House for sale with back garden that you can land a bomber in! Three-bed that backs onto historic RAF airbase is on the market for £850,000
- Property is one of 13 former MOD buildings of RAF Graveley in Cambridgeshire
- The base was home to the legendary 35 Squadron Pathfinder Force in WW2
A three-bedroom house which has a historic RAF base as its back garden has gone on the market for £850,000.
The property is one of 13 former Ministry of Defence buildings that formed RAF Graveley – home to the legendary 35 Squadron Pathfinder Force in World War Two.
The buildings, which include a dance hall where big band leader reportedly played in, have been largely untouched since they were built more than 80 years ago.
They also include the old sergeant’s mess, cinema, kitchens, classrooms and sick quarters. There are also six concrete blast shelters and some timber garden sheds.
The buildings are now being sold along with a 1960s house and five acres of land in Graveley, Cambridgeshire.
A three-bedroom house which has a historic RAF base as its back garden has gone on the market for £850,000
The property is one of 13 former Ministry of Defence buildings that formed RAF Graveley (pictured) – home to the legendary 35 Squadron Pathfinder Force in World War Two
The buildings, which include a dance hall where big band leader reportedly played in, have been largely untouched since they were built more than 80 years ago
One of three bedrooms inside the 1960s house in Graveley, Cambridgeshire
Work started on RAF Graveley in 1941 and it opened as an operational base in March 1942, with 35 Squadron moving there in the August.
The squadron was the first to use the Handley Page Halifax aircraft and one of five squadrons selected to create the Pathfinder Force, which located and marked target with flares to lead the way for the main bomber force.
The Pathfinder Force went on to lead almost every raid over occupied France.
Post-war, the airfield was used as a relief landing ground for a flying school before the airfield closed in 1968.
John Hedges bought the property in 1973 and has lived there ever since but is now looking to downsize to a bungalow.
He said in the past he often got visits from former airmen who shared their memories about their time there.
Mr Hedges, 80, said: ‘The old bomber crews used to come round reminiscing about their experiences. One of them told me Glenn Miller visited the dance hall, Winston Churchill came here as well apparently.
‘I sometimes still get people from all over the world whose father or grandfather flew from RAF Graveley during the war. It was quite an important site because of the Pathfinders.
‘I kept pigs for fattening for about ten years so I used some of the old army buildings for that as I kept 1,500 pigs.
Work started on RAF Graveley in 1941 and it opened as an operational base in March 1942, with 35 Squadron moving there in the August (Pictured: a Lancaster Heavy Bomber)
Outside of the house are well kept gardens, a summer house and garden sheds
A spacious kitchen inside the £850,000 property provides plenty of space for cooking
This homely living room is the perfect place to relax on an evening and has plenty of space to entertain guests
There is also a cozy study area in the house for prospective buyers
One of the rooms features a stone fireplace which comes in ahndy during the winter
One of the three bedrooms in the house features a double bed and a large TV
A bathroom inside the house provides a seaside asthetic with a full size bath and wooden floors
This bedroom has a picturesque view of the gardens outside the house
‘Some of the buildings are still exactly as they were when it was an army base, the cinema and projection room are still there.
‘I think some people would like to see it kept as a museum, the buildings are not in a bad shape. It would be nice if it was but it needs a younger man than me to keep it going.’
The house has 1,676sq ft of accommodation with a kitchen, sitting room, dining room, garden room, three bedrooms and a bathroom.
Surrounding the house are well kept gardens, a summer house and garden sheds.
Beyond that are the former MOD buildings, totalling 22,000 sq ft.
Glenn Miller, whose hits include Moonlight Serenade, In the Mood and Little Brown Jug, is reputed to have visited the dance hall sometime in the latter half of 1944.
Miller was the best-selling recording artist from 1939 to 1942, in just four years he and his band scored 17 number one records and 59 top ten hits, which is more than Elvis Presley and the Beatles did in their careers.
At this peak in his career he gave up his civilian band to join the Army in October 1942. Major Miller arrived in the UK shortly after D-Day with his Army Air Forces Band and played at airfields across England to boost the Allied troops morale.
They performed more than 800 times on British soil between June and December 1944 until Miller was killed, aged 40.
There are six concrete blast shelters in the historic RAF base which opened as an operational base in March 1942
The former MOD buildings span a total 22,000 square feet
Inside one of the concrete blast buildings there is plenty of space to store all sorts of gardeing and garage equipment
One of the ex-MOD buildings features corregated steel roofing
There is also a tractor inside one of the buildings at the former RAF base
A number of rally cars and car parts pictured inside one of the buildings at the base
He took off in a light aircraft on December 15 to fly to Paris and make arrangements for concerts there before the rest of the band flew out.
But his plane disappeared over the English Channel. The remains of the aircraft were never found and neither were the bodies of Miller or the two others on plane.
Edward Tabner, director at estate agents Cheffins, said: ‘Despite a couple of minor changes, the majority of these buildings appear to be largely unaltered since they were built in World War Two and now offer a fascinating insight into squadron life.
‘The buildings are of real historic importance and are a rarity to the open market, especially as so few of these original World War Two buildings are still in existence.
‘The property is on the market for the first time in fifty years, with this in mind we are sure that it will draw interest from military history fans.’
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