RAF Chicksands facts for kids
Quick facts for kids RAF Chicksands
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| Near Shefford, Bedfordshire in England | |
An entrance to former 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)). |
Royal Air Force Chicksands (or RAF Chicksands) was a military base in England. It is located about 7.7 miles (12.4 km) southeast of Bedford and 11.6 miles (18.7 km) northeast of Luton, both in Bedfordshire. The base closed in 1997. After that, the British Army took over the site. It is named after Chicksands Priory, a very old monastery from the 12th century, which is inside the base's area.
Contents
History of RAF Chicksands
Early Days and World War II
The land for Chicksands was bought by the government in 1936. At first, it was rented out, but then the Royal Navy took it over. After nine months, the Royal Air Force (RAF) started using it. They set up a special unit there called a "Y Station." This unit was important for collecting secret signals.
During World War II, RAF Chicksands was a key place for gathering secret information. It intercepted (listened in on) German messages. This information was then sent to the Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park. This school was famous for breaking secret codes.
The American Air Force Era
In 1950, the United States Air Force (USAF) began using the base. It became home to the 6940th Radio Squadron. This group continued to work on communications and collecting secret signals. This was especially important during the Cold War, a time of tension between many countries.
The RAF still helped manage the base while the American units were there. Over the years, different American groups were based at Chicksands.
A very large antenna was built at Chicksands in 1962. It was 1,443 feet (440 meters) across! People called this huge antenna the "Elephant Cage." It was used to find the direction of radio signals. The "Elephant Cage" was taken apart in 1996 when the American Air Force left the base.
Sadly, there was an accident during an airshow on July 7, 1979. A pilot named Colonel Thomas Thompson crashed his plane, an Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, near the base and died.
Return to British Control
In 1997, the British Army's Intelligence Corps took over the base. They moved their main office and their training programs to Chicksands.
What Happens at Chicksands Now?
Since 1997, the base has been home to the Defence Intelligence and Security Centre (DISC). It is also the main office for the British Army's Intelligence Corps. In 2015, the site was renamed the Joint Intelligence Training Group (JITG).
Today, JITG trains people from all parts of the British Armed Forces. They also train members of the Civil Service and others. The courses teach many different skills related to intelligence work.
