The interior of an officer’s Nissen hut
Photograph of the interior of an officer’s Nissen hut at the RAF station on Tiree in World War II.
Courtesy of Mr Mike Hughes
This photograph shows the inside of an officer’s Nissen hut on Tiree during World War II. The Reef, the central area of the island, was requisitioned by the Ministry of War in 1940 to build the RAF Station which became operational in 1941.
Some four thousand RAF personnel were housed in hundreds of Nissen huts around Crossapol and Hough. The Nissen hut was designed in 1916 by Peter Nissen, a Canadian mining engineer, and was used extensively by the Allies in World War II in the construction of new facilities.
The hut consisted of sheets of corrugated steel bent into half a cylinder and closed at the ends with semi-circular masonry or wooden walls. Because the curved sheets stacked easily together, one hut could be packed on to a three ton truck. Six men could assemble one in four hours, although the record time was 1 hour 27 minutes.
Black and white photograph of the inside of Nissen hut during World War II.
The inside of an officer`s Nissen hut on Tiree during World War II. (Photograph from Mike Hughes in Filing Cabinet 2 drawer 1)
Black and white photograph of a Halifax crew during World War II.
Crew from RAF 518 Squadron working on a Wellington aircraft at Tiree areodrome in 1942 during World War II. (Photograph from Mike Hughes in Filing Cabinet 2 drawer 1)
Black and white photograph of servicemen at Gott Bay pier during World War II.
Group of airmen and others at Gott Bay pier during World War II. (Photograph from Mike Hughes in Filing Cabinet 2 drawer 1)
Black and white photograph of RAF officers during World War II.
Large group of RAF officers relaxing and drinking beer during World War II. (Photograph from Mike Hughes in Filing Cabinet 2 drawer 1)
Black and white photograph of RAF 518 Squadron`s crest.
The crest of RAF Squadron 518 based on Tiree 1943-1944. (Photograph from Mike Hughes in Filing Cabinet 2 drawer 1)
Flight Lieutenant Max Bacon and his aircrew from RAF 518 Squadron
Photograph of Flight Lieutenant Max Bacon and his aircrew from RAF 518 Squadron.
Courtesy of Mr Mike Hughes
Flight Lieutenant Arthur ‘Max’ Bacon (4th left) and his aircrew from RAF 518 Squadron are pictured beside their Halifax which was lost on operations over the Atlantic in January 1945.
RAF 518 Squadron arrived on Tiree in September 1943 to fly weather reconnaissance missions in long-range Halifax aircraft. Twice a day flights ‘Bismuth’ and ‘Mercer’ left Tiree for a ten-hour-long trip out into the Atlantic at either 20,000 or 50 feet.
Pressure to fly was relentless and in 1944 518 Squadron flew every day but two. Often icing and waves 100 feet high made this dangerous. 518 Squadron lost twelve aircraft during their spell on Tiree. That night in January, Max and his crew disappeared without trace.
Black and white photograph of Flight Lieutenant Max Bacon and his aircrew during World War II.
Flight Lieutenant Max Bacon (4th left) and his aircrew from RAF 518 Squadron beside their Halifax which was lost on operations over the Atlantic on 21/1/1945. Far right: F/Sgt Tony Porazka (Met. Air Obs., Polish). (Photograph from Mike Hughes in Filing Cabinet 2 drawer 1)
Black and white photograph of a Halifax aircraft over the Caledonian Canal.
An RAF 518 Squadron Halifax based on Tiree on an air test over the Caledonian Canal during World War II. (Photograph from Mike Hughes in Filing Cabinet 2 drawer 1)
Black and white photograph of two airmen struggling against a gale with their bicycles during World War II.
Two unknown airmen with bicycles, probably on the Reef, during World War II. (Photograph from Mike Hughes in Filing Cabinet 2 drawer 1)
Black and white photograph of two airmen on a beach in Tiree during World War II.
An RAF officer and Australian RAAF officer relaxing on a beach on Tiree during World War II. (Photograph from Mike Hughes in Filing Cabinet 2 drawer 1)
Black and white photograph of an RAF Halifax crew.
RAF crew from 518 Squadron based on Tiree in the `rest area` of a Halifax on ops over the Atlantic during World War II.
