imported>Cornmazes at 06:49, 19 January 2025

2025-01-19T06:49:03Z

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{{short description|British Armed Forces facility in Bedfordshire, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox military installation
| name = MOD Chicksands
| ensign =
| ensign_size =
| native_name =
| partof = 
| location =
| nearest_town = [[Shefford, Bedfordshire|Shefford]], [[Bedfordshire]]
| country = England
| image = RAF Chicksands - geograph.org.uk - 382483.jpg
| alt =
| caption = An entrance to MOD Chicksands
| image2 = MinistryofDefence.svg
| alt2 =
| caption2 =
| image2_size = 100
| coordinates = {{Coord|52.04251|N|0.36258|W|display=inline,title}}
| gridref =
| type = Military intelligence centre
| pushpin_map = Bedfordshire
| pushpin_mapsize =
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Bedfordshire
| pushpin_relief =
| pushpin_image =
| pushpin_label = MOD Chicksands
| pushpin_label_position = left
| pushpin_mark =
| pushpin_marksize =
| code = 
| site_area = {{convert|172|ha|acres}}<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defence-estates-development-plan-dedp-2009|title=Defence Estates Development Plan 2009 – Annex A|date=3 July 2009|website=GOV.UK|publisher=Ministry of Defence|page=A17|access-date=30 December 2024}}</ref>
| ownership = [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]]
| operator = [[Strategic Command (United Kingdom)|Strategic Command]]
| controlledby = [[Defence Intelligence]]
| open_to_public = 
| condition = Operational
| site_other_label = 
| site_other = 
| website =
| built = {{Start date|1936}}
| built_for =
| builder =
| architect =
| used = *1936–1950 ([[Royal Air Force]])
*1950–1996 ([[United States Air Force|US Air Force]])
*1997 – unknown ([[British Army]])

| materials =
| fate = 
| demolished =
| events =
| current_commander = 
| past_commanders = 
| garrison =
| occupants = *[[Intelligence Corps (United Kingdom)|Intelligence Corps]]
*Defence Intelligence Training Group
| designations =
| nrhp =
| footnotes = 
}}'''Ministry of Defence Chicksands''', or more simply '''MOD Chicksands''', is a tri-service [[British Armed Forces]] facility in [[Bedfordshire]], approximately {{convert|35|mi|km}} north of [[London]]. It is named after [[Chicksands Priory]], a 12th-century [[Gilbertine]] [[monastery]] located within the perimeter of the camp.

The site was formerly '''RAF Chicksands''', which closed in 1997, handing over control of the site to the British Army. Today, the Defence Intelligence Training Group (DITG) is based at MOD Chicksands, and is the Headquarters of the [[Intelligence Corps (United Kingdom)|Intelligence Corps]].

The base will close and be disposed of in 2030.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-20 |title=Chicksands military station to be sold off from 2030 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn097e1pv94o |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-16 |title=Disposal database: House of Commons report |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disposal-database-house-of-commons-report |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}</ref>

==Site history==

=== RAF Chicksands ===
The [[Commissioners of Crown Lands (UK)|Crown Commissioners]] bought the Chicksands estate on 15 April 1936, later renting it to Gerald Bagshawe, who lived there until it was requisitioned by the [[Royal Navy]]. After nine months the RAF took over operations and established a [[SIGINT|signal intelligence collection]] (SIGINT) unit there, known as a [[Y-stations|Y Station]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Defence Intelligence and Security Centre |url=http://www.army.mod.uk/intelligence/32259.aspx |access-date=16 June 2016 |publisher=[[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)]]}}</ref>

The site operated as a SIGINT collection site throughout the Second World War, intercepting [[Nazi Germany|German]] traffic and passing the resulting material to the [[Government Code and Cypher School]] at [[Bletchley Park]], where ciphers and codes of several [[Axis powers|Axis]] countries were decrypted, most importantly the ciphers generated by the German [[Enigma (machine)|Enigma]] and [[Lorenz cipher|Lorenz]] machines.<ref>{{cite web |title=History of the Intelligence Corps |url=http://www.army.mod.uk/documents/general/history_of_intelligence_corps.pdf |access-date=16 June 2016 |publisher=[[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)]]}}</ref>

=== United States Air Force Europe ===
In 1950 the site was subleased to the [[United States Air Force]] serving as the base of the 6940th Radio Squadron, responsible for continued communications and SIGINT operation through the [[Cold War]]. The RAF continued to act as a host unit for the resident USAF units, including over time the 6950th United States Air Force Security Squadron, later becoming the 6950th Electronic Security Group and the 7274th Air Base Group.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Military at Chicksands Priory |url=http://www.bedfordshire.gov.uk/CommunityAndLiving/ArchivesAndRecordOffice/CommunityArchives/Chicksands/TheMilitaryAtChicksandsPriory.aspx |access-date=15 June 2016 |publisher=Bedford Council}}</ref>

In 1962, a {{convert|1443|ft|m}} diameter [[AN/FLR-9]] ''[[Wullenweber]]'' [[Antenna (electronics)|antenna]] array was constructed at Chicksands to form part of the ''Iron Horse'' [[High frequency|HF]] [[direction finding]] network. This antenna array, dubbed the ''Elephant Cage'', was dismantled in 1996 when the USAF withdrew from the site, handing it back to the [[British Armed Forces]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-06-21 |title=The Military at Chicksands Priory |url=http://bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk/CommunityArchives/Chicksands/TheMilitaryAtChicksandsPriory.aspx |access-date=2020-06-19 |website=bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk}}</ref>
[[File:A medium view of the Royal Air Force Chicksands main gate - DPLA - faef88f91fefd4ca7d20306dc93ca398.jpeg|left|thumb|The main gate at RAF Chicksands in 1995, during the tenure of the [[United States Air Force|US Air Force]]]]
During an air demonstration on 7 July 1979, Colonel Thomas Thompson piloting a [[Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II]] crashed approximately {{convert|1.5|mi|km}} north of the site and was killed.<ref>{{cite web |date=26 February 2015 |title=ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 56116 |url=https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=56116 |access-date=15 June 2016 |publisher=Aviation Safety Network}}</ref>

=== British Army control ===
In 1997, the Intelligence Corps assumed responsibility for the site, moving the Corps Headquarters from [[Templer Barracks]], [[Ashford, Kent]] along with Intelligence Training.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Van Der Bijl |first1=Nick |title=Sharing the Secret; the history of the Intelligence Corps |date=2013 |publisher=Pen & Sword |isbn=9781848844131 |location=Barnsley |page=311 |chapter=The Coalition Years; the 1990s}}</ref>

[[Channel 4|Channel 4's]] [[Time Team]] visited the base in 2001 and excavated areas in front of and around the priory. One of the unusual finds was the remains of a 45-year old woman. The bones were studied and carbon-dated and almost four years after they were unearthed, the bones were re-buried by the military chaplain on the base in August 2005. The Time Team were unsure who the woman was, but they believed her to be a commoner rather than a member of the [[Gilbertine Order]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wood|first1=Mark|title=Mystery body to be reburied|work=Biggleswade Chronicle|date=12 August 2005|page=11|issn=0962-3450}}</ref>

In 2003, the Double Agent [[Alfredo Scappaticci|Alfredo 'Freddie' Scappaticci]] (codenamed 'Stakeknife') was debriefed at the base when his cover was blown. Scappaticci had been working for the IRA but informing on them to the Ministry of Defence, who were said to have been paying him £80,000 a year.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Lister|first1=David|last2=Cobain|first2=Ian|title=Spy Under Guard at Airbase|work=Christchurch Press|date=14 May 2003|page=B2|issn=0113-9762}}</ref>

In April 2004, the former US Elementary School site was sold off to [[Central Bedfordshire|Mid-Bedfordshire Council]] to enable consolidation of two council offices in [[Biggleswade]] and [[Ampthill]]. The site was located at the extreme southern end of the base where it backs onto the crossroads on the [[A507 road]] by [[Campton, Bedfordshire|Campton]] village. The funds raised from this allowed the unit to build new accommodation blocks for officers and other ranks on the base.<ref>{{cite web|title=Defence Intelligence and Security Centre annual reports and accounts to March 2005|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/229000/0319.pdf|website=gov.uk|accessdate=1 August 2017|page=8|date=July 2005}}</ref>

==Ministry of Defence use==
[[File:An aerial view of a communications site on the base. The 693rd Electronic Secuirity Wing, Electronic Security Command (ESC), the 6950th Electronic Security Group (ESC) and the Depar - DPLA - 8d7a4d910fda003c1b5ab2a47679f398.jpeg|left|thumb|An aerial view of RAF Chicksands during 1989]]
The Defence College of Intelligence (DCI) is headquartered at Chicksands, and is responsible for delivering training in [[military intelligence]] to members of the [[British Armed Forces]], police and other public sector staff as well as international partners. Training is delivered over three sites, Chicksands, the [[Defence Academy of the United Kingdom|Defence Centre for Languages and Culture, MOD Shrivenham]] and the [[Defence School of Photography]] at [[RAF Cosford]].<ref>{{cite web|title=RAF - Defence School of Photography|url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcosford/aboutus/dsop.cfm|website=www.raf.mod.uk|accessdate=29 July 2017}}</ref>

DITG trains 5,000 students a year across all disciplines including the Defence Humint Unit and diaspora training sites such as the Defence School of Photography.<ref>{{cite news|title=Don't tell pike, but he's standing next to a film star|work=Biggleswade Chronicle|date=5 February 2016|page=13|issn=0962-3450}}</ref>

The [[Military Intelligence Museum]] (formerly Intelligence Corps Museum) is located on site.<ref>{{cite web |title=Explore the Military Intelligence Museum Online |url=http://www.militaryintelligencemuseum.org/ |access-date=30 May 2022 |publisher=Military Intelligence Museum}}</ref>

=== British Army ===
The Headquarters of the [[Intelligence Corps (United Kingdom)|Intelligence Corps]] is located on site. It is also where Phase 2 training for all Intelligence Corps personnel is undertaken.

The Royal Corps of Signals' Electronic Warfare Operators undertake a five-week aptitude course and a 17-week Communications Exploitation course at the Defence College of Intelligence, [[Chicksands]], as part of their 'Phase 2 Trade Training'.

=== Royal Navy ===
{{HMS|Ferret|1982 shore establishment|6}} is a training unit of the [[Royal Naval Reserve]] which delivers intelligence-related operational capability.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/The-Fleet/Maritime-Reserves/Royal-Naval-Reserves/RNR-Units/Bedford-HMS-Ferret |title=Bedford - HMS Ferret |publisher=[[Royal Navy]] |accessdate=28 May 2013}}</ref>

== See also ==

* [[List of British Army installations]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/hc0506/hc03/0319/0319.pdf Annual Report & Accounts, 31 March 2005]

;Images
* {{webarchive |url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20061020234808/http%3A//www.sheffordtown.co.uk/around/priory.jpg |title=Chicksands Priory |date=2006-10-20}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20030702170347/http://www.collectionspicturelibrary.com/h5-mal-2a1-3.jpg Priory Entrance Hallway]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chicksands}}
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Bedfordshire]]
[[Category:Central Bedfordshire District]]
[[Category:Education in Bedfordshire]]
[[Category:Intelligence Corps (United Kingdom)]]
[[Category:Installations of the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)]]
[[Category:United Kingdom intelligence community]]

MOD Chicksands - Revision history

imported>Cornmazes at 06:49, 19 January 2025