Former RAF Greenham Common

United Kingdom / England / Thatcham /
 Second World War 1939-1945, closed / former military, former air force base
Royal Air Force Station Greenham Common or RAF Greenham Common is a former Royal Air Force station in Berkshire, England. The airfield is located to the south-east of Newbury, Berkshire, about 50 miles (80 km) west of London.

Opened in 1942, it was used by both the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War and the United States Air Force during the Cold War. After the Cold War ended, it was closed in 1993.

The airfield was also known for the Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp held outside its gates in the 1980s.

In 1997 Greenham Common was designated as public park-land.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenham_Common
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   51°22'42"N   1°16'45"W

Comments

  • Was an airbase built about 1941, WWII, then became a base for USAF nuclear bombers, then a standby NATO airbase, then a cruise missile base. Was under SALT subject to inspection. The airbase was closed a few years ago and returned to local government ownership. There is a trading estate (companies trade there) and most of the rest is a public leasure area. The roads which crossed the area pre 1941 are still closed. A few of the USAF items remain. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenham_Common Photo of control tower http://controltowers.co.uk/G/Greenham_Common.htm Trading estate web site, history page, includes air photo from 1944. http://www.new-greenham-park.co.uk/Site+History/ There is a lot of history to be found on the Internet. Old maps can also be found showing how it was in old times. I live nearby and can remember back to the days of the bombers flying low after takeoff trailing plumes of black smoke.
  • I have uploaded a few photos spanning the history of RAF Greenham Common. Two show Eisenhower addressing Airborne troops just prior to the Normandy invasion. They staged at GC. One is an aerial photo of the base as it appeared in WWII. The others are more current, including the patch of the 501 Tactical Missile Wing, which had the GLCMs there. One pic shows a truck taking a TEL from a C5. There is also a pic of the flightline as it appeared in modern times before the base closed.
  • I was a Security Forces Flight chief (Charlie Flight) here. I came in as part of the first "Bare-Base" Security Forces troops. And was on Security patrol as the C-5's began landing the weapons and the TEL's just a couple months after we arrived. I lost count of all the protests/riots, and all out mayhem I was embroiled in daily against the CND radicals bent on destroying assets and property. As well as assaults against myself and fellow officers. I had more than my share of bar fights to quail every Friday and Saturday night at the Enlisted club too. The Royal Scottish Marines contributed their fair share of the folly while encamped there too!!! I hauled a few of them away in cuffs as well. The fun never stopped at Greenham Common!!!!
This article was last modified 7 years ago