RAF Holmpton
Encyclopedia
Royal Air Force Holmpton is a former Cold War
era nuclear bunker that was built in the 1950s as an early warning radar
station. Located just south of the village of Holmpton
, in the East Riding of Yorkshire
, Royal Air Force Holmpton is still a part of the RAF
and the Defence Estate (2010). In 2004 a major Public Exhibition opened at the site which now hosts regular public tours of the fully restored Cold War Bunker.
Between 2003 & 2009 RAF Holmpton was restored by HIPPO (Holmpton Initiative Project Planning Office)which took on the original project. The site is currently maintained by the Joint Support Unit and the public exhibitions are managed by the Royal Air Force Holmpton Preservation Society.
The site runs to about 36 acres (145,687 m²) and comprises a number of surface structures along with a secure 35000 ft2 command bunker which is about 100 feet (30.5 m) below ground.
program. In the late 1960s it became a Master Comprehensive Radar
Station which eventually closed in 1974. The site was converted in the 1980s to form the new War Headquarters for RAF Support Command
. With the ending of the Cold War this function ceased in 1991 and the site returned to training until 1995 when it was refurbished to become the first experimental headquarters of the new CCIS Electronic Warfare
System. This function left the site in 2000–1. Throughout its years as a Radar Station and through the years of Support Command & CCIS, the site also contained an operations area for the Royal Observer Corps, and although the Corps was 'stood down' in 1992 with some ROC units remaining as NBC cells until the end of 1995, one last ROC unit remained at RAF Holmpton until December 1997, during planning of a new electronic warning system. This made RAF Holmpton the very last place in the UK where any members of the Royal Observer Corps ever served, and is a unique part of the site's history. After CCIS moved out in 2001 the site was maintained under contract until 2003 by AQUMEN Defence and during this time it was used for occasional training by the RAF Regiment & the TA. In 2003 management of the site passed to HIPPO (The Holmpton Initiative Project Planning Office) and plans soon got underway for a public exhibition which opened to visitors in 2004.
It is also worth mentioning that between 2003 & 2010 the site also housed the Defence Archive Unit which held plans and documents relating to cold war sites throughout the UK. In 2008 the majority of the archive was transferred to another organisation and is currently being digitised for publication on the web. The remainder of the Archive Unit then operated as a consulting facility but is due to close on 1 November 2010 (cutbacks) with any last historic documents being passed to the National Archive in Kew.
2010: In 2010 improvements were carried out to the public tour and exhibitions.
2011 Coming right up to date - Major improvement works are underway for the 2011 Visitor Season, and these will include a much improved public tour along with two new cinmsa, enhanced features and a new RAF Holmpton Multiscreen Show.
, offices, kitchen, officer's mess
, life support operations systems, canteen
and hospital, the coding & computer rooms and many other areas of interest. One gallery features a display map of 'Cold War' target sites in the UK. There are also films and presentations about the Cold War, the activities of the Royal Observer Corps
, the site and its operations. The tour concludes with an Award Winning Multiscreen Show depicting the whole history of RAF Holmpton.
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...
era nuclear bunker that was built in the 1950s as an early warning radar
Early warning radar
An early warning radar is any radar system used primarily for the long-range detection of its targets, i.e., allowing defences to be alerted as early as possible before the intruder reaches its target, giving the defences the maximum time in which to operate...
station. Located just south of the village of Holmpton
Holmpton
Holmpton is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England in an area known as Holderness. It is situated approximately south of Withernsea town centre and east of the village of Patrington.It lies just inland from the North Sea coast....
, in the East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
, Royal Air Force Holmpton is still a part of the RAF
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...
and the Defence Estate (2010). In 2004 a major Public Exhibition opened at the site which now hosts regular public tours of the fully restored Cold War Bunker.
Between 2003 & 2009 RAF Holmpton was restored by HIPPO (Holmpton Initiative Project Planning Office)which took on the original project. The site is currently maintained by the Joint Support Unit and the public exhibitions are managed by the Royal Air Force Holmpton Preservation Society.
The site runs to about 36 acres (145,687 m²) and comprises a number of surface structures along with a secure 35000 ft2 command bunker which is about 100 feet (30.5 m) below ground.
History
The bunker was first built in 1951-3 and started life as an early warning station, part of the ROTORROTOR
ROTOR was a huge and elaborate air defence radar system built by the British Government in the early 1950s to counter possible attack by Soviet bombers...
program. In the late 1960s it became a Master Comprehensive Radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
Station which eventually closed in 1974. The site was converted in the 1980s to form the new War Headquarters for RAF Support Command
RAF Support Command
-History:It was formed on 31 August 1973 by the renaming of Maintenance Command, with No. 90 Group being added to it. Its responsibilities included all logistical and maintenance support requirements of the RAF...
. With the ending of the Cold War this function ceased in 1991 and the site returned to training until 1995 when it was refurbished to become the first experimental headquarters of the new CCIS Electronic Warfare
Electronic warfare
Electronic warfare refers to any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults via the spectrum. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponent the advantage of, and ensure friendly...
System. This function left the site in 2000–1. Throughout its years as a Radar Station and through the years of Support Command & CCIS, the site also contained an operations area for the Royal Observer Corps, and although the Corps was 'stood down' in 1992 with some ROC units remaining as NBC cells until the end of 1995, one last ROC unit remained at RAF Holmpton until December 1997, during planning of a new electronic warning system. This made RAF Holmpton the very last place in the UK where any members of the Royal Observer Corps ever served, and is a unique part of the site's history. After CCIS moved out in 2001 the site was maintained under contract until 2003 by AQUMEN Defence and during this time it was used for occasional training by the RAF Regiment & the TA. In 2003 management of the site passed to HIPPO (The Holmpton Initiative Project Planning Office) and plans soon got underway for a public exhibition which opened to visitors in 2004.
It is also worth mentioning that between 2003 & 2010 the site also housed the Defence Archive Unit which held plans and documents relating to cold war sites throughout the UK. In 2008 the majority of the archive was transferred to another organisation and is currently being digitised for publication on the web. The remainder of the Archive Unit then operated as a consulting facility but is due to close on 1 November 2010 (cutbacks) with any last historic documents being passed to the National Archive in Kew.
2010: In 2010 improvements were carried out to the public tour and exhibitions.
2011 Coming right up to date - Major improvement works are underway for the 2011 Visitor Season, and these will include a much improved public tour along with two new cinmsa, enhanced features and a new RAF Holmpton Multiscreen Show.
Tours
Since the first tours in 2004 the exhibition has continually grown with regular updates and improvements, now (2010) making RAF Holmpton the 'Reference Standard' of Cold War Bunker Tours in the UK. TOUR DETAILS: All visitors are now given guided tours of the site's many facilities, including three underground operations rooms, the guardroom, communications rooms, dormitoriesDormitory
A dormitory, often shortened to dorm, in the United States is a residence hall consisting of sleeping quarters or entire buildings primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people, often boarding school, college or university students...
, offices, kitchen, officer's mess
Mess
A mess is the place where military personnel socialise, eat, and live. In some societies this military usage has extended to other disciplined services eateries such as civilian fire fighting and police forces. The root of mess is the Old French mes, "portion of food" A mess (also called a...
, life support operations systems, canteen
Canteen
Canteen has several different meanings:*Canteen , a water container*Canteen , a cafe, restaurant, or cafeteria provided for the use of students, workers, or soldiers at a particular school, office, or military base...
and hospital, the coding & computer rooms and many other areas of interest. One gallery features a display map of 'Cold War' target sites in the UK. There are also films and presentations about the Cold War, the activities of the Royal Observer Corps
Royal Observer Corps
The Royal Observer Corps was a civil defence organisation operating in the United Kingdom between 29 October 1925 and 31 December 1995, when the Corps' civilian volunteers were stood down....
, the site and its operations. The tour concludes with an Award Winning Multiscreen Show depicting the whole history of RAF Holmpton.
External links
- RAF Holmpton - official website
- Detailed historical record about RAF Holmpton