Early Years

Royal Air Force Greatworth served our Nation in peace and war for fifty years. Nestling comfortably in the rural Northamptonshire countryside, this reclusive little RAF Camp played a crucial role in telecommunications throughout World War Two as the transmitter site for Bletchley Park, it helped relay much vital correspondence across the world to help orchestrate the war effort. After the war, the demands for its services continued increasingly with the beginnings of the Cold War, the single most expensive conflict ever fought throughout history.

The original RAF Greatworth site, run by Martin, suggested that The National Archives at Kew have records of RAF Greatworth from 1944, as a W/T Station, along with W/T Station RAF Dagnall. More recently I have received other detailed reserach that cites public sources dating the station to 1939.

As part of this research there is a footnote that reads:

“RAF Greatworth was in service from 1939 and operated throughout WW2 as transmitters for Bletchley Park. RAF Signals Station established 1943 as a temporary communications station… The original accomodation area comprised 5 Nissen hut ‘billets’, an ablutions hut and a larger hut for messes, NAAFI and recreational use. (hm)”

The reference (hm) is a tally that links the research to this publication from Harrington Museum

There is also a further note that reads:

“when Bletchley – Stewkley – Greatworth projects comes into operation, possibly in November, it is proposed that it should form as a complete RAF unit and should include in its establishment all RAF and WAAF other ranks and Administration Officers located as Station ‘X'”

This references a letter from the Air Commodore Commanding No 28 Signals Group to the Under Secretary of State, Air Ministry dated 8th August 1942. I have a photograph of this letter, it looks genuine, but I have been asked not to publish it.

Both Jeff Turner and Derrick Savage from the earlier RAF Greatworth site ventured the opinion, that RAF Greatworth predates WW2. This seems less likely now, although the only documented information available is sketchy and incomplete. It seems to be a fair bet that RAF Greatworth likely opened at the beginning of or just before WW2.

After WWII, the world saw the most expensive war ever. It ran from 1945 until 1988, and we named it ‘The Cold War’. Involving all three of the worlds ‘super powers’, in an ‘arms race’ of armageddon proportions and almost insane brinkmanship it seems reasonable looking back, that if the world were to be destroyed by men, this is likely when it would have happened, and there were some close calls.

During this period, the RAF developed it’s HF telecommunications systems into a huge global network, that was vastly superior to pre war systems. During this confrontation between the worlds ‘superpowers’ RAF Greatworth developed an increasing importance. With its extensive aerial complex, numerous caged rhomboidal aerials stretching between tall masts and lofty towers that covered several hundred acres around the countryside and its large, modern TX Hall equipped with the best and most powerful transmitters, it could reach out with ease to the far corners of the globe.

As far as we know, the huge Nissen type building used for the TX Hall and some smaller ancillary Nissen huts were the only buildings. RAF Greatworth acquired the designation of Number 962 Signals Unit in January 1956 and kept it until September 1960 (National Archives, Kew). Sometime later it became a detachment of No2 Signals Unit, RAF Stanbridge, along with RAF Bampton Castle and RAF Edlesborough the latter previously known as RAF Dagnall. Edlesborough was another transmitter site and Bampton Castle was a receiver site.

There are now conflicting reports about accomodation before and during the war. We know little of the billeting arrangements of this time, but one member tells us that he lived off site at Helmdon and it is believed that the village provided this service until just after the war ended. It was believed that after this, the accommodation Nissen huts, ablutions, mess and NAAFI huts were built on the site in a self-contained compound, but in light of the newly supplied research, there is evidence that these huts were put in place circa 1943.

The site of these huts is known and was on the lane west of the TX Hall, towards the Welsh Road. It is shown on an aerial photo that was done shortly after the end of the war and can be seen in more recent areial drone footage as a farm yard. Look closely at the footage and you will see the concrete foundations on which the huts previously sat.

The CO’s house was built a little while after the Nissen compound and isn’t shown on that photo. Through the years following the war, RAF Greatworth saw extensive modernisation, all the Nissen buildings and huts disappeared into brick and concrete buildings, only the wooden lattice towers remained unchanged.

RAF Greatworth eventually closed on November 11th 1988 and the premises were leased to USAF, when it was no longer required, it was handed back to the MOD on 8th February 1992, subsequently the property and it’s land were sold into commercial use. The aerial farm was returned back to its pre-war agricultural use for farming and the tall distinctive wooden lattice towers and other masts were felled although the old concrete bases and counterweights still remain, these are now used to reinforce the hedgerows and fences around the old `aerial farm’. South and close by of the accommodation buildings, are eight concrete bases that were not removed from their place of rest.

All the old buildings remained until at the start of 2020 a new rail initiave named HS2 cut right through the old accomodation buildings and the entrance that has stood for the past sixty years. The transmitter hall and surrounding buildings remain and now form Greatworth Business Park.

It is of course now ‘PRIVATE PROPERTY’. Visitors should respect this when entering the premises. Previous visits by members have been welcomed by the occupants of the businesses and our reunions made very welcome indeed. It is to be noted that visiting the site’s businesses should be preceded with an appointment.

If you served at RAF Greatworth as a member of Her Majesty’s Armed Forces, or worked here in any capacity, at any time, servicing the functions of this RAF base, or indeed if are a local resident to the site, or an occupant of the present-day business park, then you are welcome to enjoy the facilities of this website.