It was used briefly as a bomber base for squadrons to re-equip after the Battle of France and then as a flying training school during the Second World War and beyond until 2000.In the latter years, civilian-operated Slingsby Fireflies were also based at Newton for basic military training on behalf of RAF Cranwell.The airfield was also used by the Joint Elementary Flying Training School and by the British Army's 73 Engineer Regiment (Volunteers) for vehicle storage.[citation needed] Outside the former RAF Station main gate, the old NAAFI building is home to 1936 (Newton) Squadron of the Air Training Corps, which is currently commanded by Flt Lt David Francis RAFAC, thus creating continued RAF presence to the village since its initial formation during the early years of the Second World War.[16] The RAF Newton site is, according to the Ministry of Defence, contaminated with radium[17][18][19][20] that was used to coat the dials of aircraft and other equipment so that they could be seen in the dark.