MOD Chicksands facts for kids
Quick facts for kids MOD Chicksands
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| Near Shefford, Bedfordshire in England | |
An entrance to RAF Chicksands
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 RAF Chicksands
Location within Bedfordshire
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| Coordinates | 52°02′29″N 000°21′31″W / 52.04139°N 0.35861°W |
| Type | Signals intelligence station |
| Area | 172 hectares |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Ministry of Defence |
| Operator | Royal Air Force (1936–1950) United States Air Force (1950–1996) |
| Condition | Closed |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1936 |
| In use | 1936–1997 |
| Fate | Transferred to the British Army and became the Defence Intelligence and Security Centre (DISC) and the headquarters of the Intelligence Corps. Now the Joint Intelligence Training Group (JITG)). |
Ministry of Defence Chicksands, or MoD Chicksands, is a special base in the UK. It is located near Bedford and Luton in Bedfordshire, England. This site is now home to the Defence Intelligence and Security Centre (DISC).
Before 1997, it was known as RAF Chicksands. The base closed in 1997 and was taken over by the British Army's Intelligence Corps. It is named after Chicksands Priory, a very old monastery from the 12th century, which is inside the base.
Contents
A Look Back: Chicksands' Story
The land for Chicksands was bought by the Crown Commissioners in 1936. These commissioners manage land owned by the British Crown. The Royal Navy first used the site for a short time.
Then, the Royal Air Force (RAF) took over. They set up a special unit there. This unit was called a Y Station. Its job was to collect signal intelligence. This means they listened to secret enemy radio messages.
Chicksands was very important during World War II. It intercepted messages from Nazi Germany. These messages were then sent to the Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park. This is where codebreakers worked to understand the secret messages.
When America Joined In
In 1950, the United States Air Force (USAF) started using the base. It became home to the 6940th Radio Squadron. They continued to listen to communications and collect intelligence. This work was very important during the Cold War.
The RAF still helped manage the base. Over the years, different USAF units were stationed there. These included the 6950th United States Air Force Security Squadron.
In 1962, a huge antenna was built at Chicksands. It was about 1,443 feet (440 meters) wide. This antenna was called the Wullenweber antenna. People also called it the Elephant Cage because of its size and shape. It helped find the direction of high-frequency radio signals. The "Elephant Cage" was taken apart in 1996. This was when the USAF left the site.
Back to British Control
In 1997, the British Armed Forces took over the site again. The Intelligence Corps moved its headquarters there. They also moved their intelligence training programs to Chicksands.
What Happens at Chicksands Now
Since 1997, Chicksands has been the home of the Defence Intelligence and Security Centre (DISC). It is also the main base for the Intelligence Corps. In 2015, it became the home of the Joint Intelligence Training Group (JITG).
The JITG trains people from all parts of the British Armed Forces. They also train members of the Civil Service and others. The courses teach different skills needed for intelligence work.
Ferret|1982 shore establishment|6 is a training center for the Royal Naval Reserve. It was formed in 1989. This unit moved to Chicksands in 1997 along with the Intelligence Corps.
See also
- List of former Royal Air Force stations
- United States Air Forces in Europe
- United States Air Force in the United Kingdom
