officers' Mess from WW1 was a wooden affair on High Dyke close to where the current day Memorial Garden sits). The current Officers' Mess was built between 1935-37 when the new technical site was built, and Newall House became the living quarters for the WAAFs during WW2 (The Waafery). It is Waddington's oldest surviving building and is currently the Families Centre with the HIVE, creche etc.


http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafwaddington/...A36B35629B.jpg

Many thanks guys for the swift replies, the photo certainly brings the memories back. My brain is now unfrozen.

Yes, EGPF now at a balmy +4C!