February 2001
1. Avocet Mews
2. Audio-video shop
3. BX Entrance
4. BX at RAF Bentwaters
5. The bank, on the eastern edge of Brown Plaza
6. Signage inside the BX entrance hall
7. Commissary on the domestic side, RAF Bentwaters.
8. The Commissary parking lot - the planting is taking control.
9. Sign on the door to the commissary.
10. Detail of the sign on the commissary door - showing that the shopping cart
was made by United Steel and Wire Company, Battle Creek, Michigan.
11. Unloading bay, at the back of the commissary.
12. Sign on the commissary door "Defense commissary agency" with the motto "Quality first people always."
13. Parking lot by the commissary. You might remember the large tree.
14. Donut shop, in front of the two water towers.
15. Gas station, on the east side of the town square, or "Brown Plaza", on the domestic side, RAF Bentwaters.
David Galvan adds "the square is Brown Plaza. Thus named for Lester Brown who was promoted to Brig. Gen and departed in 1986/7 time. I was the last American to leave the base (although someone from the commissary claims this) I was driving lorries for the supply sq. and myself and the RAF Commander locked the doors at 1530 hrs."
As Evidence of the naming of Brown Plaza, there once was a copper plate fixed to a brick-built plinth across the road from the gas station, near the phone boxes. The plinth has gone, the plate has gone. But I have a picture...
16. Plaque describing the origins of "Brown Plaza."
17. OK it's cheap, but did you earn as much then?
18. Sign on the door of the laundromat on Brown Plaza.
19. This 81st insignia is woven into the carpet in the entrance hall of
the Mission Support Center.
20. That huge old Nissen hut is still there! (Was, in 2002, gone now) But it has been hit by a
falling tree.
21. The dead tree that has fallen onto this interesting building.
Ron Burrell says "That was once the recreation centre. American Express had a travel office in the end of it when I was last there in the 1980's"
27.
Looks like some foreign chaps have been here!
This sticker was over the entrance door to the Open Mess.
Ron Burrell says "The base deployed aircraft to Rimini Italy in the 1980's. Probably 1983 from looking at it. I was there then :-) but never made it to Rimini.
"Steve Dobbs added "...decal left on the entrance door to the chow hall was probably left there by someone that worked with the 83rd SAR (Search And Rescue), Rimini, Italy.
Some links with info about the 83rd SAR (some are in Italian)
http://www.thesoundnet.it/canisalvataggio/manuale/cap4_01_2.html
http://digilander.iol.it/dbmontello/News2/Newsaeronautica341.htm
http://www.aeronautica.difesa.it/SMA/1Rep/1U/Ordinamento/csa.asp
http://www.apologia.sk/archiv/99/1-99/Talianske1.htm
http://membres.lycos.fr/bas/TLP/mtlp20005.htm
http://www.aeronautica.difesa.it/InternalCom/
28. This is a bit
of a scoop picture - an interior shot of the Essex Room in the Open Mess.
29. Another scoop
picture - an interior shot of the bar in the Norfolk Room in the Open
Mess.
30. The parking
lot in the "town square," named Brown Plaza.
31. Square chimney.
32. What is this
building with its unusual square staggered chimney?
Ron Burrell says "I believe that this was the steam plant for this side of the domestic area."
MSgt Mike Escobar (now at Lakenheath) says "Bentwaters was my first Duty assignment from 78-81. These pictures are of the boiler room for the Laundromat (the old one that was next to this building - replaced across the way by a newer one before I left). I used to stumble past this building on my way to the dorms from the Club."