RAF Stanbridge

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ricardian
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RAF Stanbridge

#1 Post by ricardian » Wed May 19, 2021 5:15 pm

Interesting Historic England report on RAF Stanbridge (nr Leighton Buzzard, Beds). Rather dry but detailed history of this non-flying RAF station which was of vital importance in WW2 and the Cold War as the hub of RAF telecommunications in the UK and abroad.
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TheGreenGoblin
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Re: RAF Stanbridge

#2 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Thu May 20, 2021 5:17 am

A very interesting document about a base I could have guessed existed, but didn't know about (as it should be)! No doubt the Russians had its co-ordinates fixed in a computer somewhere for any pre-emptive strike. I assume that the good burghers of Cheltenham realise that they must be a primary target today! I assume the Germans were unaware of the site or, at least, didn't understand its significance?

RAF Leighton Buzzard was created to be the main Central Exchange and Wireless Telegraph station for the RAF's telephone and telegraph network, which had been established from 1936. The site was chosen for its good wireless reception, proximity to the existing GPO trunk telephone network, and lack of other apparent military significance. It became operational in May 1939, with a staff of about 600 servicemen and women.

Second World War
During the Second World War the station was a major base for secret communication traffic. A large number of tunnels filled with what was state-of-the art equipment were used to protect the equipment. It handled "practically the whole of the national landline teleprinter communications and a large part of the private speech telephone system", together with the wireless transmission and reception of all RAF international communications. It has been described as in 1942 "the largest telephone exchange in the world"
In the early 1970s RAF Stanbridge had satellite sites at RAF Bampton Castle (Receiver site), RAF Weyhill (Transmitter site), RAF Edlesborough (Transmitter site), RAF Greatworth (transmitter site) and RAF Stoke Hammond (Receiver site). Stanbridge was then known as the Communications Control Centre (CCC or Commcen Central) and was the hub of the Defence Communications Network (DCN). The main building hosted Systems Control, a tape relay centre (Main Hall), in which were based several banks of TASS transmit positions (Telegraph Automatic Switching System) and later a secure Telegraphic Automatic Routing Equipment (TARE). All of these methods of communication depended on paper tapes which were punched with Murray Code. A secure Comms cell which was used to communicate by morse with deployed detachments worldwide as an emergency means of communication was located next to the local traffic office. The DCN connected sites all over the world by HF radio links using the two diverse transmitter sites and the diverse receiver sites. The Distant Terminals of these links included Canberra, Gan, Cyprus, Ottawa and Malta. Other UK sites involved were the RN site at HMS Forest Moor and RAF Oakhanger with its satellite earth-station.[citation needed]

RAF Bampton Castle was a technical site only, equipped with HF radio receivers and an aerial farm and parented by RAF Brize Norton.
RAF Edlesborough was a technical site only, equipped with HF radio transmitters and a large aerial farm and parented by RAF Stanbridge.
RAF Stoke Hammond was a technical site only, equipped with HF radio receivers and an aerial farm and parented by RAF Stanbridge. It closed in the mid 1970s and the site was returned to the owner, leaving Bampton Castle as the only receiver site.

RAF Greatworth had its own accommodation but was administratively parented from RAF Stanbridge. Like Edlesborough it was an HF radio transmitter site with a large aerial farm. The site opened in the 1930s and finally closed in 1992. It is now an industrial park known as Greatworth Park.

These sites were equipped with radio equipment made by Marconi and Racal. During the 1970s the transmitters used were the Marconi HS series (HS31, HS51 and HS71) and their more modern MST series. The power of these transmitters ranged from 1 kW up to 30 kW and the two transmitter sites operated as a RED path and a YELLOW path to provide diversity to cope with atmospheric conditions, HF radio being at the mercy of the ionosphere. Aerials were of the dipole, rhombic or biconical designs being usually fed via twin wire feeders.[citation needed]

By the mid 1980s, with its original equipment obsolete, the station was very run down; but in 1987 the station took on a new role, with its main building substantially rebuilt, when the RAF Supply Control Centre (RAFSCC) was relocated from RAF Hendon to RAF Stanbridge, along with the Joint Services Air Trooping Centre (JSATC). In this role it housed the RAF's Supply Central Computer System, responsible for tracking logistics and supplies records for the RAF all across the world. Administratively the station was latterly grouped under RAF Henlow and then under RAF Brampton Wyton Henlow.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Stanbridge
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