I did a tour there as an RAF guard in February 1987. I don't live too far away so I have been back a few times to walk my dog. Watching the Gamma section of the video I remember we were posted every 100 meters all round the perimeter. We had braziers to keep warm and little huts. I remember it had snowed that February and was really cold.

At Greenham 1962-1964, lived in Bishops Green housing area. Great times!!!

Greenham Common has intrigued me for many years, and this is quite simply the best documentary about it I’ve ever seen. Brilliant video.

@AndyMcloone

Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

@Robslondon

Жыл бұрын

@@AndyMcloone I did very much! Please keep building your channel Andy, it’s superb.

I used to service the NATO secure communications equipment here in the mid to late eighties, on completion of my Army service in 1994 I was able to purchase a surplus married quarter in Barton Stacey just down the road,funnily the “married patch” served as accommodation for GC support staff and regularly visited the now defunct airfield where it was used as an extensive Sunday morning car boot market. Back to when I served, the mounds in this video housed NATO comms equipment that had to be compatible with US NSA equipment and regularly visited this HAS to repair and maintain both US and NATO cryptographic devices as well as the SCARS system. This site has a lot of history!!

Glad I got to go down into the tunnels and silos as a kid before it all got completely closed off. There's a whole other world underneath those Silos. It's a shame people can't get any closer or check them out. During that period I lived about 1/2 mile down the road towards town, had an airshow every day almost! (for us at least). The old Control Tower has been restored and reopened to the public again so I'm told, that's about as close as you can get these days.

@nitrojunkie88

2 жыл бұрын

Back in the early 2000's there used to be some well known holes in the perimeter fence (to us locals), once inside there was a small bunker entrance next to one of the silo's with a blast wall/doorway leading to some stairs heading down inside. The site wasn't maintained or really looked after by anyone at that point, people would often spend the entire day down there exploring. I guess health and safety got involved at some point and had the entrance concreted. Last time I was there, the silo doors could still be operated by hand crank. It's a shame the runway was torn up, it was the longest one in Europe at one point, SR-71's would land there, all the good stuff...

@jednmorf

11 ай бұрын

I heard the hum from underground at those bunkers

Spent some of the happiest times of my life based at Greenham 84-85. It’s sad to see the base as I knew it gone which was full of life inside the wire. Many memories of live bands shipped in from the US, bbq steaks, birthdays, marriages at the Base Chapel and of course endless hours of Stag. Despite the protestors the 501st TMW had a fantastic relationship with the local community. I am the proud owner of the last Stars & Stripes flown over the base before it was inactivated in 1991.

Another great video - very informative - thanks! I had a great laugh towards the end ..when you mentioned that a long drive is about 20 minutes. For context, I'm viewing from Northern Territory, Australia. It's 20 minutes to my nearest town, and 3 hours + to our main city, Darwin. I drive it regularly and think nothing of it. Anyway, Cheers.

This hasn’t received the attention it deserves. I hope it will soon.

Great video, Andy. Brings back some scary feelings of my teens. Remember watching the protests on tv, also passed the base one year whist heading to France in a school trip. Thanks for all your research and hard work putting this together.

I went to school in greenham common, park House school, and always remember the ☮️ keeping women as we'd pass them to get to school. Yes Putin is a naughty man 2022, war in Ukraine. Thank you, enjoyed the documentary, I also went to youth club in the air base when it was occupied by the 🇺🇸 Americans, my best mate back then her mother started to date one from the base so when the Americans left, my best friend and mother left with him, so I'd lost a very good friend that year,.

Outstanding research many thanks for your time

Lovely, thank you for this video.

I remember the 1981 RIAT there. A pleasant day.

@saints16o5o87

11 ай бұрын

83 RIAT was my 1st Airshow down south. Fairford never gave me that feeling that GC had.

Even though I'm from the United States, I knew about Greenham Commons airbase. I knew a WW2 veteran that was stationed there. And a friend I went to school with was stationed there in the 80's. He told me about the protesters. He also told me about the nickname many of the people stationed there had for it. And for any of you who want to know what it was. Just think of a certain Dr. Zeus book, and add airbase to the end of the title.

What a great video. Spent time at RAF Lakenheath (WS3) and RAF Fairford (OIF) as well as trips to RAF Welford with the USAF. The UK was so important during the Cold War and I had many friends (Munitions) who were stationed at Common…..was a great assignment aside from the hostile protestors. Great video!

@vedggie

8 ай бұрын

I worked at Greenham for a company that did maintenance work and installation work including the old fuel dumps and pumping stations for the aircraft, we also did work down at Welford. Enjoyed working at both, enjoyed the "American" atmosphere and felt like pieces of the States dropped into Berkshire. Still have my I.d. Cards for both the sites, jeez I forgot how young I look; amazing what a full head of hair does for you👍👍

Excellent video! Thanks for sharing! 👍

@AndyMcloone

Жыл бұрын

Thank you! Cheers!

Very interesting. Hello from Newcastle Australia

@moiraatkinson

Жыл бұрын

Hello from Newcastle, UK 😊

An excellent video. Thanks a whole lot!

Another excellently put together documentary!

Love the" A Bridge Too Far" film clip

Another brilliant video!

I used to go on the base a lot back in 88 to 91 as i had American friends on the base. I used to get food from the US supermarket and fill up my car at US fuel prices which was pretty cool. They also had a big leisure centre onsite with a Bowling Alley which was always popular. There was a USA housing estate nearby where they all lived, the houses were HUGE compared to UK houses. Dont know what happened to all of those houses ?.

Hi Andy! I've only recently come across your channel, but thoroughly enjoying the content. I remember Greenham Common on the news reports from my youth, and was particularly relevant to me as I live about 10 miles away from RAF Molesworth, the 2nd planned base to get the cruise missiles stationed there. It didn't happen, and they all went home shortly after. Thank you, and keep it up!

Great stuff.. how about something in our ‘own’ IRBM’s of the early 50’s Thor/ Project Emily, based throughout east Anglia - an brief chapter of the Cold War, mostly forgotten - keep up the good work !

Interesting. Thanks for refreshing my brain on GC.

Great video. Visited there in 1989, security at the GLCM area was no joke!

Used to take the RAF regiment there on a regular basis, would drive past all the protesters at the main gate , would drop the regiment off then would drive past the gamma section ,over the runway and down the other side, RAF MT was a few tents . Would wait for shift change then go back to pick them back up

I love your videos

I like how the armies solution to their equipment having different fittings than the British hydrants wasn’t to just change the fittings or find a way to adapt to the British hydrants, it was to just bring over American hydrants to install. Definitely an interesting way to do it. Great video!

Really nice tour, I felt like I'm there

Yet another Quality video 😎 Thanks Tony , hi from Belfast Northern Ireland

Excellent insight. Thanks

Another excellent video...spent early 80s in UK, typical Antipodean backpacker, though very aware of how scary a time things were...

It was really good to see this doco. I made friends on the base from about 1986, and for a few years visited. I used to go on the bus from Basingstoke that stopped at the main entrance. I had to do forms including signing the USA's and UKs secret act. Then they would let me on my own walk through the base, across the runway ( sometimes having to wait for take offs and landings) to the accommodation blocks on the other side. Had a silo tour and got to see a bit. I remember someone had one of those autogyro kites they used to tow up and down in the summers. They were a great bunch of people. It looks so different now

Only just discovered your channel and your very interesting videos and the attention to detail of the history of places you go to. Look forward to viewing all that you’ve done. 👏😁⭐️

Cracking video! I grew up round Reading/Newbury (born '98) and only knew a fraction of what you went through in this.

Looks like it could easily be recommissioned if World events changed as no housing or industrial units have been built and the runway could easily be relaid.

Thank you for sharing. 20 years ago i visited a customer based in the business park in the former hardened station headquarters. It was rather an odd experience walking through blast and gas tight external doors into a windowless building designed to wage war that had been repurposed for small businesses. Not sure if that’s what is now the data centre.

All that military might and spending by the US is moving to Northern Australia now.

I remember it well I was in the RAF at that time good vlog well done 👏👏👏🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Born in 1950 I feel the human race is no safer today than back then. At least we could see and knew who our cold war enemies were.

One of the fast and furious films was filmed partly at Greenham Common as well

Went there as a platoon commander in 1983 on base security duties when the protestors were trying in bring down the wire. It was an incredibly modern sophisticated hugely engineered base, the type of which we took for granted during the Cold War. If anyone had said then 10 years later it would be gone, we'd have said they were mad. Nostalgic trip back to a different time with this commendable research

lovely place for a bike ride, never been in the control tower need to have check that out

Interesting site. It reminds me a lot, for probably-obvious reasons, of the former Loring Air Force Base in northern Maine (notorious to fans of _WarGames_ as the place where the "Jesus H. Christ, we're still here!" guy was stationed). Loring has fewer "ancient English countryside" features and more "abandoned back to the Maine woods" ones, but the ambience is very similar, down to the areas that are still slightly creepy for no obvious reason.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. Andy's YT documentaries are always very informative and well presented. The Protect and Survive 17:13 public information campaign gave instructions on DIY nuclear "shelter" in the home using an old table and some wood doors!! 😲Its on KZread.

Remember working there in the 80s had to go through so many checks to get in needed dollars to buy anything and being held at gunpoint because we took the wrong turn and ended up in the wrong area 😂

looking at ariel shots it wouldnt take too much effort to replace runways and reopen base if ever needed

Many a fine memory from the cosmic counter cruise festival there , knocking down fences , putting dirt into diesil tanks , watching outrageous arrests and enjoying a good druggy weekends . Met some fantastic people and was introduced to anarchists only there to dig shit pits and provide basic showers . Amazing .

Love your videos! So much forgotten history of the Cold War that I find absolutely fascinating. Just one small error in this video - these are X-wings (rebellion fighters) and not Tie-fighters (Imperial fighters) 😊

27:23 - 1991! :) Edit: ohh 1990! not 1919 lol

@AndyMcloone

Жыл бұрын

Well spotted, 😧it’s an early video of mine with auto generated subtitles. I manually create subtitles now. I will re -edit these.. Thanks.

they kept the centre point and some of the concrete taxiways to show the history when the galaxy starlifters arrived with cruise missiles, the rest of the runway was dug up and used in constructing A34 Newbury Bypass, also for reference the old buildings which is now Greenham Park was used in an episode of London's Burning and Most recently the GAMA area which housed the Cruise missiles was in the Star Wars Movie the Force Awakens

I'm American but learned about the "Green and Common Women" from the books by Adrian Plass. I did some additional research years ago and learned some about the history. I really enjoyed the tour, especially the drone views. Thanks!

@alan-the-maths-tutor

Жыл бұрын

It's Greenham Common not "Green and Common"

@Rootsfran

11 ай бұрын

I learned from the Adrian Plas books too, he called them the "green and common women" 🙂

I'd only ever heard of this via an off-color joke in an episode of "Yes, Prime Minister." Good to learn more! :)

Great piece of history, looking back in time just wondering was the “protestors” founded by SOROS and KGB? Just got me thinking 😅

@davidmurphy8190

11 ай бұрын

Yes, they were. An earlier effort was “Ban The B-1 Bomber”.

I went on there when the Americans were there. Longest runway in UK when built, I was told, with a hump in it such that when you cross over in the middle you couldn't see either end. This meant that you had to stop, look each way and gun it across the runway.

Based there in 84 and then 1988-90, when the Russians flew in during the treaty , spent some boring times in the silo's, but great fun getting paint and god knows what else thrown at us as we left the camp when we deployed to Salisbury plain with the launchers

Excellent video as always, Andy! Even as a former local (of 20yrs) I learned a good amount… Greenham also had a lot of involvement in the Gulf War. I remember the C-5 Galaxy aircraft coming in and out at all hours of the day…wreaking havoc at the Tesco just off the end of the runway… Used to be a member of the adjacent Newbury & Crookham golf course.

@ZGryphon

11 ай бұрын

As an aside, "Havoc! at the Tesco" would be a good name for a Panic! at the Disco cover band.

Interesting video thanks. I would just add one fact that isn't mentioned much these days, i.e. that the unused barracks on the base were used in 1972-3 to house 1500 Asians with UK passports who were kicked out of Uganda by Idi Amin. During a temporary summer holiday job in 1973 I helped remove all the furniture from the barracks after they left.

I’m from Reading so it’s not far for me, I often go there for walks I love it, got to know it as I worked in Thatcham for a while, now there is a cafe makes it even better

Nice overview of Greenham and, yes, important to note just how close we were to nuclear war in the 1980's. Obviously the video is about Greenham, however, it must not be forgotten that a number of other nuclear sites existed around the country, and some still do today. Re the "peace camp", they weren't looking for an alternative lifestyle, they were protesting at nukes on UK shores.

Frankie do NOT own the copyright, you've been falsely struck. The govt refused them permission to sample their films, so ZTT just rang Patrick Allen and brought him in to record the necessary lines for them. So while a bot might think the voice in the movies is Frankie's recording, it is not. Unless of course the Protect and Survive films contain him breaking down and saying "I can't" and declaring "Mine, is the last voice, you will ever hear. Do Not Be Alarmed" Fight that one.

Rather irritating that the GAMA ancient monument is not accessible to the public.

The land is quick to reclaim when left idol.

Such a shame that the runway was destroyed a useful piece of history.

The protests were daily news in Australia. One piece of irony was that there was an old law which prohibits the “Discharging of Missiles” at Greenham Common which refers to the throwing of stones. The penalty was probably five pounds.

Its all underground now,24 hr security. We found an air shaft next to the cruise bunkers needed a ladder to get my boss up to it came back next day shaft had been welded shut,the feeling of being watched was intense. Boscombe down the same all underground. I was at molesworth 80s stop cruise and cnd visited the peace camp at greenham once or twice

I used to deliver to the bunkers. Interesting experience with a lot of security and stupid people at the gates

The music is Howard Harper-Barnes - Life in Pieces, can anyone tell me the name of the advert that used it please? I think it was a furniture store. Thanks!

Very good place for walking - used to live nearby. I wonder what the Peace Women are now thinking given that we are being threatened with nuclear weapons on a weekly basis !

I’m not sure if it’s here or ex RAF Manston but an instructor at an air cadet camp I attended when I was a kid mentioned that several places like this around the world were left that open and not developed so as to give the space shuttle and even the Buran a space to land or pancake (air slang for wheels up landing) if they where in need of it. Manston was the longest runway in 83/84 that kept a permanent fire service as they were also the diversion airport for planes that in his words Had bits drop of them in flight or a problem that may make them drop out of the sky and crash on London. Also there is probably a whole host of tunnels and cables fuel pipelines etc under the area of the runway. If you consider a lot of American bases are designed to withstand a near miss especially if you’ve doubled up on your above ground infrastructure, (pure conjecture on my part). These may be a couple of reasons why they never did anything to the runway.

top gear!

Growing up on Pidgeons Farm, this was my playground for 10 years

Cold war country park sounds like a punk rock band name.

I lived about a 5 minute walk from the common back around 2008 near the 'plough on the green' pub and had no idea about the common's war history, I think I only bothered to go there once to walk my dog.

I was going to send my mum on a cruise around the world but I couldn't get her through the gates at greenham common

Loony wimmins at Greenham

Great video Andy. I think we owe a huge debt of gratitude to the women that protested at Greenham and Molesworth. Without the sacrifices they made, many of us would never have been aware of just how dangerous a world we were living in back then. Just as the protesters of Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil are today, the Greenham women were vilified in the, predominantly, right wing press and made to look like freaks and wasters. But they were normal women from all backgrounds that had given up their 'normal' lives (whatever that means) to protest against a very real danger. How many of us can honestly say we would or could do the same. I visited a couple of times in the 1980s to take food to the women and to offer my solidarity and was alway impressed by their stoicism and commitment. I believe that thanks to their contribution we now live in a safer world. At the very least the people of Newbury got their common back.

@grahamwood9428

10 ай бұрын

What sacifices? Loafing around all day. pretending they were doing something useful Being partially financed by the soviets (as was CND). pathetic naivety

was there in 84 i think, kings own Royal Border regt, all btlns had to do 2 weeks guarding the perimeter, never seen so many gopping left wingers on the over side of the wire, one of are lads sent sitrep on net 2 dogs approaching wire one female one canine, sorry if that offends but it got a good laugh and a bolocking lol

@dimitrioap

11 ай бұрын

Likewise did my stint with the Glosters over Christmas it was bloody cold and snow thick on the ground, what a sight the smellies were I had the unfortunate job of standing guard on two females that were arrested and put in one of the rooms, I was so naïve back then lol

To put the whole Cold War thing and its protest into context , 200 times more people visited the Royal International Air Tatoo in 1983 in one weekend than ever remained at the the alternative living display campsite . I was there to witness the Great Unwashed Giro Users try to obstruct the 10s of thousands of visitors that arrived each day to exercise their free will to enter the airfield and enjoy the show our guests had arranged over the weekend . The vast majority of intelligent individuals in this country by this time had accepted that MAD was the only process in which a future was assured until one side or the others bluff was called and we saw the collapse of the USSR . Unfortunately the rise of disproportionate minority left wing power in this country that has led to the disarming of the nations military and its civilian population has seriously backfired as we have seen with recent events and the nation once again faces a tyrannical power and great threat in Europe with now very limited means to defend itself . Yes to me it marked the end of an era . Symonds the long established cider makers were there selling their wonderful Scrumpy Jack cider . This was the last show that they would present their masterpiece as a natural unfiltered product as an independent family cider maker .