History of the Cold War Bunker at Greenham Common Air Base

History of The Bunker
Greenham Common,
Newbury

1 | T h e B u n k e r N e w b u r y a H i s t o r y
The “Bunker”
A History
Building 274 (now Venture West) was built in1980 as the 501st Tactical Missile Wing
command post and headquarters.
This was the Command Centre for the Ground Launched Cruise Missile (GLCM) Hardened
area or locally known as the Ground Attack Missile Area (GAMA).
Although this building has a prominent history we cannot ignore the importance of the
Greenham Common site and airbase which encompasses 6phases.
Phase 1
 1941-1947 2nd World War
Construction of RAF Greenham Common. Three runways, twoT2 Hangers and
bomb stores
Phase 2
 1950-1953 First Cold War
Construction of the cold war base
Phase 3
 1953-1957 First ColdWar. Additional infrastructure , Chapel building 188,
Boiler house 87, Hospital 183, Dental clinic 183
Phase 4
 1957-1979 Sustaineddeterrence.
1963-1979 Minor improvements
Phase 5

 1980-1992 SecondCold War.
Preparation and adaptation the air base to accommodate the Ground
Launched Cruise Missiles
Phase 6
 1992 US Forces left inand the base was handed over to New Greenham Park
Trust in 1997
Phase 1 1941-1947 2nd World War
Greenham Business Park is surrounded by Greenham Common whichhas been, for most
of its history, a valuable piece of common land and a shared sustainable resource for local
farmers and cottagers. But this has not always beenthe case. Early inWorldWar II the
War Ministry acquired Greenham Common and it was takenover for military use and
transformed into an airbase. Greenham Common airfieldwas one of several wartime
airfields inthe Salisbury Plain area and was originally intended for use as an RAF Bomber
Command Operational Training Unit. It was built to the Class A airfieldstandard, the
mainfeature of which was a set of three converging runways each containing a concrete
runway for takeoffs and landings, optimally placed at 60 degree angles to each other in a
triangular pattern connecting to anenclosing perimeter track, of a standard widthof 50
feet.
The land for the airfieldwas acquired inMay 1941 and the runways were built in early
1942 with one mainand two secondary runways withassorted loop and pan dispersal
hardstands connecting to an enclosing perimeter track, of a standard width of 50 feet. In
late 1943, Greenham Common airfieldwas turned over to the USAAF Ninth Air Force. An
Americanadvance party soon arrivedto ready the airfieldfor the incoming units.
Greenham Common was known as USAAF Station AAF-486 for security reasons by the
USAAF during the war, and it was referred to by this name instead of by location. Its
USAAF StationCode was "GC".

On December the 12th 1944, 33 American servicemenwere killedina glider accident at
Greenham Common. The glider’s two pilots, along with31 paratroopers onboard died at
the military airbase, when the glider crashed shortly after takeoff. Tocommemorate this
tragedy Greenham Common Trust, the owner of Greenham Business Park, has a policy of
naming new buildings and roads at the business park in honor of those whodied in the
crash. Just three days later servicemenfrom the 368th and 423rd squadrons of the 306th
Bombing Group were returning from a tough missioninthe industrial heartland of Kassel
when their two B-17 FlyingFortress Bombers collided, killingall but twoof the 18 crew.
Each December a memorial service to remember those that died inthe Glider accident is
held at Greenham Business Park. Greenham Common Trust has also agreed to help
Newbury Royal British Legion raise money for a new memorial to mark both tragedies
and to recognize the important part that Greenham Common playedin the preparations
for D-Day. A memorial fundraising brochure has alsobeen produced to help raise support
for the new memorial.

The 17th Airborne DivisionAssociation (inthe USA) is keento hear from any relatives of
the victims of this glider crash. Greenham was prominent in the glider based offensive
launched in1945, and it was at Greenham that Dwight D. Eisenhower made his famous
‘Eyes of the world‘ speech in advance of D-Day.
General Eisenhower talks to camouflaged paratroopers waitingto board C-47 Skytrains,
5th June 1944. The General addresses American paratroopers prior to D-Day. Eisenhower
is meeting withUS Co. E coy, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment (Strike), photo takenat
Greenham Common Airfieldin England about 8:30 pm on 5 June 1944
Eighty-one aircraft, dividedinto two serials of 36 and 45 aircraft and led by the 87th
Troop Carrier Squadron (3X), took off from the main runway in15 minutes, starting at
23:48 hours on 5 June. Despite radio black-out, overloaded aircraft, low cloud cover and
lack of markeddrop zones, they carried 1,430 menof the US 101st Airborne Division's
502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, who were dropped soon after midnight in the area
northwest of Carentan. Glider-borne reinforcement missions followed, and for its

determined and successful work the group receiveda Distinguished Unit Citation. And
was immortalized inthe book and Americantelevisionseries “A Band of Brothers”
In September the 438th group helped to supply the Third Army inits push across France,
and transported troops and supplies when the Allies launched the airborne operation in
Holland.

As part of Operation Market Garden 90 aircraft from the 438th dropped 101st airborne
paratroopers near Eindhoven without loss on 17 September, The next day, 80 aircraft
towed gliders againwithout loss of aircraft, although twogliders aborted and 11 C-47s
suffered flak damage. However, when 40 C-47s towing 40 CG-4A Horsa Gliders left
Greenham Common on 19 September, things did not go sowell inadverse weather. Only
half of the gliders were released inthe landing zone area, and one C-47 was shot down
and several gliders lost.

A further glider missionby a similar number of aircraft faredno better and another C-47
was lost. Re-supply missions were flownon 20 and 21 September to Overasselt and Son.
During the Battle of the Bulge (December 1944 – January 1945), the group, again headed
by the 87th Troop Carrier Squadron, flew air supply missions to battle areas, including the
first two flights into beleaguered Bastogne. In February 1945 the groups of the 53d TCW
were moved to France, the 438th going to A-79 AdvancedLanding Ground at Pronses.
Withthe departure of the USAAF troop carrier squadrons, glider assembly continued on
and off until April 1945; two of the airfieldhangars were used for this work. In total, over
4,000 gliders were assembledat Crookham Common and flownout of Greenham. The
airfieldcontinued to be used by Ninth Air Force until the RAF took control inJune 1945.
The RAF usedthe Greenham Common airfieldas an RAF basictraining center until being
closed in June 1946, withthe facility being put into care and maintenance status.

The airfieldwas inactive for the next five years, and wouldprobably have remained so but
for the sudden escalation intension between the Soviet Union and its World War II Allies
in what later became known as the Cold War.
Phase 2 1953-1957 First ColdWar
In response to the perceived threat by the Soviet Union, especially after the 1948 Berlin
Blockade and the 1950 invasionof South Korea by the Korean People's Army, on 23 April
1951, RAF Greenham Common was made available to the United States Air Force by the
British Ministry of Defence as a Strategic Air Command base, withjoint operations with
the Royal Air Force units.

Between1951 and 1953, major construction work was performed on the base, as post-
war jet bombers required a much greater runway length for takeoff versus those of World
War II, and the Strategic Air Command spent over £2 million building a new 3,000 meters
(9,800 ft)-long runway that extended onto Greenham Common and across the A339.
Togive the desired 3,000-metre (9,800 ft) run, the A339 was diverted, and a new length
of roadway was built to the south through Sandleford Common. In addition to the
runway, massive new hard-standings were built, and extensive rebuilding alsooccurred
for rampareas and new structures.
Two300 meters (980 ft) overshoots were added to the runway in 1958. Tothe south-west
of the runway, a new munitions area was built. Eight 1 milliongallon underground fuel
tanks were also constructed at the base.
Strategic AirCommand

In the post-World War II years, the United States Strategic Air Command was based at
three major airfields in easternEngland: RAF Lakenheath, RAF Marham and RAF
Sculthorpe. The increasing tension of the Cold War led to a re-evaluationof these
deployments and a move further west, behind RAF fighter forces, to RAF Greenham
Common, RAF Brize Norton, RAF Upper Heyford and RAF Fairford.
The airfieldcame under Strategic Air Command's 7th Air Division, with the 3909th
Combat Support Group as its administrative unit onthe base, responsible for all non-
flyingactivities as well as maintenance and logistical support of the flyingunits attached
to RAF Greenham Common.
The initial bomber wingdeployed was the 303d Bombardment Wing with B-47 Stratojets,
arrivingon 17 March 1954 from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base inArizona. The 303d
stayedjust over a month, returning on 28 April 1954. This was the first of the short-term
temporary duty deployments from home bases in the US that continued intermittently
over the next 10 years.
Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker, 1951

USAF Boeing B-47E-50-LM Stratojet in flight.
B-58 Hustler inflight

Strategic Air Command “S.A.C” insignia

Phase 3 1953-1957 and Phase 4 1957-1979
In April 1958 the 90-day detachments were replaced by a three-week ReflexAlert
rotation, during which the bombers did not fly, reducing the noise considerably. The
runways and dispersals were further strengthened for the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
bomber, but none were based at Greenham.
From August 1960 the B-52 made periodic training visits, anda Convair B-58 Hustler
arrivedbriefly in October 1963. Reflexoperations by B-47 and KC-97s continued until1
April 1964.
Many SAC Squadrons had aircraft at RAF Greenham Common on a transitory basis
without any recorded deployment to the base.
The Strategic Air Command (SAC) departed Greenham Common on 30 June 1964, much
to the relief of the local residents; the thundering jet bombers of SAC came no more, and
for several years it was used for USAF storage and as a relief base.
The parade in the Market Place, A total of 250 airmen of the 3909th Combat Support
Group had marched through London Road and Northbrook Street to be bid farewell by
Thousands of the people of Newbury. SAC left Greenham Common on June 30th 1964.
The closure of US bases in France forced the reopening of RAF Greenham Common for
air transport operations (Operation FRELOC) to handle materiel and personnel overflow
beginning in early January 1967. In late 1967, Greenham Common was used for NATO
Reforger exercises, againas a result of the withdrawal of France from the NATO
integrated military alliance.
On 1November 1968 control of RAF Greenham Common was transferred from SAC to
the United States Air Forces inEurope, withthe 7551st Combat Support Group having

administrative control of the base. However, the base was little used, primarily being
utilisedas a United States Military Postal Mail sorting facility, withaircraft flyingmail in
from the United States, being sorted at Greenham Common, and then distributed to
Americanbases inthe UK and Europe. Mail from American forces in Europe was alsosent
to Greenham Common and sorted there, before being flownto the United States.
Beginning in1973 the base became the home of the International Air Tattoo, a large scale
international military airshow, since relocated to RAF Fairford, approximately 40 miles
(64 km) away.
The 20th Tactical Fighter Wing at RAF Upper Heyfordestablished "Operating Location
A"at Greenham Common for its F-111 fighters in1976, using the airfieldoccasionally for
dispersal exercises.

In 1977 the USAF announced plans to reactivate the base to house KC-135 aerial refueling
tanker aircraft, due to a lack of capacity at the KC-135's mainUK base, RAF Mildenhall.
This led to widespreadlocal opposition, and in 1978 the British Defence Secretary vetoed
the plan.
U.S.A.F F111
Allegednuclearaccident
On 28 February 1958 a B-47E of the 310th Bomb Wingdeveloped problems shortly after
takeoff and jettisoned its two1,700 gallon external fuel tanks. They missedtheir

designated safe impact area and one hit a hangar whilst the other struck the ground 65
feet (20 m) behind a parked B-47E. The parked B-47E, which was fuelled, had a pilot on
board, and was carryinga 1.1 megaton (4.6 PJ) B28 nuclear bomb, was engulfed by
flames. The conflagration took sixteen hours and over a milliongallons of water to
extinguish, partly because of the magnesium alloys usedin the aircraft. Although two
men were killedand eight injured, the US and UK governments kept the accident secret –
as late as 1985, the BritishGovernment claimed that a taxiing aircraft had struck a parked
one and that no fire was involved.
Twoscientists, F.H. Cripps and A. Stimson, who both workedfor the Atomic Weapons
Research Establishment at Aldermaston, allegedin a secret 1961 report, released by the
CND in1996, that the fire detonated the high explosives in the nuclear weapon, that
plutonium and uranium oxides were spread over a wide area – foliage up to 8 miles (13
km) away was contaminated withuranium-235 – and that they had discovered high
concentrations of radioactive contamination around the air base.
However, a radiological survey commissioned in1997 by Newbury District Council and
Basingstoke and Deane found no evidence of a nuclear accident at Greenham Common,
suggesting that Cripps and Stimson's claims were false. The 7-month long survey was
carried out by the Geosciences Advisory Unit of Southampton University and combined a
helicopter-mounted gamma ray detector survey witha ground-based survey. The team
analysednearly 600 samples takenfrom soil, lake sediment, borehole water, house dust,
runway tarmac and concrete, looking for uranium and plutonium isotopes. No evidence
of anaccident involvingnuclear weapons damage was found at the former air force base,
although the ground survey did detect some low-level uranium contamination around
the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston thought to be derived from that
facility, and the helicopter survey found some anomalies around Harwell Laboratory.

Phase 5 1980-1992 501stTactical Missile Wing
Greenham Common in the late 80s
The Soviet deployment of the SS-20 missile from 1975 caused major concern inthe
NATO alliance. The longer range, greater accuracy, mobility and striking power of the
new missile were perceivedto alter the security of WesternEurope. It was fearedthat the
Soviet Union could launch a nuclear strike against WesternEurope witha reduced threat
of nuclear retaliation (i.e. compared to anattack on the continental United States). After
discussions, NATO agreed to a two part strategy:
 Topursue arms control negotiations with the Soviet Union to reduce their and
the AmericanINF arsenals.
 Todeploy inEurope from 1983 up to 464 USAF BGM-109G Gryphon Ground
Launched Cruise Missile or GLCMs (based on the US Navy BGM-109 Tomahawk
cruise missile), as well as 108 US Army PershingII ballisticmissiles.
The UK's share of this total was 160 missiles, 96based at Greenham Common withfour
spares, and 64at RAF Molesworth.
When inJune 1980 it was announced that RAF Greenham Common was to become the
first site for cruise missiles, there was anoutcry from the Campaign for Nuclear
Disarmament.

501st Tactical Missile Wings 6 Flights insignia
Apache Flight, Badger Flight, Cobra Flight, Dog Flight, Echo Flight and Fox Flight
Formation of Eastern Bloc

When Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov expressed concern that the Yalta
Agreement's wording might impede Stalin's plans in Central Europe, Stalinresponded
"Never mind. We'll do it our own way later."After Soviet forces remained inEasternand
Central European countries, with the beginnings of communist puppet regimes installed
in those countries, by falsifiedelections, Churchill referredto the region as being behind
an "Iron Curtain" of control from Moscow.
At first, many non-communist countries condemned the speech as warmongering,
though many historians have now revisedtheir opinions. Members of the EasternBloc
besides the Soviet Union are sometimes referred to as "satellite states" of the Soviet
Union.
The SS-20 Threat

Until that time, the most threatening weapons aimed at WesternEurope were the single-
warhead SS-4andSS-5 theatre missiles, basedat vulnerable fixed sites. In 1977, however,
Soviet forces began to fieldthe new SS-20, a missile fittedwiththree accurate,
independently re-targetable warheads. Worse, its launcher was highly mobile, allowing
their dispersal at times of tension. Eachlauncher was equipped withre-fire missiles. This
signified anincrease inSoviet firepower on a tremendous scale.
By 1979, Soviet forces had fieldedSS-20s in significant numbers. Inthat year, NATO
political leaders agreed on a historic "dual track"approach to solving the problem. One
track was political: The West would attempt to engage the Soviets inserious talks aimed
at curbing the INF forces of both sides. The other track was military: NATO woulddeploy
in Europe hundreds of GLCMs and Pershing IIs unless Moscow agreed to stop and then
reduce its SS-20 deployments.
For the Westernalliance, the matter went far beyond the need to have equivalent forces.
NATO's worry was that, in nuclear parlance of the time, the Soviet build up would
"decouple" the defence of Europe from the US strategic nuclear arsenal. In other words,
Moscow might believe it could threaten WesternEurope's high-value targets--ports,
rear-echelon areas, and the like--withSS-20 nuclear attack and not provoke US
retaliation because it was not threatening US strategic weapons or US soil.
Deployment of NATO INF forces was anattempt to make the West's nuclear deterrent
more credible, by providing commanders nuclear options short of all-out retaliatory war.
WesternEurope's leaders, in particular, were eager to show that the continent was still
shielded by the US strategic nuclear umbrella despite the existence of the SS-20 threat.
Harold Brown, the US Secretary of Defence, told Congress in a 1980 message: "We do
not plan to match the Soviet program system by system or warheadby warhead, which
might be construed as an attempt to create a European nuclear balance separate from
the overall strategic relationship. ... Instead, we seek to strengthen the linkage of US
strategic forces to the defence of Europe."
NATO planners chose to deploy a pair of weapons to counter the Soviet SS-20 because
the GLCM and the Pershing II had distinctive, complementary characteristics.
The new Pershing was a follow-onto the existing, shorter range Pershing IA. As a ballistic
missile, it offered a high assurance of penetrating any Soviet defences. Its speed enabled
it to threaten time-sensitive targets. It was designed to take advantage of the existing
Pershing IA infrastructure in Europe.
The smaller GLCMs were projected to have lower life-cycle costs. Their longer range--
1,550 miles--allowedthem to be based farther from the front lines. This increasedtheir
survivability and--not incidentally--allowedmore alliednations to accept deployments on
their territory.

The GAMA site
Once more a massive new construction was undertaken as the GAMA (GLCM Alert and
Maintenance Area) site was built in the southwest corner of the base. GAMA was a

maximum security QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) area with6 large above ground shelters in
which fully operational cruise missiles were stored and a hardened headquarters.
The GAMA site
These shelters were specially designed and constructed to protect the GLCMs and crews
against nuclear and conventional strikes. They were about 10 m high, witha reinforced 2
m thick concrete ceiling. Below was a massive titanium plate, 3 m of sandand a
reinforced concrete plate. The shelters were completely covered withtons of clay. Each
shelter was equipped withthree hydraulic nuclear blast proof doors at both ends to
assure a quick entry or exit. They were designed to withstand the blast of an air-bursting
nuclear explosion above the base or a direct hit from a 2,500 lb (1,100 kg) conventional
bomb.
Each shelter contained 2 LCC Launch Control Centers and 4 TEL transporter erector
launchers. Each unit was mobile and supposed to leave the base in convoys to their secret
preset dispersal sites. This would happen withinminutes after the alert and the
movement was via the local roads through the surrounding villages.

The first squadron of the 501st Tactical Missile Wing receivedits weapons inNovember
1983; they were flownonto the base by C-5As.

501st Tactical Missile Wing HQ Building
The Headquarters built at the same time as Gama with full Bunker status to protect the
command and control of the GLCMs.

The Command Centre was complete witha decontamination suite, telecommunications
to NORAD and the Pentagon and the White House.

A View from inside the Command Bunker
Secure line and silenced phone booth for commanders to issue launch codes and orders
The War and Planning room

Plans of the Command Centre self-contained and able to withstand Conventional or
Nuclear/Chemical attack
A visitor wrote this descriptionof thebuilding beforeits
refurbishment :
We entered a conventional office building (whichwas being refurbished) and walking
down a short corridor we came to the blast door which was the entrance to the
(modestly) fortified part of the building. We were now standing at one end of a very long
corridor. All rooms inthe bunker were off this corridor apart from the air plant room and
decontamination centre. More on those later, we walkedto the far end of the corridor
and worked our way back.
We started inthe command room itself (at the far end of the corridor) which still had the
moving wall boards inplace. The room is rectangular withthe boards mounted along one
(long) side. The entrance to the room is down a few steps and is directly opposite the wall
boards. There are 2 security doors leading into the command area whichhad 2 rooms
behind it which acted as galleries. These doors provided an 'airlock' system and whilst
strengthened and fitted withtoughened glass did not appear to offer much in the way of
blast resistance. Entry through these doors was controlled by numeric keypads. At one
end of the command room was an escape hatch. This led directly to the outside and
demonstrated how the walls were just 2 foot thick offering limitedblast protection. Our

guide informed us how the sole purpose of this room was to get the final launch codes to
the missile trailers once receivedfrom the US command. All targets were already
programmed into the missiles andthe fissile material was (according to our guide)
already in the missiles. The floor throughout the building was a raisedcomputer type and
there were lots of cable trays inplace. Directly behind the Command Room were 2
smaller rooms whichhad darkened windows looking out onto the wall boards. Walking
back up the corridor the next accessible room was a former telephone room. The US
didn't trust BT and brought in their owntelecom equipment whichwas housed in this
room. Some of the racks remainedbut were stripped of cards etc. The fire extinguishing
system was Halonand inmany of the rooms were 'Halon gas abort' buttons to stop the
discharge of Halon inthose rooms.
Behind this room was the comms room for the telephone system. There was some
paperwork left in this room which indicated that there had been direct telephones to
other military bases occupied by the US in Britainand to other British/Nato command
bunkers. Some of the flooring was removed inthis room and allowedus to see some of
the cable trays etc. Along one wall were the mounts for the phone wire looms for
patching and routing. Directly off this room was a small room containing a large number
of high power leadacid batteries. This was the standby power for the phone system.
Across the corridor was the air plant room and decontamination centre. The air plant
room was one of 4 plant rooms and contained the aircon and filtering system for the
bunker. This was in reasonable workingorder (our guide powered a lot of it up - a bit
noisy at points) and there were a large number of Oxygen cylinders in a rack. These were
for use if the outside vents needed to be closed due to Napalm attack, high levels of
radiation etc. and would provide oxygenation for the bunker.
Just down from this plant room was a hot water boiler and storage tank in a small
separate room. Then we came to the decontamination centre.
This was a very interesting facility. Inthe event of war the blast door at the far end of the
corridor would have been sealedfrom the inside and the only way inor out would have
been through this facility whichled to the outside through a series of blast doors and a
turnstile.

At the entrance to this area was a control panel whichwas fully functioning as indeed
were most facilities withinthis area. The control panel provided remote door operation
between the various sections of the decontamination area.
I'll describe this area in 2 sections - leaving the bunker andentering the bunker.
To leave the bunker youwould gain access from the control panel area into a secure
corridor which ledto the room for putting on a NBC suit. From here you would follow the
blue arrows painted on the floor to a blast door that ledto an airlock. Go through the
blast door and there are fold-up benches along one side of the air lock room. Another

blast door leads from the airlock to the outside. Directly beyond this blast door is a
security turnstile and small guardroom to control access to the airlock.
Our guide informed us that the US had an armed soldier permanently stationed infull
NBC gear during exercises inthe airlock room withanother colleague outside insimiliar
attire.
To enterthe bunker you wouldpass through the turnstile and enter the airlock room.
You would then go through a separate blast door into a foot bath area where there is a
large, deep trough inthe floor which had a high pressure water jet init toblast off
chemical contaminant etc. from the lower area of the suit. Next was a large bin full of
powder which would be sprinkledon the suit to dry up any chemical contaminant. Thenit
was on to the radiation monitoring room. This had a built in shower for removing dust
and contaminant etc. Next came NBC suit removal room where the suit was passed
through a steel hatch into a 'dirty room' for it to be cleaned and re-used if possible. This
room alsohad radiation monitoring and was equipped withshowers for personal
washing. Next was the drying room which still had a notice on the wall askingservicemen
to 'take one towel and dry off then dress using available clothes and return to work area.'
The door from this area led back to the control panel. The control panel could fully lock
all doors in the decontamination area and intercoms were provided for communication
witheach room. A full PA system (whichstill worked) was alsoavailable inthis part of the
bunker.
Returning to the maincorridor.....
The next room on the left was a large empty room with anescape hatch and a safe door
leading to a strongroom. Purpose of this room is unknown but it was stripped of
everything. It could have been a dormitory but there was no evidence of this. Next on the
right were more plant rooms. These rooms were all interconnected and formed the
remainder of this side of the bunker. The first was power management and pump control.
This seemed to be the main control area for the bunker infrastructure and the panel still
lit up. Our guide told us that most of the plant still functioned, but it cost inthe region of
£800 an hour to run so was only turned over once a month. Off this room was the air
intake room whichhad a large number of ducts and big power fans. Another escape door
led to the outside world. Beyond this room was a small plant room containing the
emergency generator whichwould provide 500Kw of power. On the other side of the
corridor were the toilets and an additional plant room withcompressors and air
circulation units. We were now back at the blast door at the top end of the corridor. One
interesting feature of this bunker was the still workingpneumatic tube message-carrying
system. From the outside it was difficult to tell that the building was indeed fortified.
Source: Andrew P Smith

So how would it of all worked?
When DEFCONalert state was raised DEFCONstands for DEFense CONdition

In the event of a national emergency, a series of sevendifferent alert Conditions
(LERTCONs) canbe called. The 7 LERTCONs are broken down into 5 Defence Conditions
(DEFCONs) and2 Emergency Conditions (EMERGCONs). Defence readiness conditions
(DEFCONs) describe progressive alert postures primarily for use between the Joint Chiefs
of Staff andthe commanders of unified commands. DEFCONs are graduated to match
situations of varying military severity, andare numbered 5,4,3,2, and 1 as appropriate.
DEFCONs are phased increases in combat readiness. Ingeneral terms, these are
descriptions of DEFCONs:
DEFCON 5 Normal peacetime readiness
DEFCON 4 Normal, increased intelligence and strengthened security measures
DEFCON 3 Increase in force readiness above normal readiness
DEFCON 2 Further Increase inforce readiness, but less than maximum
readiness
DEFCON 1 Maximum force readiness.
EMERGCONs are national level reactions in response to ICBM (missiles inthe
air) attack. By definition, other forces go to DEFCON 1during an EMERGCON.
DEFENSE EMERGENCY: Major attack upon U.S. forces overseas, or allied
forces inany area, and is confirmed either by the commander of a unified or
specified command or higher authority or an overt attack of any type is made
upon the United States and is confirmed by the commander of a unified or
specified command or higher authority.
AIR DEFENSE EMERGENCY: Air defence emergency is an emergency
condition, declared by the Commander inChief, North American Aerospace

Defence Command. It indicates that attack upon the continental United States,
Canada, or US installations in Greenland by hostile aircraft or missiles is
considered probable, is imminent, or is taking place.
During the Cuban Missile Crisis, the US StrategicAir Command was placedon DEFCON2
for the first time inhistory, while the rest of US military commands (withthe exception of
the US Air Forces inEurope) went on DEFCON3. On22 October 1962 SAC responded by
establishing Defence Condition Three (DEFCONIII), and ordered B-52s on airborne alert.
Tension grew and the next day SAC declared DEFCONII, a heightened state of alert,
ready to strike targets within the Soviet Union.
On 15 November 1965 the day StrategicAir Command (SAC) postureddown to defence
condition (DEFCON) III.
On 6October 1973 Egyptian and Syrianforces launched a surprise attack on Israel. On25
October U.S. forces went on Defence Condition (DEFCON) III alert status, as possible
intervention by the Soviet Union was feared. On 26 October, CINCSAC and CINCONAD
reverted tonormal DEFCON status. On 31 October USEUCOM (less the Sixth Fleet) went
off DEFCON III status. The Sixth Fleet resumed its normal DEFCON status on 17
November 1973.
A Defence readiness condition (DEFCON) is analert posture used by the United States
ArmedForces. The DEFCONsystem was developed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff and
unified and specifiedcombatant commands. It prescribes five graduated levels of
readiness (or states of alert) for the U.S. military, andincrease inseverity from DEFCON5
(least severe) toDEFCON1 (most severe) to match varyingmilitary situations.
The five DEFCONs, their exercise terms, and their general descriptions are shown below.
Defence
condition
Exercise
term
Description Readiness Colour
DEFCON1
COCKED
PISTOL
Nuclear war is imminent Maximum readiness White

DEFCON2
FAST
PACE
Next step to nuclear war
ArmedForces ready to
deploy and engage in
less than 6 hours
Red
DEFCON3
ROUND
HOUSE
Increase inforce readiness
above that required for
normal readiness
Air Force ready to
mobilize in15 minutes
Yellow
DEFCON4
DOUBLE
TAKE
Increased intelligence
watch and strengthened
security measures
Above normal readiness Green
DEFCON5 FADE OUT Lowest state of readiness Normal readiness Blue
Concept Of Operations
There are twobasic modes of operations: one in peacetime and one inperiods of
increased alert or wartime. During peacetime, the missile Flight is stored inhardened
shelters on the main operations base.

During periods of increased alert, the Flight would be dispersed from the operations base
to concealed firingpositions off the base. While off-base, the Flight wouldmove
frequently from firing position to firing position in order to make it more difficult for the
enemy to find and target it.
Dispersal
During periods of increased readiness, if NATO were toorder a flight to disperse, force
generation wouldbegin. Flight members would be briefed and TELand LCC’s would be
removed from their shelters in GAMA and system checks performed, once checkouts
were completed, the convoys wouldform up and prepare to move out.
The basic operating unit is a Flight; it consists of 16 missiles carriedin four TEL’s
Transport Erector Launchers. And controlled by two LCC’s Launch Control Centre’s, only
one LCC is needed for launch. The other provides redundancy of control and
communications. Sixteen other support and security vehicles are assigned to the Flight.
A Convoy would consist of 22 vehicles: four TEL’s, TwoLCC’s, ten Security Police
vehicles, five Supply trucks and one wrecker.
There are 70 personnel assigned to a Flight: one Flight Commander, one assistant flight
commander, one medical technician, four missile launch officers, nineteen maintenance
personnel and 44 security police.
The Convoy would go to a concealed firing position ”somewhere inBritain” and await
further instructions from NATO. These positions are selected withthe following criteria
in mind: good access for equipment, overhead cover to protect from aircraft or satellite
observation, and easy defense from ground attacks.

The Air Force's BGM-109G GLCM, nicknamed Gryphon, did not begin life as an Air Force
system. It was a modified versionof the Navy's Tomahawk sea launched cruise missile.
Development began in 1977.
Because of the political need for the system, the GLCM passed rapidly from concept
through development, but its progress was not always smooth. Engineers found that
they needed to do much more than simply slapa Tomahawk on a trailer and hand the
driver a portable radio.
Development of the Transporter Erector Launcher and associated infrastructure such as
the launch control centre was a task that proved to be far more complicated than first
imagined. Crashes of test vehicles alsocaused the Joint Cruise Missiles Project Office to
decertify the missile ontwo occasions.
The finished production missile was almost 21feet long, with its stubby wings stretching
out to about nine feet. Top speed was just under Mach 1. The Convair Divisionof General
Dynamics was the prime contractor. McDonnell Douglas made the guidance system, and
Williams International/Teledyne provided the small F107 turbofan power plant
GLCMs were stored inprotective aluminium canisters withtheir wings, control fins, and
engine inlets retracted. In a crisis, the canisters wouldbe loaded onto Transporter Erector
Launchers--giant 78,000-pound tractor trailers. The TELs and their support vehicles
would be deployed to secret, pre-surveyedlaunch sites inremote areas of the host
country. Coordinates for the launch location, along withweather information, were then
to be entered in the missile's flight computer. Twolaunch officers would have taken 20

minutes to enter launch codes receivedby satellite. Once authorized, the officers would
have simultaneously pressed"execute" buttons.
GLCMs were blasted out of their launch tubes by a solid-fuel rocket booster. Once clear
of the canister, the booster was jettisoned and the missile's wings, control fins, and
engine inlet wouldsnap into place. The turbofan engine then took over and powered the
missile on a precise, pre-programmed route to a target hundreds of miles away.
The GLCM was intended to overfly friendly nations at high altitudes to save fuel.
Approaching hostile territory, it would then drop to analtitude of about 50 feet above
ground level and its terrain-following guidance system would steer it toward its target.
On final approach it would swoop upwardto avoid any physical barriers and then plunge
down onto the designated impact point.
Likely targets wouldhave been second-echelon fixed sites such as the Kronstadt naval
base for the Baltic Feet or the Severomorsk headquarters of the Soviet Northern Fleet
near Murmansk.
The permanent Greenham Common peace camp was probably the most famous
concentration of protesters. The peace camp, a semi-organized band of squatters who
livedoutside the facility's gates for years, was a constant irritant to base officials. Anti-
nuclear protesters occasionally would breach exterior defences and reach logistics
buildings. They always seemedtoknow when GLCM units would be leavingthe base to
practice launch deployments on Salisbury Plain. Not that such convoys were easy to
hide. A full deployment consisted of more than 20 vehicles, most of which were filled
withsecurity guards and logistics support for the TELand the mobile launch centres.
"It was tough," recalled Livingston, then the GLCM wing's deputy commander for
logistics at Greenham Common. "We had to 'protester proof' the vehicles." That meant,
for instance, installingsafety wiringover the gas caps to prevent the insertion of foreign
material or protecting parts of the vehicles against the ever-present paint bombs thrown
by protesters.

A ground launched Cruise missile
A Convoy deploys on exercise from Greenham Common

Each missile couldcarry a a 200kt (840 TJ) W80 nuclear device the 96 missiles based at
Greenham Common shared amongst the 6Flights could deploy a stagering19200
kilotons

Tomahawk/Cruise Missile
A BGM-109 Tomahawk/Cruise
Type Long-range, all-weather,subsonic cruisemissile
Place of origin United States
Service history
In service 1983-present
Used by United StatesNavy
United StatesAir Force
Royal Navy
Production history
Manufacturer General Dynamics (initially)
Raytheon/McDonnellDouglas
Weight Distribution Design Engineer Lt.Col. AlbertCReichert III

Unit cost US$569,000 (1999) AGM-109H/L version to $1.45 million Tactical version
(2011)
Specifications
Weight 2,900 lb (1,300 kg), 3,500 lb (1,600 kg) withbooster
Length Without booster: 18 ft 3 in (5.56 m)
With booster: 20ft 6in (6.25 m)
Diameter 20.4 in (0.52 m)
Warhead Conventional: 1,000 lb (450kg) Bullpup, or submunitions dispenser with BLU-
97/B Combined EffectsBomb, PBXN, or a200kt (840 TJ) W80nuclear device
(inactivated in accordancewith SALT)
Detonation
mechanism
FMU-148 sinceTLAMBlockIII, othersfor special applications
Engine WilliamsInternational F107-WR-402turbofan
using TH-dimer fuel
and a solid-fuel rocket booster
Wingspan 8 ft 9 in (2.67m)
Operational
range
BlockII TLAM-A – 1,350 nmi (1,550 mi; 2,500km)
BlockIII TLAM-C, BlockIV TLAM-E -900 nmi(1,000mi; 1,700 km) BlockIII
TLAM-D- 700 nmi(810mi; 1,300km)
Speed Subsonic; about 550 mph (880 km/h)
Guidance
system
GPS, INS, TERCOM, DSMAC
Launch
platform
Vertical LaunchSystem (VLS) and horizontal submarinetorpedo tubes
(known asTTL (torpedo tubelaunch)

The Women’sPeace Camp
On the 5th September 1981, the Welshgroup “Womenfor Life on Earth” arrivedon
Greenham Common, Berkshire, England. They marched from Cardiff withthe intention
of challenging, by debate, the decision to site 96 Cruise nuclear missiles there. On arrival
they delivereda letter to the Base Commander which among other things stated ‘We fear
for the future of all our children and for the future of the livingworld which is the basis of
all life’.
When their request for a debate was ignored they set up a Peace Campjust outside the
fence surrounding RAF Greenham Common Airbase. They took the authorities by
surprise and set the tone for a most audacious and lengthy protest that lasted19years.
Within6 months the campbecame known as the Women’s Peace Campand gained
recognition both nationally and internationally by drawing attention to the base with
well-publicisedand imaginative gatherings. This unique initiative threw a spotlight on
‘Cruise’ makingit a national and international political issue throughout the 80s and early
90s.

The presence of women livingoutside an operational nuclear base 24 hours a day
brought a new perspective to the peace movement - givingit leadership and a
continuous focus.
At a time whenthe USA and the USSR were competing for nuclear superiority in Europe,
the Women’s Peace Camp on Greenham Common was seenas an edifyinginfluence. The
commitment to non-violence and non-alignment gave the protest an authority that was
difficult to dismiss – journalists from almost every corner of the globe found their way to
the camp and reported on the happenings and events taking place there.
Livingconditions were primitive. Livingoutside
in all kinds of weather especially inthe winter
and rainy seasons was testing. Without
electricity, telephone, running water etc,
frequent evictions and vigilante attacks, life was
difficult. In spite of the conditions women, from
many parts of the UKand abroad, came to
spend time at the camp to be part of the
resistance tonuclear weapons. It was a case of
giving up comfort for commitment.
The protest, committed to disrupting the exercises of the USAF, was highly effective.
Nuclear convoys leavingthe base to practice nuclear war, were blockaded, tracked to
their practice area and disrupted. Takingnon-violent direct action meant that women
were arrested, takento court and sent to prison.
The conduct and integrity of the protest mounted by the Women’s Peace Campwas
instrumental inthe decision to remove the Cruise Missiles from Greenham Common.
Under the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, the missiles were flownback to the
USA along withthe USAF personnel in 91/92. The Treaty signed by the USA and the
USSR in1987, is inaccord withthe stated position held by women, in defence of their
actions on arrest, whenit states :
“Conscious that nuclear weapons would have devastating consequences for all mankind”
A number of initiatives were made by womenin Court testing the legality of nuclear
weapons. Also, challenges to the conduct and stewardshipof the Ministry of Defence as
landlords of Greenham Common. In1992 Lord Taylor, Lord Chief Justice, deliveringthe
Richard Dimbleby Lecture for the BBC, referringto the Bylaws case (wonby Greenham
women inthe House of Lords in1990) said‘…it wouldbe difficult to suggest a group
whose cause and lifestyle were less likely to excite the sympathies and approval of five
elderly judges. Yet it was five Law Lords who allowedthe Appeal and held that the
Minister had exceeded his powers in framingthe byelaws soas to prevent access to
common land’.

The Camp was brought to a close in 2000 to make way for the Commemorative and
Historic Site on the land that housed the original Women’s Peace Camp at Yellow Gate
Greenham Common between the years 1981 – 2000. Sarah Hipperson

The End of the Cold War
A series of meetings held during August and September 1986 culminated in a summit
between United States President Ronald Reagan and the General Secretary of the CPSU
Mikhail Gorbachev in Reykjavík, Iceland, on 11 October 1986. To the surprise of both
men's advisers, the twoagreed in principle to removing INF systems from Europe and to
equal global limits of 100 INF missile warheads.
The United States and the Soviet Union signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces
Treaty in1987, which ledto the removal of all nuclear missiles from the base. The last
GLCMs at RAF Greenham Common were removed in March 1991, and the 501st TMW
inactivated on 4June 1991.
Ronald Reagan speaks at the BerlinWall's Brandenburg Gate, challenging Gorbachev to
"tear down this wall"
By the early 1980s, many people in the US perceivedthat the USSR military capabilities
were gaining on that of the United States. Previously, the U.S. had relied on the
qualitative superiority of its weapons to essentially frighten the Soviets, but the gap had
been narrowed. Although the Soviet Union did not accelerate military spending after
President Reagan's military buildup, their large military expenses, in combination with
collectivized agriculture and inefficient planned manufacturing, were a heavy burden for
the Soviet economy. At the same time, Saudi Arabia increased oil production, which
resulted ina drop of oil prices in1985 to one-third of the previous level;oil was the main
source of Soviet export revenues. These factors gradually brought the Soviet economy to
a stagnant state during Gorbachev's tenure.

Reagan recognized the change inthe direction of the Soviet leadership withMikhail
Gorbachev, and shiftedto diplomacy, witha view toencourage the Soviet leader to
pursue substantial arms agreements. Reagan's personal mission was toachieve "a world
free of nuclear weapons", which he regarded as "totally irrational, totally inhumane, good
for nothing but killing, possibly destructive of life on earth and civilization". He was able
to start discussions on nuclear disarmament withGeneral Secretary Gorbachev.
Gorbachev and Reagan held four summit conferences between 1985 and 1988: the first in
Geneva, Switzerland, the second in Reykjavík, Iceland, the third in Washington, D.C., and
the fourth in Moscow. Reagan believedthat if he could persuade the Soviets to allow for
more democracy and free speech, this would lead to reform and the end of Communism.
Speaking at the BerlinWall on June 12, 1987, Reagan challenged Gorbachev to go
further, saying:
"General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the
Soviet Unionand Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization, come here to this
gate! Mr Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr Gorbachev, tear downthis wall"
Gorbachev and Reagan sign the INF Treaty at the White House in 1987
Prior to Gorbachev visitingWashington, D.C., for the third summit in1987, the Soviet
leader announced his intention to pursue significant arms agreements. The timingof the
announcement ledWesterndiplomats to contend that Gorbachev was offering major
concessions to the U.S. on the levels of conventional forces, nuclear weapons, and policy
in EasternEurope. He and Reagan signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF)
Treaty at the White House, whicheliminated anentire class of nuclear weapons. The two
leaders laid the framework for the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START I;Reagan
insisted that the name of the treaty be changed from Strategic Arms Limitation Talks to
Strategic Arms Reduction Talks.

When Reagan visitedMoscow for the fourth summit in1988, he was viewedas a celebrity
by the Soviets. A journalist asked the president if he still considered the Soviet Union the
evil empire. "No", he replied, "I was talkingabout another time, another era." At
Gorbachev's request, Reagan gave a speech on free markets at the Moscow State
University. In his autobiography, An American Life, Reagan expressed his optimism about
the new direction that they charted and his warm feelings for Gorbachev. InNovember
1989, the BerlinWall was torn down, the Cold War was officially declaredover at the
Malta Summit on December 3, 1989 and twoyears later, the Soviet Union collapsed.
The Cold War was a major political and economic endeavor for over four decades, but the
confrontation between the two superpowers had decreased dramatically by the end of
Reagan's presidency. The significance of Reagan's role in ending the Cold War has
spurred contentious and opinionated debate. That Reagan had some role in contributing
to the downfall of the Soviet Union is collectively agreed, but the extent of this role is
continuously debated, withmany believing that Reagan's defense policies, hard line
rhetoric against the Soviet Union and Communism, as well as summits withGeneral
Secretary Gorbachev played a significant part inending the War.
United States President Ronald Reagan (left) and President of the Soviet Union Mikhail
Gorbachev meet in1985.
He was notable amongst post–World War II presidents as being convinced that the Soviet
Union could be defeated rather than simply negotiated with, a conviction that was
vindicated by Gennadi Gerasimov, the Foreign Ministry spokesman under Gorbachev,
who saidthat Star Wars was "very successful blackmail. ... The Soviet economy couldn't
endure such competition." Reagan's strong rhetoric toward the nation had mixed effects;
Jeffery W. Knopf observes that being labeled"evil" probably made no difference to the
Soviets but gave encouragement to the East-European citizens opposed to communism.
That Reaganhad little or no effect in ending the Cold War is argued with equal weight;
that Communism's internal weakness had become apparent, and the Soviet Union would
have collapsed in the end regardless of who was inpower. President Harry Truman's
policy of containment is also regarded as a force behind the fall of the U.S.S.R., and the
Soviet invasionof Afghanistan undermined the Soviet system itself.

General Secretary Gorbachev saidof his former rival's Cold War role: "[He was] a man
who was instrumental in bringing about the end of the Cold War", and deemed him "a
great President". Gorbachev does not acknowledge a winor loss inthe war, but rather a
peaceful end; he saidhe was not intimidated by Reagan's harsh rhetoric. Margaret
Thatcher, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, saidof Reagan, "he warned that
the Soviet Union had an insatiable drive for military power... but he alsosensed it was
being eaten away by systemicfailures impossible to reform." She later said, "Ronald
Reagan had a higher claim than any other leader to have won the Cold War for liberty and
he did it without a shot being fired." Former President Lech Wałęsa of Poland
acknowledged, "Reagan was one of the world leaders who made a major contribution to
communism's collapse."
President R. Reagan and Prime Minister M. Thatcher

The fall of the Berlinwall
Phase 6 1992 – Present day
Just a few years after works were completed, the INF Treaty, signed by presidents
Reagan and Gorbachev in 1987, meant that by 1991 Greenham‘s role as a nuclear
weapons base was
Over
By 1990 the cruise missiles had gone from the base. By 1997 the military had left
Greenham Common Airbase altogether.
Following this point The Greenham Common Trust was formed and purchased the
former airbase. Around 750 acres of the site was transferred to the local authority and
restored as common land. The remaining150 acres was transferred to Greenham
Common Trust to be regenerated as ‘New Greenham Park’ business campus

The Common
Following the purchase of the former RAF Greenham Common Airbase in1997, 750-acres
were immediately transferred to the control of the local council to be restored as
common land, withfinancial support from the Trust.
Greenham Common was reopened withunrestricted public access in2000, providing a
natural resource of national importance.
As well as nearly £1m already donated to West Berkshire Council towards the restoration
of the Common, the Trust is alsoactively workingtowards a "green" business park, with
green transport and commuting and energy efficiency being high on the agenda.
In 2003 the work of Greenham Common Trust was rewardedwithThe Queen's Awardfor
Enterprise: Sustainable Development.

Greenham and Crookham heaths have long been 'common land' - areas of land open to
the general public on which people who have 'commoners rights' may graze their
animals, take gravel, cut turf and collect firewood.
In 1941 the land was takenby the Air Ministry to become an important military base,
home to British squadrons and then the AmericanAir Force. From 1980 the site became a
central focus for anti-nuclear demonstrations as cruise missiles began to be stored here.
During this period there was no public access to most of the Common.
In 1997 through a partnership of the Greenham Common Community Trust and the then
Newbury District Council (now West Berkshire Council) the open areas of the former
Greenham Airbase was acquired for public use and enjoyment. This area, owned by the
Council, is part of Greenham and Crookham Commons and is a nationally important Site
of Special ScientificInterest containing rare and fragile ancient heathland, lowland and
woodland withprotected birds, plants and animals. After decades of military occupation
the Commons were officially reopened for public use on the 8th of April 2000.
Now, the site is once more open to the public and is managed for wildlife andpeople by
West Berkshire Council withthe cooperation and support of the Greenham and
Crookham Common Commission.
Ground Nesting Birds
Greenham and Crookham Common on the southern edge of Newbury forms the largest
area of lowlandheath inWest Berkshire – a fragile and threatened habitat full of very
special wildlife – and is particularly important for some of Britain's rarest ground nesting
birds, including nightjar, woodlark and lapwing. It is a fantastic place to enjoy wide open
spaces and a 'sense of freedom', and has become a very popular place for dog walking
and many other outdoor pursuits. The common is owned by West Berkshire Council,
which has joined forces with our local wildlife charity, the Berks Bucks and Oxon Wildlife
Trust (BBOWT), tochampion and help protect its important natural history. As the
nesting season starts, both organisations are working together to balance the needs of
the many visitors withthat of the vulnerable ground nesting birds.

In 2004, The Bunker acquired the command and control centre along withits data centre
facilities and began to provide Ultra Secure services from within.
As a company that prides itself on security The Bunker’s decision to acquire the
Greenham bunker made perfect business sense. Located outside of the M25 yet within
the M4/M3 catchment area The Bunker is out of the potential
Terrorist danger zone yet within easy access of the UK’s SiliconValley.
As anex-military site the bunker ticked The Bunker’s security and redundancy
requirements. Purpose built to protect data and people inthe event of a nuclear attack
the bunker now protects data from every potential threat that could compromise the
availability of a business' critical applications.
The Bunker has heavily investedinthe command and control bunker and major upgrades
have been made to the power, cooling and connectivity to cope withstate of the art high
security, high density data centre services.
The Bunker Protocol™
All Bunker-based applications are protected by The Bunker Protocol™, our
proprietary, Ultra* Secure process framework that includes:
-Grade Data Centres – in our underground bunker outside the M25 in
Kent and our mirror facility inNewbury, both protected by integrated processes for
physical, digital and human security

– Our unique combination of state-of-the-art, best of breed
mechanical and electrical infrastructure technologies. Security isn’t bolted on; it’s
built inat source
– no ‘first tier helpdesk’; tierless support – direct 24/7 access
to qualifiedhands-on support teams
The Bunker Newbury Data Centre
The Newbury Bunker was built for the US Forces on the Greenham Common Air Base as
a command and control centre protecting people and technology from Nuclear attack.
The construction and security standards are what you might expect of such a purpose
built fortress. It has concrete reinforced walls, steel doors, EMP and tempest shielding.
Layered on top of this physical inaccessibility is a 24-hour watch,CCTV and a series of
sophisticated access controls.
Bunker onsite security includes:-
Data Floor
from a half rack to a dedicated suite or vault
Power & Air Conditioning
humidity @ N+1
-up @ N+1
Security
-hour videorecording
Secured Networks
le Fibre Providers

- subject to planning
e - subject to planning
Historical Timeline
1941 Common requisitioned for airfield. Anunfenced airstripand associated building put
up.
1943 RAF Greenham Common officially becomes USAAF base StationNo. 486.
1944 D-Day preparations, General Eisenhower makes his famous speech.
1945 Greenham Common reverts to RAF control.
1947 Land de-requisitioned, reverting to Newbury Borough Council control.
1951 Announcement that RAF Greenham Common wouldbe needed againas a US
airfield.
1958-64 Airbase part of Reflex Alert Scheme, bombers standing-by for immediate take-
off with nuclear weapons.
1960 Newbury Corporation sells Greenham Common to Air Ministry.
1964Strategic Wing de-activated, Americans leave Greenham, and its buildings are used
for personnel from RAF Welford.
1967 Air base then is up-graded to stand-by base.
1972 Ugandan Asians, expelled by Idi Amin, pass through Greenham Common seeking
shelter inBritain.
1978 Rumours of re-activation of Greenham prove true. Huge public outcry leads MoD to
reject this.
1979 NATO takes decision to site cruise nuclear missiles inBritain.
1980 Defence Secretary announces Greenham Common will house 96 missiles.
1981 Group called Womenfor Life on Earth march from Cardiff to Greenham. Peace
camp starts a week later.

1982 Peace camp becomes exclusively for womenand children at night.
1983 Peace women break into base to dance on unfinished missile silos. 14 mile human
chain links Berkshire’s nuclear sites. Conservatives winGeneral Election.
1984RAGE (Ratepayers Against Greenham Encampments) formed. First cruise convoy
testing.
1986 GAMA completedwith 6Flights of Ground Launched Cruise Missiles. Dwindling
numbers at peace camps.
1987 Split betweenYellow Gate and Blue Gate peace women. Presidents Reagan and
Gorbachev sign INF treaty to rid Europe of missiles.
1988 Revelationthat commoners’ rights may make building on the base illegal. Russians
come to inspect Greenham’s missiles. MoD attempts to pay commoners for the
extinguishment of some rights.
1989 First cruise missiles leave tobe destroyed. A peace woman is killedina traffic
accident.
1990 House of Lords rules MoD by-laws prohibiting trespass on base are illegal.
1991 Final cruise missiles leave Greenham Common for destruction.
1995 Runway begins to be removed.
1996 Radiationscare over 1958 accident leads to scientificsurvey of land – no evidence
of raisedradioactivity at Greenham.
1997 MoD sell airbase to Greenham Common Trust for £7m and common land for £1 to
District Council. First piece of perimeter fence removed.
1999 Greenham Commons Bill promoted in Houses of Parliament to restore as common
land open to public.
2000 Commons open to the public except for areas covered by INF treaty. Last surviving
peace camp at Yellow Gate disbands on 19th anniversary of first protest.
2001 Commoners’ livestock once again graze the heaths and grasslands.
2002 Greenham Act passed to restore land open to the public
2004 The Bunker acquires lease and begins to provide Ultra Secure hosting and data
centre services.

2006 Exmoor ponies graze commons.
2008 West Berkshire LivingLandscape Project agreement signed.
thebunker.net

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