Maps
Figure 1: Location of the RAF Regiment Depot
The Depot occupied the area now known as Alma Park Industrial Estate. In figure 1, this is the area covered by industrial units and warehouses to the south of Londonthorpe Lane. Click on View Larger Map for a more detailed view.
The National Library of Scotland provides maps from the 1880s to 1950. Below are a series of maps that can be enlarged in a new browser tab by clicking on them.
Figure 2: Lordship of Londonthorpe 1796 outlined in green; lower centre is the future site of the Belton Depot. The Belton Lordship is outlined in yellow upper left (© National Trust).
Figure 3: OS map 1931 edition labelled "Special emergency edition 1938" likely used to plan the Belton Depot (© Grantham Library). Perimeter of future camp marked by author in red.
Figure 4: Belton Park Record Site Plan December 1944. Buildings are identifiable via a numbered key to right of map (© National Archives).
Figure 5: Georeferenced overlay of the December 1944 Depot map on a modern day street map. Use mouse scroll wheel to zoom, left button to pan & the slider bar top right to alter transparency (© National Archives).
Figure 6: 1916 map of the Machine Gun Corps camp showing Londonthorpe Stables, site of the future Belton Depot at the bottom, south, corner of the map. Note the railway spur and water main (© National Trust). Use mouse scroll wheel to zoom, left button to pan & the slider bar top right to alter transparency.
Figure 7: Luftwaffe aerial photograph of Grantham & the RAF Regiment Depot site taken sometime between 1938 & 1941. The red arrow indicates the eastern boundary of the camp and its training grounds. The footings of the WWI Londonthorpe Stables remain visible.
Figure 8: German Invasion map for ground forces, Nord Midlands. England Blatt Nr. 6. Militargeographische Objektkarten (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht 1941)
Figute 9: Walter Lee's Grantham bomb sites (red stars). The Depot is marked top right. The Luftwaffe were aiming at the British Manufacture and Research Company (BMARC) producing the Hispano-Suiza 20 mm cannon for airplanes. Grantham received 21 raids by the Luftwaffe, which killed 70 people in 1941 to 1942.
Figure 10: clipped view of the first map to mention Alma Park. Undated, but probably immediately post-war. It must predate 1 January 1948 when the railway company, the LNER shown elsewhere on this map ceased to exist. RAF Spitalgate is identified as Air Ministry land, but all detail is censored - unlike Alma Park. Note POW camp on Harrowby Lane, bottom (© Grantham Library).
Figure 11: Ordnance Survey map of the Depot site, Alma park Industrial Estate. Any of the green areas to the north and east of the site is accessible via permissive footpaths of the Woodland Trust.
Figure 12: Use slider bar. Belton Park 0.5m DTM LiDAR (surface structures removed) overlaying a Bing satellite image. The ground immediately east of the former Depot is heavily disturbed compare to the fields north and further east. The entire site is overgrown, but the two rectangular structures above centre are confirmed 30 yard ranges probably relating to the Machine Gun Corps of WWI. Two Australian Imperial Force machine gunners can be seen having a rest in between the two firing platforms!
30 yard machine gun range created in WW1, but likely used in WW2 Use mouse cursor to rotate
Figure 13: features in the vicinity associated with the Belton RAF Regiment Depot. Click outline square top right for a larger map in a new tab.