H Block - Britain's Forgotten Military Barrack

H Block is a military accommodation from the Cold War era. Deemed obsolete in the late 1990's by top brass as Single Living Accommodation was being rolled out as the future of Military Accommodation. We delve in to the basement of this forgotten structure and re imagine life in the barrack block.
Transcript;
This is a former accommodation block at the now disused and forgotten Royal Air Force Binbrook in Lincolnshire England.
RAF Binbrook featured in the 1990 Movie Memphis Belle, guised as a USAAF base.
Originally Opening in early wartime Britain. 1940 saw Royal Air Force Binbrook begin its life as a Bomber Command Station with No 12 Squadron flying Vickers Wellington Bombers.
The Vickers Wellington was a a British twin-engined, long-range medium bomber, which had great success from the grass flightline and runways that Binbrook offered.
In 1942, Concrete runways were added to facilitate operating heavier four engine bombers such as the Handley Page Halifax and Avro Lancaster.
After the War, Binbrook transitioned to the Jet Powered first wave of English Electric Canberra’s,
In 1959 the bombers left and the fighter squadrons made Binbrook their home which included Gloucester Javelin and the speedy English Electric Lighting from 1965.
Lightnings operated at Binbrook until their Royal Air Force retirement in 1988.
RAF Binbrook closed as an Air Force Base in 1995 and the site was sold. It is now a home to Industrial use and the home of the Lightning Society. Link to their website is in the description box.
Given the name H block due to their shape from above, this type of accommodation was the mainstay of military accommodation for the lower ranks of the British military from the 1950’s.
In modern times Other than for initial entry training, the Ministry of Defence has phased out H block messdeck style accommodation, for unaccompanied service personnel, Single living Accommodation has been constructed with a net zero vision across the Defence Estate.
Presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Defence, The UK Armed Forces
Defence Accommodation Strategy, set a vision to provide a high-quality,
flexible accommodation to our Service personnel to support operational effectiveness.
In spring 2020, it was estimated that around 44% of the total Armed Forces were living in single living accommodation across the defence estate.
Lightning Association; www.lightningassociation.co.uk/
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Thank You for Watching :)

[@lonewolfhamradio]

My first H block was in basic training at RAF Swinderby, I remember scraping the floor with a 2p coin to remove the polish and then reapplying it. Basic training was hard but only 6 weeks long.

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Good times. Dave went to Swinderby

[@lonewolfhamradio]

I think its been cleared now@@ALWResearchTeam

[@markbooth1117]

I remember that. I was at Swinderby in 1984.

[@petermitchell6348]

I was there April 73.

[@barbhenderson4867]

Such a shame they’re rotting away, thanks guys xx

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Our pleasure!

[@markatoole4627]

Hi Andrew it's nice to see Dave back in Ur videos

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Hi there, exploring Dave will be in many more coming soon :)

[@Simon_W74]

I was at RAF Binbrook for the Farewell Flight to the Lightning. I was there with My Grandad and Dad both Ex Halton Brats, both working on Engines. We where based at Waddington at the time. I nearly made it three in a row, but thanks to Defense cuts I never got past the Aptitude test, and being excepted to join once the medical was complete stage. I did join up , just the Army instead. So I did experience life in a H b Block, Driver training at Leconfield Airfield and Wattisham Airfield before leaving the Army. Leconfield was a 10 or 12 man room and Wattisham they had been converted to single man rooms. We even had to share with Girls. Didn't like that it was weird. I think these places just highlight how much of a mess has been made of our Armed Forces. It is so sad to see them in such a horrendous stage and then the size of our Forces today reflects them mess that Defense Cuts have made. I think the Army is now the size the RAF was when I left in 2000.

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Yes the savage cuts are leaving the armed forces too lightly manned and equipped with the same top brass mistakes being repeated time after time.

[@user-TonyUK]

I often used to cycle out to RAF Binbrook from Grimsby to watch the Quick Reaction Takeoffs to interccept any incoming "unusual flights" in the 1960s or out to RAF Scampton to watch the Vulcans take off

[@ALWResearchTeam]

oooh good times

[@The_Modeling_Underdog]

RAF Binbrook. Lots of history at the place. It was there that 12 Squadron reformed after being savaged over Belgium... by receiving more Battles. The countryside around the place certainly looks beautiful. Could easily fit an agricultural research facility inside the premises, to put the place to good use. Alas, I digress. Glad to see Dave back out there exploring again. Cheers, mate.

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Hello there :) Binbrook certainly has a lot of forgotten stories

[@IKS-Exploration]

amazing video folk :)

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Thank you kindly

[@UrbanFoxyTheExplorer]

I’m so glad you uploaded this explore… I only came across this by accident, so I’m loving the details and more info 😊

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Hi there, yes thanks for reminding me about it :)

[@Peter.w]

Hate to see these buildings getting ransacked by vandals.

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Yep me too

[@petermitchell6348]

Binbrook was my last unit before discharge in April 1985.

[@ALWResearchTeam]

I would have liked to see the station back then. Thanks for watching

[@john07973]

Good stuff 👍🏻

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Glad you enjoyed 😃

[@ThomassGamingAdventures]

oooooh fancy

[@rosshilton]

H Blocks were not bad accommodation, certainly better than the wood or corrugated iron huts that preceeded them.

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Indeed :)

[@jeffdayman8183]

Maybe the armed forces housing committee moved on to an 'I' layout from the 'H'. Progress rolls ahead! 8^) Liked the video. Cheers.

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Yes maybe so lol :)

[@fergusmccall608]

Basic Recruit Training No 19 Flight 1st Floor Nicholson Block RAF Swinderby Nov 76. Was it really 47 years ago? 😬 Fond

[@ALWResearchTeam]

wow good times :) Time does fly by if it is allowed to

[@martinowl]

Good luck to anyone that tries to demolish the H blocks. I’m sure they are bomb proof or blast proof.

[@ALWResearchTeam]

They sure are well made

[@anthonydefreitas6006]

👍

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Thanks Anthony

[@oldbloke8816]

I was based there until it closed. 5 sqn then 9 sqn.

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Did you enjoy your time there?

[@sapper82]

Refurbished, that would make excellent accommodation for the illegal immigrants landing on our shore, especially if it was given a high security fence to keep them in.

[@ALWResearchTeam]

True but Not Allowed 😵‍💫

[@bertiewooster3326]

Don't bother to refurbish for illegals.

[@urbanfox53]

Yep, ideal accomoďation for illegal immigrants.

[@ALWResearchTeam]

It could certainly be renovated and re used. I don’t miss living in messdecks