Chicksands
Airfields
RAF Chicksands

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RAF Chicksands was set up in 1936 by the RAF, it played a huge part in the Second World War by receiving signals which were later decoded at Bletchley Park.

In 1950 American Servicemen began to arrive. Chicksands became home to the 774th Air Base Group which supported two major missions - the Air Defence Intelligence Agency's 450th Intelligence Squadron and the Department of Defense Joint Operations Center Chicksands - which provided rapid radio relay. The base's listening device, 35 meters high and 400 meters in circumference, became a well known local landmark, and was known as the "elephant cage".

The base resembled a small town with its own church, shops, petrol station, garage, fire and police station and school. Recreation facilities included a leisure centre, library, gym, bowling alley, tennis courts, soccer, rugby and American football pitches. The base had a population of around 3,600 people in 1995 - made up of 1,500 military personnel, 280 US civilians and dependants and 180 British workers.

The United States Air Forces in Europe left Chicksands after 45 years in 1995. The base was returned to the Military of Defence on the 30th September. It is now home to the national Defence Intelligence and Security Centre (DISC).

In 2001 the base was visited by Channel 4's Time Team who investigated the Priory (a scheduled monument) which is situated on DISC premises.

Sources:

• End of a special relationship, Bedfordshire Times 4th March 1994 and other local newspaper articles

Page last updated: 23rd January 2014