RNAD Wrabness Mine Depot c1918-1963

[Michael Dobbs]

I have received the following enquiry:

[color=maroon]I wonder if you may be able to help me. I am researching the history of a local EWT Nature Reserve that was formerly a mine depot. Did the RNAD Wrabness Mine Depot c1918-1963 at Wrabness near Harwich have its own post office. c160 staff were employed under a Naval Commander. I have obtained faded site plans but am unable to ascertain if any of the buildings were a PO.
Mail must have been sent and received from this important site

Thank you Kevin Marsden Chair EWT Tendring Group[/color]

Geoff Hanney responded to me as follows (and I have passed this on):

[color=teal]It was unlikely that the Post Office ran an Office within the Establishment and I have no record of anything for this site to date in my research.
It is likely as you said it would have had Post Room run by the Navy to sort any mail for the site and work with Post Office or their own courier (Postal) System.
I have been through the list of Navy Shore Establishments at Harwich. Not found a clear candidate for the name of Navy Ship for the establishment.
It might be it was counted as sub-area of Harwich and not separate establishment. It might be that had several names over the years it was open.
For information there was Post Office in the village of Wrabness from 1895 to 2008.
I will do bit more digging later in the week even it is just helps me straighten out in my research for that part of Essex.[/color]

Does anyone else have any information on the Wrabness Mine Depot that would be useful to both Kevin Marsden and Geoff Hanney please?  In particular as a naval depot did it carry an HMS name?

Thanks, Mike