The Bungalows...

The bungalows were all different but most had one main room and two small rooms, a kitchen and outside toilet an Elson which was emptied daily about 12:30 first as we were going to lunch! By "Sam, Sam the Elson Man" There were usually six occupants to each hut which had electric light and a cold tap. Most had an open fireplace in the main room and coke was available in winter for heating but as this would not burn easily on an open fire we used to try and find wood to start it.

The bungalows

There were no electric power points so electric fires and heaters were forbidden but most huts had one made by friendly mechanics from a round electric element set in a cake tin. These, which were well hidden under the floor boards we plugged into a light holder for making tea and coffee, heating water for hot water bottles and providing heat. It was very cold in huts on sand dunes in winter, with an easterly wind blowing. The ablution block was at the Hernsby end of camp and quite a trek from my hut "Rose Villa" The best time for a hot bath was when you came off duty about 1am.

To get over the cold, mechanics would make heaters

The RAF lived in similar huts so I assume their conditions were like ours except the girls made their rooms more home like with a few pictures and painted orange boxes as makeshift lockers with photographs and a vase of flowers on top. There was a chair provided also a bedside rug and a row of hooks on the wall.