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I was eager to make friends with the yanks at the base and many of them were only too happy to be friends with local lads like me. My best friends were the men from the radio stations.

On the day that the B26s left the local lads got wind that lots of kit was to be thrown out/dumped close to where the firing butt stood near Runkin’s Corner on the way out of Langham (the butt was there until the 70’s as a reminder of the base) That day I ended up with a nose bleed and was fussed over by yanks at the transmitter (or TX station)

The transmitter station was situated in an area around Severalls lane/Brinkley Lane. It was initially temporary based in several Bendix Truck until a hut was completed and permanent equipment was installed. The site was protected by 4.5-inch Anti Aircraft guns

One of my abiding memories of this time was seeing my first fluorescent lights — something new and that I’d never seen before. They were very odd compared to the normal lighting we were all used to in England!

I remember being shown how they had to tune the sets to the aerials and I used to help them do this.

The staff did 6 months at the TX station then they moved to the Receiver (RX) station which was situated at the back of the Lion & Lamb pub (no longer in existence by near the A12/A120 junction at the edge of Colchester) .I stuck with my pals and went with them! A couple of names I remember are Salvadore Bolavia and Frank Howard.

For the famous Arnhem Landings Boxted was used as a Radio Beacon and I was with the crew and helped switch it on. It sent out the signal BOX.

In addition to the RX/TX stations there was a Direction Finder (DF) station in Wick Road Ardleigh. Alas, I never got into that one.

When the RAF took over before the end of the war the TX crew were Women (WAAFs) and they carried on letting me visit them.

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