RAF Ibsley Watch Office

From its runways airmen flew out into hostile skies

From 1941 to 1944 both the RAF and USAAF saw active service at Ibsley. A series of fighter squadrons were stationed there, Hurricane and Spitfire aircraft fuelled and at the ready to fly out over the English Channel to protect ships, attack infrastructure and intercept hostile aircraft. It was here that during the punishing first years of the war, Lesley Howard and David Niven made the seminal war film The First of the Few or for its American release Spitfire – designed to inspire confidence that, thanks to the exceptional qualities of the Spitfire, Britain could prevail.

RAF Ibsley is considered one of the best surviving and most at-risk examples of a Second World War Watch Office by the Airfield Research Group. It is a rare surviving example of its type, with a Meteorological Section, large Crittall windows and a slender concrete viewing balcony.

80 years on, the roar of Spitfires and Thunderbolts has been replaced by birdsong, and the asphalt runways by the peace of a nature reserve.

The Watch Office could make a comfortable, thought-provoking Landmark for eight. The original large Control Room would become a shared space for living, cooking and eating, making the most of the panoramic views of sky and landscape. The cylinder store in the stair tower will be adapted to install a lift, ensuring that the whole building is accessible to all.

RAF Ibsley Watch Office’s survival is remarkable, but it is in a state of extreme dereliction. Badly vandalised, with its structure crumbling after many years of neglect, it will soon be too late to save it from decay or demolition.

Help us bring this fragment of wartime history back from the brink of collapse.

Donate to save this historic building 

A series of squadrons were stationed at Ibsley throughout the war, their aircraft fuelled and ready to fly out over the Channel at a moment’s notice to protect ships, attack infrastructure and intercept hostile aircraft. Initially a fighter station for Spitfires, at its height in 1943 under the USAAF the airfield held over 150 P-47 Thunderbolt fighter bombers. They were supported by around 3,000 personnel living in requisitioned houses and purpose-built dispersed accommodation around the airfield’s perimeter.

The Ibsley Watch Office was a late evolution of standard Second World War designs, combining air traffic control with the collection of meteorological data. Hydrogen to fill the weather balloons was piped up from the ground floor to the roof.

“Although it had a very short life, what a life it has to tell, as both an RAF Fighter Station and United States Army Air Force Fighter base…what a magnificent contribution Ibsley made to the defence of England in those turbulent wartime days.”

Wing Commander Christopher ‘Bunny’ F Currant, DSO, DFC and Bar, Croix de Guerre (1911-2006), Station Commander at RAF Ibsley 1941-42 (Foreword, So Much Sadness, So Much Fun, 2002, RAF Ibsley Historical Group)

Hollywood came to Ibsley in 1941

RAF Ibsley played a key part in the campaign to sustain national morale as the location of Leslie Howard’s celebrated film about the invention of the Spitfire, The First of the Few. The film (released in the United States as Spitfire) was filmed at the airfield. First World War veteran and screen idol Leslie Howard both directed and starred as R J Mitchell, designer of the Spitfire. David Niven co-starred as Mitchell’s courageous test pilot. Serving personnel, including Squadron Leader Christopher ‘Bunny’ Currant and other RAF pilots appear in the film, flying aircraft and taking on minor speaking roles, with filming periodically interrupted when they were scrambled for action. The film premiered at Leicester Square on 10 August 1942 to widespread acclaim. Two years later, Leslie Howard was killed when his passenger flight was shot down by the Luftwaffe over the Bay of Biscay.

Post-War years

After the war, the airfield served as a USAAF flight school and then, from 1951 to 1955, as the circuit for the Ringwood Motor Cycle and Light Car Club. The runways and hardstanding were later removed for use as hardcore aggregate and the site was dug for gravel extraction. The disused gravel pits, long since filled with water, are now the scenic Blashford Lakes, designated as a protected nature reserve.

A chance to save this monument to human courage

With your support, the Landmark Trust could give RAF Ibsley Watch Office a new lease of life. Together, we can ensure that the building stands proud for many years to come, as a fitting memorial to those who fought, and in many cases died, in defence of their country and its values.

Donate to save this historic building

With your support, the Watch Office can be saved from dereliction to become a comfortable, thought-provoking place for eight people to stay.

The original, large Control Room on the first floor will become a shared space for living, cooking and eating – making the most of the panoramic views of sky and landscape, with access to the concrete balcony which once overlooked the busy airfield. The cylinder store in the stair tower, from which hydrogen to inflate weather balloons was piped up to the roof, will be adapted to install a lift to the first floor and the roof, ensuring that the whole building is accessible to all.

Built of concrete-rendered brickwork and with single-glazed windows, the Watch Office of the 1940s would have been cold by today’s standards. We plan to add external insulation to improve its energy efficiency, leaving the original ceiling heights unchanged and altering the window and door openings as little as possible. The internal walls will keep their wartime finish of painted brick and cement, with wall-mounted services, ducting and light-switches carefully chosen to match the details that survive from the war years.

Proposed floor plans

Supporters of RAF Ibsley Watch Office

We are hugely grateful to the 1,226 supporters who have given so generously to support the restoration of RAF Ibsley Watch Office. They include:

Members of the Spitfire Circle

Sue Andrew, The Sargent Charitable Trust, The Adrian Swire Charitable Trust

Guardians of RAF Ibsley and other lead supporters

Stuart Ansell, in memory of George and Judy Ray, Alan Baker and Susan Darling, Mrs Myfanwy Bargh in memory of George T Bargh, Mrs Francelle Bradford in memory of Frank Bradshaw White, Dr John and Mrs Judy Bull, Susan Cook in memory of Don and Dorothy Cook, Martin and Linda Dixon, Philippa Maitland Dougall, Mr and Mrs L Enriquez, Susan Hands, Malcolm and Liz Holliday in memory of Richard James Chapman and Shirley Mae Chapman, Mr and Mrs F Ledden, Neil and Debra Merry, James Miller, CBE, Bruce and Ann Moxley, Rev James and Rev Sue Pitkin, Michael Power, Stephen Record, Marc Seale, Ian Seaton, Annette Seekings, Michael Simms, Susan Simms, John and Pauline Thompson, Professor Bill Tsutsui and Dr Marjorie Swann, John David Valentine Valentine, David Warder

Patrons and other generous individuals

Donald Amlot, Dr Sara Arber, Richard Baker, David Brine, Robert Brown, Hugh Bullock, Mr M Caporn, Roderick Chapman, Morag Chisholm, Stephen Conrad, James Darycott, Mrs E F de Iongh, Jed Falby, Michelle Farrington, Jan Filius, Doreen Ford, Peter Ford, Helen Gordon, Mrs S Hands, David Holberton, Mr G Jennings, Richard and Elizabeth Jurd, Neil & Wendy Kingon, Dr Ian and Mrs Catherine Lee, Chris Lewis-Jones, Nigel Lodge, Barry Preston, Dr Alexander Pym, Philip Strangeway, Mr B R Wells

Gifts in Wills and in memory

The late David and Clare Griffin, The late Julie McCartney, The late Angela Harris

Charitable trusts, foundations and organisations

The Aall Foundation, The HB Allen Fund, Gunter Charitable Trust, Leslie Mary Carter Charitable Trust, The Pym Family Foundation, Syder Foundation, The Thomas Rawcliffe Charitable Trust

We thank all who have supported the appeal so far, including other Guardians, Patrons and trusts, and those have chosen to remain anonymous, along with the hundreds of other supporters, many of whom shared wartime memories with us. You can read some of those here.