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MHG34970 - RAF Fighter Command HQ, Raigmore House, Inverness

Summary

RAF Fighter Command HQ for 14 Group. All the buildings were demolished in 2002 with the exception of the Filter Block.

Type and Period (2)

Protected Status

Full Description

Created automatically by NMRS Register Utility
User: Admin, Date: Wed 13 Oct 2004
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NH64NE 618 c.6830 4439

The Area Control Centre for the Inverness area during 1946-47 was located within the grounds of and in Raigmore House. Before 1946-7, this may have been the Fighter Control centre (possibly 13 Group). Raigmore House has now been demolished and the area it occupied has now been built over by a housing development. On the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Inverness-shire, sheet 12, 1879), this house is annotated as Broomtown, but by the 2nd edition of 1904 it is named Raigmore. The OS Name Book states that Broomtown is 'a large three storey modern built mansion with commodious offices attached- situated within extensive grounds it is occupied by and the property of E Mackintosh esq of Raigmore' (Name Book 1879)
Information from RCAHMS (DE); and contained in a letter to RCAHMS from Mr A Bain, April 1999

The bunker for the Fighter Command HQ during World War II is now used as an HQ for the Emergency Services.
J Guy 2000; NMRS MS 810/10, Vol.2, 63

A visitor to the HER website in August 2008 submitted a layout plan of part of the Raigmore House site. The plan depicts buildings such as the power station and standby set house as well as two of the three bunkers. See individual records for details. The accompanying email states that Raigmore House was formerly the Headquarters for 14 Group (RAF Fighter Command). <1><2>

Due to some confusion in the records over the exact role of the complex at Raigmore, clarification was sought from military historian Bob Jenner. After the Battle of Britain it was decided to devolve the filter room at Bentley Priory to the Groups, each of which were to have a trio of purpose designed and built underground bunkers. Raigmore became the headquarters for RAF Fighter Command 14 Group c.1941, after it was moved from temporary accommodation at the Drumossie Hotel. Raigmore House itself served as HQ, Officers Mess and probably the AOC's accommodation. There were two or possibly three sets of accommodation huts in the grounds.
After the restructuring of Fighter Command in 1943, Raigmore became the headquarters for the new 13 Group which replaced 14 Group. 13 Group was disbanded on 20 May 1943. Raigmore House and its associated bunkers then becaume the HQ for the Royal Auxiliary Air Foce until March 1957. The Operations Bunker was then taken over by the Royal Observer Corps as a group HQ for the area. The Filter bunker was later taken over by Highland Council (see MHG20943). <3>

Sources/Archives (3)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 68435 45454 (560m by 498m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH64NE
Civil Parish	INVERNESS AND BONA
Geographical Area	INVERNESS

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