RAF Daws Hill
Encyclopedia
RAF Daws Hill is a Royal Air Force
station on the outskirts of High Wycombe
, in Buckinghamshire
, England
. The base is situated on Daws Hill Lane, the road between Flackwell Heath
and Marlow Hill, High Wycombe
, off the A404 road and adjacent to the M40 motorway
.
An important part of US defence in the United Kingdom
in the 1980s, the station was occupied by the United States Navy
. It was home to a peace camp
in 1982–1984.
in 1942, shortly after the United States
' formal entrance into World War II
. So urgent was the action that Wycombe Abbey School, situated on the land that would become the station, was given three weeks to find new facilities; failure in this effort led to the school's closing, until the independent girl's school was returned by the US in 1945.
In 1952, the station, formerly known as Daws Hill House, welcomed US forces again. The following years of the Cold War
saw fluctuation in the base's importance.
Approximately 800 personnel were stationed there when, in 1969, their numbers were reduced, so that, in the early 1970s, only a small group remained for upkeep of facilities.
Then, in 1975, activity escalated, revitalising the station's importance to the American military in Europe
. Its nuclear bunker
, with 23,000 square feet (2,100 square meters) of space, housed high-tech equipment for the direction of nuclear bombers and guided missiles.
Use of the station was reduced with the end of the Cold War; by 1992, US Defense personnel at RAF Daws Hill numbered fewer than 350.
In 2002, the UK Ministry of Defence
proposed to close RAF Daws Hill some years in the future, turning the 50 acres (20.2 ha) of land over to other public and private use and relocating American Naval personnel and activities to other locations near London
, particularly RAF Uxbridge
. The plan apparently fizzled, however, when the US Navy voiced its preference to remain. High Wycombe
, desiring to build at least 400 new house
s by 2011 for its growing population, considered the land ideal for up to 600 houses; but nearby British residents also rejected the proposal because of the changes that it would entail, including increased traffic on relatively quiet roads.
The station was home, between 1971 and 2007, to the London Central Elementary High School, part of the Department of Defense Dependents Schools
, with pupils in grades K–12. Also at Daws Hill are 70 housing units for American personnel and their families. Other facilities include warehouses and those for vehicle maintenance, as well as support buildings for persons who lived and worked at the base, such as a bank
, a post office
, a bowling
alley, sports grounds and buildings, a small exchange
, an automobile
refueling station, and a social club.
Since the US Navy's departure from the greater London area, the need for facilities at RAF Daws Hill have greatly diminished and the station is now being vacated. London Central High School graduated its last class in 2007 and is now closed. Other station facilities such as base housing and the shopette and gas station closed in August 2007.
In June 2011, the site was placed up for sale by the Ministry of Defence.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
station on the outskirts of High Wycombe
High Wycombe
High Wycombe , commonly known as Wycombe and formally called Chepping Wycombe or Chipping Wycombe until 1946,is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England. It is west-north-west of Charing Cross in London; this figure is engraved on the Corn Market building in the centre of the town...
, in Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The base is situated on Daws Hill Lane, the road between Flackwell Heath
Flackwell Heath
Flackwell Heath is a village in the civil parish of Chepping Wycombe on the outskirts of High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire England. It is at an elevation of about 150m as it sits on the top of one of the Chiltern Hills. It has a population of around 6000.-History:...
and Marlow Hill, High Wycombe
High Wycombe
High Wycombe , commonly known as Wycombe and formally called Chepping Wycombe or Chipping Wycombe until 1946,is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England. It is west-north-west of Charing Cross in London; this figure is engraved on the Corn Market building in the centre of the town...
, off the A404 road and adjacent to the M40 motorway
M40 motorway
The M40 motorway is a motorway in the British transport network that forms a major part of the connection between London and Birmingham. Part of this road forms a section of the unsigned European route E05...
.
An important part of US defence in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in the 1980s, the station was occupied by the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. It was home to a peace camp
Peace camp
Peace camps are a form of physical protest camp that is focused on anti-war activity. They are set up outside military bases by members of the peace movement who oppose either the existence of the military bases themselves, the armaments held there, or the politics of those who control the bases...
in 1982–1984.
History
American military forces were first stationed at High WycombeHigh Wycombe
High Wycombe , commonly known as Wycombe and formally called Chepping Wycombe or Chipping Wycombe until 1946,is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England. It is west-north-west of Charing Cross in London; this figure is engraved on the Corn Market building in the centre of the town...
in 1942, shortly after the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
' formal entrance into World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. So urgent was the action that Wycombe Abbey School, situated on the land that would become the station, was given three weeks to find new facilities; failure in this effort led to the school's closing, until the independent girl's school was returned by the US in 1945.
In 1952, the station, formerly known as Daws Hill House, welcomed US forces again. The following years of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
saw fluctuation in the base's importance.
Approximately 800 personnel were stationed there when, in 1969, their numbers were reduced, so that, in the early 1970s, only a small group remained for upkeep of facilities.
Then, in 1975, activity escalated, revitalising the station's importance to the American military in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Its nuclear bunker
Bunker
A military bunker is a hardened shelter, often buried partly or fully underground, designed to protect the inhabitants from falling bombs or other attacks...
, with 23,000 square feet (2,100 square meters) of space, housed high-tech equipment for the direction of nuclear bombers and guided missiles.
Use of the station was reduced with the end of the Cold War; by 1992, US Defense personnel at RAF Daws Hill numbered fewer than 350.
In 2002, the UK Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
proposed to close RAF Daws Hill some years in the future, turning the 50 acres (20.2 ha) of land over to other public and private use and relocating American Naval personnel and activities to other locations near London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, particularly RAF Uxbridge
RAF Uxbridge
RAF Uxbridge was a Royal Air Force station in Uxbridge within the London Borough of Hillingdon. Its grounds covered originally belonging to the Hillingdon House estate, which was purchased by the British Government in 1915, three years before the founding of the RAF...
. The plan apparently fizzled, however, when the US Navy voiced its preference to remain. High Wycombe
High Wycombe
High Wycombe , commonly known as Wycombe and formally called Chepping Wycombe or Chipping Wycombe until 1946,is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England. It is west-north-west of Charing Cross in London; this figure is engraved on the Corn Market building in the centre of the town...
, desiring to build at least 400 new house
House
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
s by 2011 for its growing population, considered the land ideal for up to 600 houses; but nearby British residents also rejected the proposal because of the changes that it would entail, including increased traffic on relatively quiet roads.
The station was home, between 1971 and 2007, to the London Central Elementary High School, part of the Department of Defense Dependents Schools
Department of Defense Dependents Schools
The Department of Defense Dependents Schools are a network of schools, both primary and secondary, that serve dependents of United States military - and other non-US - personnel outside the United States. The schools themselves are operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity...
, with pupils in grades K–12. Also at Daws Hill are 70 housing units for American personnel and their families. Other facilities include warehouses and those for vehicle maintenance, as well as support buildings for persons who lived and worked at the base, such as a bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
, a post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, a bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
alley, sports grounds and buildings, a small exchange
Base exchange
A Base Exchange is a type of retail store operating on United States military installations worldwide...
, an automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
refueling station, and a social club.
Since the US Navy's departure from the greater London area, the need for facilities at RAF Daws Hill have greatly diminished and the station is now being vacated. London Central High School graduated its last class in 2007 and is now closed. Other station facilities such as base housing and the shopette and gas station closed in August 2007.
In June 2011, the site was placed up for sale by the Ministry of Defence.