| Summary : A World War Two and Cold War military airfield. Prior to 1938, Greenham Common was part of the Greenham Lodge estate, it was purchased by Newbury Council in 1939 and was requisitioned by the Air Ministry in 1941, when the site was first opened as an airfield. Three concrete runways were constructed at this time along with a number of support and administrative buildings. Typically wartime constructio nmethods involved the use of "temporary materials" During 1943-1945 it became a United States Army Air Force base and was involved in the preparations for the D-Day landings in June 1944. The main phases of building on the site occured between 1951-62 and 1982-92 which included extensive refurbishment and expansion. Between 1951 and 1983, the base was used for a variety of roles until selection in 1980 as one of six sites in Europe for Ground Launched Cruise Missiles. In November 1983 the first 16 cruise missiles arrived and the base became a focus for anti-nuclear protests with a women's peace camp being established outside the gates. The missiles were removed from the site between 1989 and 1991, and it closed in 1992. |
More information : Greenham Common Airfield, SU 502 646, opened 1942. It had three concrete and tarmac landing surfaces and two aircraft hangars (type T2). In the statistical profile of the airfield (as of 01-DEC-1944) provided by the Willis and Holliss gazetteer it is noted that at that point it was used by the 9th United States Army Air Force 438th Troop Carrier Group, with a personnel strength of 2368 men. The source includes a sketch map of the World War Two airfield layout. (1)
The Cruise missile facilities at Greenham Common were staffed by the American 501st wing. There were 96 missiles depolyed at Greenham Common. The facilities were situated in the south western area of the airfield, on a site previously occupied by 1950's hard standings and bomb stores. They were housed in hardened shelters within a high security compound. The site was activated on 01-JUL-1982, was operational by 23-DEC-1983 and was "inactivated" on 31-MAY-1991. (2)
An air photograph shows a section of the airfield with hard standings constructed in the 1950's. (3)
There is an account by Bob Kielan in Airfield Review of a visit to the base (after deactivation) in 2000, at that time some bunkers and security buildings associated with the site were extant. (4)
For an account of the "Peace Camp" constructed by women peace activists at Greenham Common and of the protest movement against the deployment of Cruise missiles, please see Beth Junor's monograph. (5)
Greenham Common Airfield, SU 5000 6473 (NAT). The Cold War layout prior to the Cruise missile deployment is depicted on the 1976 edition of OS sheets SU 56 SW, SU 56 NW SU 46 SE and SU 46 NE. (6)
Greenham Common became USAAF Station 486 in October 1943. Initial American use was by the 9th Air Force's 354 Fighter Group. Later in 1944 the airfield was used by the 9th Air Force 438th Troop Carrier Group for operations in Support of d-Day (Overlord) and the Arnhem campaign (Market Garden). (7)
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