The RAF station that didn’t officially exist for 30 years
sapce
In the early 1980s, at the height of the ‘first’ Cold War, work began to upgrade and redevelop a bunker deep in the Buckinghamshire countryside, for use by both British and US military.
The strategic command centre forms part of RAF High Wycombe, and is located around 200ft below ground, reinforced by steel and concrete, a site that is believed to be able to withstand a nearby nuclear explosion – a claim that could only be verified in the most catastrophic of circumstances.
The site possesses its own generators and diesel source, and is capable of maintaining a power supply for several weeks in the event of a complete wipe out of the National Grid.
Protection and secrecy have been the watchwords of RAF High Wycombe since Wing Commander Alan Oakeshott suggested siting Bomber Command there in the build-up to WWII, more a strategic site rather than an operational airfield; its location was ideal for its initial role, outside the capital but within easy reach of London by road.
Hurricane at RAF High Wycombe
Today it is a vital administrative and strategic support centre, officially home to UK Space Command, the European Air Group, HQ Air Command, supporting the Joint Ground Based Air Defence and Joint Force Air Component Commander.
At present, arguably its most important role is defending British airspace from hostile agents, part of the QRA (quick reaction alert) response. Once a threat is detected, the National Air and Space Operations Centre (NASOC) at High Wycombe analyse the status of the threat, determining whether it warrants Typhoon jets to be scrambled at either Lossiemouth or Coningsby, or both.
Protecting Britain and its population has been key to the work at RAF High Wycombe since work to develop it into a strategic site began in the late 1930s, the location near the village of Walters Ash, six miles north west of the town that gave the station its name, eventually.
WW2 Bunker
Situated in a wooded area, it offered natural camouflage, its development carried out with the upmost secrecy, the operation known only as Southdown, not officially becoming a RAF station until January 1, 1969.
Trees were left in situ where possible and buildings were constructed to mask their true purposes – the officers’ mess looking like a manor house and the fire station resembled a village church. Tunnels were built to connect each block of the station to the central Operations Block which was located 55 feet below ground.
With many arrivals at the site of high-level Allied personnel, a small grass airfield at nearby Lacey Green was used towards the end of the war, a time when the location was also utilised by the 325th Photographic Wing, USAAF.
Post war, it continued as a strategic RAF centre, and in 1958 it became a forward HQ for 7th Air Division of the US Strategic Air Command (SAC), which relocated from RAF South Ruislip, co-ordinating all bomber and reconnaissance operations before much of SAC’s work was consolidated at Daws Hill, the RAF station just south of High Wycombe, that was primarily operated by US personnel before its closure in 2007.
It was July 1, 1994 that Allied Forces North Western Europe was established at High Wycombe, with 2021 seeing the site become the HQ of UK Space Command following its formation.
Access to the strategic part of the site is strictly limited, with a visit by a Defence Correspondent mentioning the need to pass through three blast doors to access what was described as the RAF’s ‘Top Secret Air Defence Bunker’.
RAF High Wycombe badge
