Twelve Days of Radar – Day One

To begin our 12 Days of Bawdsey, we are telling the story of Keith ‘Alfie’ Bass, an Air Surveillance Operator at RAF Bawdsey.

Unfortunately, we have little information about Alfie’s life and work at RAF Bawdsey.

We do know, however, that he was a talented artist, and frequently created cartoons and paintings of the sites that he visited and the units he served in. These paintings have travelled around the world and are held in high regard by those who received them. One of his paintings, known as the ‘Bawdsey Hare Hops’ travelled to the Far East with Group Captain D J Rhodes when he left the station in 1974. Another painting by Alfie travelled less far afield, currently hanging in the museum at RAF Neatishead.

Terry Bunce has recently shared a painting by Alfie that was created during his time at RAF Bawdsey, featuring the station’s badge as well as images of some of the planes that worked in conjunction with the site. Thank you, Terry!

If anybody has any information about the life and work of Alfie Bass, we would be delighted to learn more.

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