Jessie The Jeep Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 I need some help with some lettering on some military buildings, on what was an Anti-Aircraft Ordnance Depot. The only photos I can provide are from the gallery of the website about the camp - http://boldoncamp.co.uk/gallery.html On the pillars on the front of the buildings, are a black square with a single or double letter code in white. Picture 8 in the gallery is FH, picture 10 is KH, picture 11 is PH and enlarging picture 15, the far pillar appears to have the single letter G. Do these codes stand for anything that went on within the building, or are they just letters to identify the buildings within the camp, to aid those working there find the right building? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ploughman Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 Just guessing. FH - Fire House? PH - Pump House? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted August 16, 2019 Author Share Posted August 16, 2019 PH isn't on the building which is obviously the pump house, due to fittings still there. So that seems unlikely. FH for fire house made sense at first, but not after seeing the other codes on site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surveyor Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 There is a plan which I hoped would be a clue but strangely no legend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatchFuzee Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 Could the letter(s) be for building location/identification? Is there any relationship of the H in FH, KH and PH to a grid or road pattern? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted August 16, 2019 Author Share Posted August 16, 2019 PH is right next door to FH. KH is the huge warehouse opposite, so they don't seem to fit within a grid pattern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxy Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 It may pay you to have a drive around Stainton Grove Camp & Streatlam / Barford Camp , although much demolished & remaining new or gentrified as Trading Estate or is it Business Park. I doubt if any WW2 / Korea era signage remains at Deerbolt Camp but you would need a get into prison card there. Hardly anything period remains at Gallowfield Ind.Estate at Richmond , that was interesting as the bricks were laid wrong way to get more yardage. Outlying Barracks etc. at Catterick that had just stood from abt. 1970 were dropped around 1995. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted August 16, 2019 Author Share Posted August 16, 2019 I was at Stainton in 2007/08. None of my photos show any lettering on the buildings. I think many of them have now been demolished. The events I attended were to mark some history boards being erected around the site prior to the redevelopment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxy Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 Stainton , from what I remember , they all had a few , what I recall is red squares and white lettering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatchFuzee Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 Have you tried to find anyone who worked there? Facebook and local radio might find someone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted August 16, 2019 Author Share Posted August 16, 2019 There's a group looking to turn the site into a museum. They are currently researching the site and trying to find people connected with it, but it's early days yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted August 17, 2019 Author Share Posted August 17, 2019 An article about the site appeared in the paper today. There are pictures of many of the buildings. https://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/people/campaigners-on-mission-to-turn-east-boldon-world-war-two-site-boldon-camp-into-heritage-centre-490571 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatchFuzee Posted August 17, 2019 Share Posted August 17, 2019 Looking at the photo of the "FH" building it looks (at least on my phone) that the black square could be painted on top of some of the graffiti. When I look at the rest of building, it is strange that the square isn't more covered with graffiti if the square was there first. Also, looking at the condition of the brickwork, doesn't the black square and white of the F & H appear too good to be contemporary with the building's military history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surveyor Posted August 17, 2019 Share Posted August 17, 2019 24 minutes ago, MatchFuzee said: Looking at the photo of the "FH" building it looks (at least on my phone) that the black square could be painted on top of some of the graffiti. When I look at the rest of building, it is strange that the square isn't more covered with graffiti if the square was there first. Also, looking at the condition of the brickwork, doesn't the black square and white of the F & H appear too good to be contemporary with the building's military history. Looking at all the pictures these letters we are puzzling over appear on top of the graffiti, has anyone asked the owner? Also if the site is for sale, I don't know if it is, are these to identify plots for sale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted August 17, 2019 Author Share Posted August 17, 2019 It's not currently for sale. Another thought. These are older pictures. Present day graffiti is certainly on top of the black squares. However, at some point in its recent history, I believe the site was used by a paintballing club. I wonder if they added codes to the buildings to assist in their wargaming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatchFuzee Posted August 17, 2019 Share Posted August 17, 2019 1 minute ago, Jessie The Jeep said: It's not currently for sale. Another thought. These are older pictures. Present day graffiti is certainly on top of the black squares. However, at some point in its recent history, I believe the site was used by a paintballing club. I wonder if they added codes to the buildings to assist in their wargaming. The paintballing link looks very promising but is it possible to follow up? With the present day graffiti on top of the black square it must be very unlikely that the square and letters are original unless the paintballers repainted them but I guess that you and others have thought of that already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted August 17, 2019 Author Share Posted August 17, 2019 It's something to look into if the club still exists and can be contacted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted August 17, 2019 Author Share Posted August 17, 2019 I've just been told that the letters were on the buildings long before the paintball club used the site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornishbloke Posted August 24, 2019 Share Posted August 24, 2019 I worked on a government site near Heathrow and all our buildings had 2 letter codes. ZA,DA,HA, etc. The letters bore no relationship to their use and didn't seem to be based on any grid so we never knew how they were labelled. They had certainly been there for some time as the site was in use during the war 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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