A COUNTY business has uncovered its incredible wartime past.

The headquarters of communications firm DRPG was used as a logistics centre during the Second World War sending out supplies from Hartlebury to military bases across the country.

DRPG’s Jason Adams said: “In 1938, with the threat of a global conflict becoming a reality, unit no. 25 R.A.F. Hartlebury was commissioned.

“With a potential war very much on everyone’s minds, having a secure logistics hub was about to become enormously important and so the building was designed to withstand the worst-case scenarios.

“Each structure included two-feet-thick reinforced walls throughout and a roof that could be lifted off if required. To this day, the infrastructure remains largely unchanged, standing resolutely as an example of British craftmanship.

“As one of ten bases within four groups that made up Maintenance Command, each location had responsibilities for supplying specific items, including anything and everything the R.A.F. inventoried, except ordnance.

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“This could mean furniture, tools or paint, but in the case of R.A.F. Hartlebury, it was propellers, air frame parts and Rolls Royce Merlin engines - to put it simply, anything plane related.”

Another local site, Elmbridge, just a few miles away from RAF Hartlebury, was used as one of the “starfish” sites during the Battle of Britain.

These were locations far from large cities where artificial structures filled with gallons of diesel poured over coke and coal were set alight. The Starfish sites created a beacon for German bombers overhead, meaning they would drop their bombs away from their intended targets.

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By 1941, RAF. Hartlebury had a workforce of 1,230 including 300 women, 800 men aged 50 and over and 130 enlisted people (two of whom were Americans). The roles were shared equally between men and women. Some people had existing skills, whereas others received on the job training. Whatever their position, everyone had an important part to play.

Mr Adams added: “Necessity pushes people to uncover their potential, and in times of war, when freedom is in question, this couldn’t be truer. The diverse nature of the workforce and the subsequent allocated roles at RAF Hartlebury is something to celebrate and I’m proud to say this legacy and ethos lives strong in the building now through DRPG.”