Rare chance to see Cold War decontamination suite 274 at Greenham this weekend

Heritage open days at Greenham Common today Saturday (September 17) and tomorrow will offer a rare opportunity to explore the Decontamination Area within Building 274, which was 501st Tactical Missile Wing’s headquarters and command post on Greenham air base, now Greenham Business Park, during the Cold War.

The decontamination section was designed to cleanse personnel of nerve agents in the event of a chemical attack and complete shutdown of the base.

It was self-sufficient in air, water and sanitation. Parts of the building have walls of blast-proof, steel-reinforced concrete and solid blast-proof doors.

Greenham Common was active as a US Army Air Force and US Air Force airfield for various periods from the Second World War onwards, most famously during the Cold War.

Between 1982 and 1991, it was home to the USAF 501st Tactical Missile Wing and operated 96 cruise missiles and was the site for the 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 and has been granted special permission to open the decontamination section of building 274 as part of this year’s Heritage Open Days. The theme of the Heritage Open Days this year is Astounding Inventions.

Spokesman for the Greenham Control Tower Jeremy Willis said: "This is a rare opportunity for members of the public to have access to the Decontamination Suite.

"With kind permission of the Greenham Trust, we are able to make arrangements to open up for this one weekend.

"Our volunteer guides will lead visitors right inside the facility, which remains largely as it was on the day the USA AF left it. Visitors will be able to see where military personnel would have been treated to remove chemical and biological contamination before being led to a clean area. The facility was self-sufficient in air, water and sanitation in the event of a complete shut-down of the base following an enemy attack.”

The decontamination area will be open from 11am-4pm.

Access is free of charge.

Additional events will be run from Greenham Control Tower which include

• East Woodhay Silver Band on Sunday, September 18, 12.30pm-1.15pm and 1.45pm-2.30pm

• Walks with an expert guide on Saturday, September 17, at 10.30am, starting from the Control Tower and at 2pm, starting from the Decontamination Suite.

• Historical talks by local experts on Saturday, September 17, from 11am at the Control Tower.

For full details visit www.greenhamtower.org.uk/events

Visit https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/event/decontamination-suite-greenham-air-base for further details about Heritage Open Days 2022