RAF Compton Bassett

RAF Compton Basset was an RAF base situated in Wiltshire, England.

Operational base

First opened as an air base in World War I, like RAF Yatesbury it continued operations in the interwar years before again taking on a major role in World War 2. During the Second World War, RAF Yatesbury and RAF Compton Bassett were major Radio and Radar Training Schools, RAF Townsend a satellite landing ground and RAF Cherhill was 27 Group Headquarters Technical Training Command. [ [http://www.rafyatesbury.co.uk/yaindex.html Welcome to the Yatesbury Association ] ]

After the WW2, it became home of the Number 3 Radio School, which in the 1950s trained later washing machine entrepreneur John Bloom, [citeweb|url=http://vican.blogspot.com/|title=Life & Times of Donald Charles Williams|publisher=Donald Charles Williams|accessdate=2008-04-12] The local coach company "Cards" of Devizes provided contracted coaches to the RAF, which on a Saturday afternoon would take the airmen to London on their 36 hour passes. Bloom decided with a friend who ran a coach company in Stoke Newington that they could underprice the Card/RAF's coaches. When "Cards" took Bloom to court, the judge upheld Bloom with a declaration that became Bloom's motto: "It's no sin to make a profit."citeweb|url=http://aolsvc.timeforkids.kol.aol.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,939283,00.html|title=Bloom at the Top|publisher=Time Magazine|date=October 13, 1961|accessdate=2008-04-12] Bloom was later posted to Bletchley Park and then managed to get a posting to Bush House in the Aldwych.

USAF housing

After the station closed in the 1960s, the housing around the airbase continued to be used after the main base had shut by RAF staff working at RAF Lyneham and other West country RAF bases. In the 1980s the housing was used for United States Air Force personnel stationed at US airbases such as RAF Fairford. The housing has now been sold to private buyers.

Present

RAF Compton Bassett is now known as Lower Compton, after the petitioning of the residents for a separate name, due to the fact it actually lies two miles from the village of Compton Bassett.

References