Open Heritage Days - September 2022

Who doesn't like a freebie.....

Some highlights in this topic or goto heritageopendays.org.uk

All of Shuttleworth Thursday 15th September

Greenham Common Decontamination Area and visit to GAMA
www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/eve...te-greenham-air-base

A unique opportunity to gain access to the Decontamination Suite that formed part of the Cold War US Air base at Greenham Common

Greenham Common was active as a US Army Air Force and US Air Force airfield for various periods from WWII onwards, most famously during the Cold War. Between 1982 - 1991, it was home to the US Air Force 501st Tactical Missile Wing and operated 96 cruise missiles. It was the site for the famous Greenham women's peace protests.

Few buildings remain from this period. Greenham Control Tower is the only building now open to the public as a visitor centre. The charity has arranged special permission to open the decontamination suite within building 274 to the public as part of Heritage Open Days.

This section of building 274 is attached to what was the command centre for the 501st Tactical Missile Wing. Parts of the building have walls of blast-proof steel-reinforced concrete and solid blast-proof doors. The purpose of the decontamination section would have been to cleanse personnel of nerve agents in the event of a chemical attack. Part of building 274 was designed as a hardened area to be self-sufficient in air, water and sanitation if a complete shut-down of the base occurred following an enemy attack

Max 15 people per tour/session. 30 minutes + optional walk across Greenham Common to GAMA site There are no toilets at the Decontamination Suite. There are full facilities, parking , toilets, a cafe and the opportunity to view Greenham Common, including the GAMA nuclear bunkers, from the observation deck of the Control Tower at RG19 8BZ. Contact for the day: Tori Yates - 07736 252644‬

Royal Artillery Museum Stores at Wood Road Hangars
www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/eve...illery-museum-stores

The oldest surviving aircraft hangars in Europe now house part of the Royal Artillery Museum's amazing collection. See behind the scenes in our stores, explore historic field guns and find out about the birthplace of British military aviation.

The Wood Road hangars are Listed Grade 2*, and were built in 1910 (less than two years after the first powered flight in the UK). That year, pilots flying from these sheds took part in a major military exercise that finally convinced the Army there might be a use for aircraft in war. Larkhill became Britain's first military airfield, but was only operational until 1914, and the sheds are now almost all that remains of this key moment in aviation history.

Until recently, the sheds stored surplus furniture for the nearby Army camp but they have now been made available for use by the Royal Artillery Museum, providing office, workshop and storage space.

The Royal Artillery Museum’s collection was established in 1778 for training purposes, and is one of the oldest and most significant of all military collections. It opened to the public in 1820 at the Rotunda on Woolwich Common, moving to the nearby Firepower museum in 2001. Firepower closed in 2016, pending the creation of a new museum near Larkhill, the modern home of the Royal Artillery. That project is ongoing - for the time being most of the collection remains in various storage locations and is not generally accessible to the public.

Malvern - 80 Years of RADAR History
www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/eve...ars-of-radar-history

And a Guided Walk as well

www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/eve...ry-radar-guided-walk