Site #8
Wendling Station 118, USAAF
578th & 579th LIVING QUARTERS

Not only was the barbed wire fence good at keeping out any unwanted visitors, it also served as a great clothes line for the GI's seen here hanging out the laundry. The farm in the background was used as a great source of fresh eggs and milk. The GI's would help around the farm in return for 'supplies'. This farm is still standing and has recently been renovated.

Another shot of the farmhouse and surrounding barns which backed up to the north side of Site 8. One can see a nissen hut along with the standard means of transportation parked outside in the racks.

Three of the remaining nissen huts can be seen here in this shot, now surrounded by grass fields.

As can be seen here, not much in these huts protected the occupants from the harsh elements of the British weather. Only a single stove kept them warm.

Located in the heart of the small village of Beeston, Site 8 was living quarters to crew members from the 578th and 579th bomb squadrons. It is to be found on the main village road about one mile north of the airfield site and opposite site 9. Today, it has the most buildings to be found out of all the Wendling sites. Several wash facility buildings and about six nissen huts still stand. Also to found are a few of the last remaining underground bunkers.

In the last few years, several of the buildings are disappearing as new housing springs up over the site.

The site was adjacent to a local farmhouse which still stands today. It proved to be a great location for the crews, who had not far to walk for fresh food and eggs, a great bonus in wartime rationed England. It was also about a two minute bike ride from the "Ploughshare", a frequented drinking establishment. Always filled with the airmen during the war years!

Mr Rowland, owner of the site is always welcoming returning American veterans and their families.

Returning veterans take a reminiscing tour around the nissen huts
trying to recall in which ones they had lived all those years ago.

At the entrance to this site was a military police guard post, an id checkpoint. It consisted of a gate with a little shack next to it. The guard shack has long gone, but the post remains to this day.

Three of the remaining nissen huts can be seen here in this shot, now surrounded by grass fields.

A lone latrine building is flanked by three of the remaining nissen huts. These are standing at the back of the site next to farmland.

All of the buildings are now used for storage by the owner. All are still original with little repair, an amazing fact, as all of these building were designed for temporary use of no more than a few years. They were merely tin and wood construction as can be seen in the photographs. Even the original windows are intact on most of the buildings. Its hard to imagine, when walking through this site, how busy it once was with all the airmen living here.