RAF Shipton

{{Short description|Former Royal Air Force base in Yorkshire, England}} {{Use British English|date=September 2019}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Infobox military installation | name = RAF Shipton | ensign = Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg | ensign_size = 90px | native_name = | location = [[Shipton-by-Beningbrough]], [[North Yorkshire]] | country = England | image = [[File:In the event of hostilities breaking out.... - geograph.org.uk - 628772.jpg|250px]] | caption = The bunker at Shipton | type = [[List of former Royal Air Force stations|Royal Air Force station]] | coordinates = {{coord|54.0485|-1.1721|display=inline,title}} | gridref = | pushpin_map = North Yorkshire#UK | pushpin_map_caption = Shown within North Yorkshire | pushpin_label = RAF Shipton | pushpin_label_position = | ownership = | operator = [[Royal Air Force]] | controlledby = [[RAF Fighter Command]] | open_to_public =  | site_other_label =  | site_other =  | site_area =  | code =  | built = {{Start date|1918}} | used = September 1918 - {{End date|1993}} | builder = | fate = | condition = | battles = [[European theatre of World War II]]<br />[[Cold War]] | events = | past_commanders =  | garrison =  | occupants =  | designations = | website = | footnotes =   | IATA = | ICAO = | LID = | GPS = | WMO = | elevation = {{Convert|14|m|0}} | r1-number = | r1-length =  | r1-surface = | r2-number = | r2-length =  | r2-surface = | r3-number = | r3-length =  | r3-surface = | h1-number = | h1-length =  | h1-surface = | airfield_other_label =  | airfield_other =   }} '''Royal Air Force Shipton''' (more commonly known as '''RAF Shipton''') was a [[World War I|First World War]] era airfield located north of the village of [[Shipton-by-Beningbrough]], in [[North Yorkshire]], England. During the First World War, it was used by [[No. 76 Squadron RAF]] whose remit was to provide Home Defence (HD). The site was utilised by the RAF in the [[World War II|Second World War]] as a base for [[No. 60 Maintenance Unit RAF|No. 60 Maintenance Unit]] and in the [[Cold War]] as a fighter control site for [[No. 12 Group RAF]], and command bunker in case of a nuclear event. The bunker site buildings are still extant, though they were sold into private hands in the 1990s.

==History== ===First World War=== RAF Shipton was brought into use in September 1916 as a landing site for No. 76 (Home Defence) Squadron, RAF. The site is {{convert|4|mi}} south east of [[RAF Linton-on-Ouse]], {{convert|5|mi|0}} north of [[York]],<ref>{{cite book |last1=Chorlton |first1=Martyn |title=Forgotten aerodromes of World War I : British military aerodromes, seaplane stations, flying-boat and airship stations to 1920 |date=2014 |publisher=Crecy |location=Manchester |isbn=9780859791816 |page=172}}</ref> and {{convert|3|km|order=flip}} north of Shipton by Beningbrough village.<ref>{{cite map|title =York |map = 290|year =2015 |scale =1:25,000 |series =Explorer |publisher =Ordnance Survey |isbn =9780319244876 }}</ref> No. 76 Squadron had their headquarters at [[RAF Ripon|Ripon]]<ref>{{cite book|last=Halley|first=James J|title=The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force|publisher=Air-Britain|location=Tonbridge|year=1980|isbn=0-85130-083-9|page=361}}</ref> and like many other of the relief landing grounds they operated, it is unsure whether or not Shipton saw any flying activity. After the Armistice, the RAF disposed of the site in March 1919.<ref>{{cite web |title=Shipton - Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust UK |url=https://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/airfield-finder/shipton/ |website=www.abct.org.uk |access-date=4 September 2019}}</ref>

===Second World War=== It was resurrected in the Second World War as a base for No. 60 Maintenance Unit (originally No. 5 Salvage Unit)<ref>{{cite web |title=5 Salvage Centre, formed at Tollerton September 1939; later became 60 Maintenance Unit |url=https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4100726 |website=discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk |access-date=6 September 2019}}</ref> who were required to strip everything of scrap value down for components that could be used. They had a remit to recover crashed aircraft as part of their recovery process, and for a while, the guard hut at Shipton was the upturned fuselage of a wrecked aircraft.{{sfn|Otter|2003|p=287}} The area of responsibility that No. 60 MU covered included the [[North York Moors]], the [[Peak District]], and as far north as [[Blyth, Northumberland|Blyth]] in [[Northumberland]] when they went to recover a crashed [[Luftwaffe]] aircraft from the harbour area.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Wotherspoon |first1=Nick |last2=Clark |first2=Alan |last3=Sheldon |first3=Mark |title=Aircraft wrecks : the walker's guide : historic crash sites on the moors and mountains of the British Isles |date=2009 |publisher=Pen and Sword Aviation |location=Barnsley |isbn=978-1-84415-9109 |page=200}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Norman |first1=Bill |title=Broken eagles 2 : Luftwaffe losses over Northumberland and Durham, 1939-1945 |date=2002 |publisher=Leo Cooper |location=Barnsley |isbn=0-85052-913-1 |page=41}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Ranter |first1=Harro |title=Accident Airspeed Oxford Mk I LX518, 18 Oct 1943 |url=https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/159963 |website=aviation-safety.net |access-date=4 September 2019}}</ref> No. 60 MU recovered a crashed [[Handley Page Halifax]] from [[Whernside]] which was scattered over a wide area. The crash occurred in December 1943 and the extreme cold and elevated location made the recovery very difficult, but all valuable parts were returned to the main site at Shipton by 6 January 1944.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Halpenny |first1=Bruce Barrymore |title=Action stations 4 |date=1982 |publisher=Stephens |location=Letchworth |isbn=0-85059-532-0 |page=171 |edition=2}}</ref> During this time, Shipton was used as a ''scatter airfield''{{#tag:ref|A Scatter Airfield was an early Second World War system where large amounts of aircraft were flown to airfields away from their primary squadron home airbase so that if one of the locations was attacked, the aircraft losses would be minimised. It was assumed that intelligence gathered by the enemy would know the locations of individual squadrons and so many locations used their scatter, or satellite landing grounds to disperse their aircraft.<ref>{{cite web |title=Glossary letter S |url=http://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/glossary/?letter=s |website=abct.org.uk |access-date=7 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Philpott |first1=Ian M |title=The Royal Air Force : an encyclopaedia of the inter-war years |date=2008 |publisher=Pen & Sword |location=Barnsley |isbn=978-1-84415-391-6 |page=[https://archive.org/details/royalairforceenc0000phil/page/264 264] |url=https://archive.org/details/royalairforceenc0000phil/page/264 }}</ref>|name=Scatter Airfields|group=note}} for the [[Armstrong Whitworth Whitley]] Bombers of [[No. 58 Squadron RAF|No. 58 Squadron]] from nearby Linton-on-Ouse. The Whitleys were taken there to spread out the number of aircraft across a wider geographical area in case of an enemy raid at Linton.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bean |first1=Dan |title=Bombing raid mystery is solved at RAF Linton-on-Ouse |url=https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/8973454.bombing-raid-mystery-is-solved-at-raf-linton-on-ouse/ |access-date=6 September 2019 |work=York Press |date=14 April 2011}}</ref>

In 1946, No. 60 MU withdrew from the site and moved to [[RAF Rufforth]],{{sfn|Delve|2006|p=223}} although there is possible evidence that they had a small operation still ongoing at Shipton until 1959, when the headquarters was confirmed as being at [[RAF Church Fenton]].{{sfn|Delve|2006|p=305}}

===Cold War=== As part of Britains' early warning defence programme (known as [[ROTOR]]), a bunker with three levels was built at the north west corner of the airfield site in 1953.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Twigge |first1=Stephen |last2=Scott |first2=Len |title=Planning Armageddon : Britain, the United States and the command of Western nuclear forces 1945-1964 |date=2000 |publisher=Harwood Academic |location=Amsterdam |isbn=90-5823-006-6 |page=270}}</ref> Initially, the operations were run from [[Imphal Barracks]] in York,<ref>{{cite web |title=Sources for the Study of Sheffield and the Cold War, 1945 - 1991 |url=https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/content/dam/sheffield/docs/libraries-and-archives/archives-and-local-studies/research/Cold%20War%20Study%20Guide%20v1-0%20PDF.pdf |website=sheffield.gov.uk |access-date=7 September 2019 |page=4 |date=January 2013}}</ref> but when the bunker was commissioned in 1954, the control was transferred to Shipton.<ref name="MCC">{{cite book |last1=McCamley |first1=Nick |title=Cold War secret nuclear bunkers : the passive defence of the Western World during the Cold War |date=2013 |publisher=Leo Cooper |location=Barnsley |isbn=978-1-78303-010-1 |page=109}}</ref> Shipton was one of six ''Sector Operations Centres'' (SOCs) dotted around Great Britain, (the other five being at [[Barnton Quarry]] in [[Edinburgh]], [[Bawburgh]] near [[Norwich]], [[Box, Wiltshire|Box]] in [[Wiltshire]], [[Goosnargh]] near [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]] and [[Kelvedon Hatch Secret Nuclear Bunker|Kelvedon Hatch]] in [[Essex]]).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Laurie |first1=Peter |title=Beneath the city streets : a private enquiry into government preparations for national emergency |date=1979 |publisher=Panther |location=London |isbn=0-586-05055-8 |page=253}}</ref><ref name="SB">{{cite web |title=Shipton Rotor Radar SOC and RGHQ – Subterranea Britannica |url=https://www.subbrit.org.uk/sites/shipton-rotor-radar-soc-and-rghq/ |website=www.subbrit.org.uk |access-date=4 September 2019}}</ref>

The initial role of the SOC was to direct air operations and counter-inception flights in the eastern side of England. Reports were fed into the site from radar stations dotted along the eastern coast of England. As befitting its air defence role, it was the headquarters of the northern sector ([[No. 12 Group RAF|No. 12 Group]] [[Fighter Command]])<ref>{{cite book |last1=Spence |first1=Norman |title=Watchers over the broad acres : the story of the Royal Observer Corps in Yorkshire |date=1987 |publisher=Ramsay |location=Harrogate |oclc=786209294 |page=88}}</ref> and was in overall command of [[No. 19 Squadron RAF|19]], [[No. 66 Squadron RAF|66]], [[No. 92 Squadron RAF|92]], [[No. 152 Squadron RAF|152]], [[No. 264 Squadron RAF|264]], [[No. 275 Squadron RAF|275]], [[No. 607 Squadron RAF|607]], [[No. 608 Squadron RAF|608]] and [[No. 609 Squadron RAF|609 Squadrons]] spread out between the airfields at Church Fenton, Linton-on-Ouse, [[RAF Ouston|Ouston]] and [[RAF Thornaby|Thornaby]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Delve |first1=Ken |title=Bomber Command 1939-1945 : a reference to the men - aircraft & operational history |date=2005 |publisher=Pen & Sword Aviation |location=Barnsley |isbn=9781844151837 |page=339}}</ref> During this period, some of the staff were drawn from the West Riding numbered Fighter Control Unit, No. 3609 Squadron.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Beaumont |first1=Bill |editor1-last=Hunter |editor1-first=A F C |title=Fighter Command and the Air Defence of Great Britain |journal=Royal Air Force Historical Society |date=24 October 1995 |issue=16A |page=135 |location=London|isbn=0951-9824-6X}}</ref>

The site itself consisted of the main bunker complex, a guardhouse and a standby living accommodation, though the main living quarters were at the nearby base of RAF Linton-on-Ouse.<ref name="PS">{{PastScape |num=1489559|desc=Shipton Sector Operations Centre |access-date=4 September 2019}}</ref> The site was only the lead SOC for three years before the centre at [[RAF Boulmer]] assumed primacy in 1957.<ref>{{PastScape |num=1488866 |desc=RAF Boulmer |access-date=4 September 2019}}</ref> During the 1970s, 80s and 90s, the bunker was a [[regional seat of government]] (RSG),<ref>{{cite web |title=Regional Government Headquarters 2.1 Shipton By Beningbrough, Huby |url=https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/8f986949-1627-44bb-8de3-3a25e845f813 |website=discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk |access-date=4 September 2019}}</ref> which later changed to the designation of Regional Government Headquarters (RGHQ).<ref>{{cite web |title=Civil Defence: From the First World War to the Cold War |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/iha-civil-defence/heag145-civil-defence-iha/ |website=historicengland.org.uk |access-date=7 September 2019 |page=18 |format=PDF |date=October 2016}}</ref> A fourth floor was added in 1976 as part of a five-year refurbishment programme.<ref name="SB"/>

A decision was taken in 1992 to sell off some of the nuclear bunkers deemed unnecessary after the end of the Cold War; Shipton was one of them,<ref>{{cite web |title=Government Bunkers - Hansard |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2001-11-14/debates/2d03d6c7-36ff-4204-b823-67832764b060/GovernmentBunkers |website=hansard.parliament.uk |access-date=3 September 2019}}</ref> with closure coming in 1993<ref name="PS"/> and disposal in 1996.<ref name="MCC"/>

==Notes== {{reflist|group="note"}}

==References== {{reflist}}

===Bibliography=== *{{cite book |last1=Delve |first1=Ken |title=Northern England : Co. Durham, Cumbria, Isle of Man, Lancashire, Merseyside, Manchester, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, Yorkshire |date=2006 |publisher=Crowood |location=Marlborough |isbn=1-86126-809-2 }} *{{cite book|last=Otter|first=Patrick|title=Yorkshire Airfields in the Second World War|year=2003|publisher=Countryside Books|location=Newbury|isbn=1-85306-542-0}}

==External links== *[http://www.vulcans.co.uk/bunkers.htm Diagram of typical bunker layout]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shipton}} [[Category:Royal Air Force stations in Yorkshire]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in North Yorkshire]] [[Category:Royal Air Force stations of World War II in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Military installations established in 1916]] [[Category:Government buildings completed in 1953]] [[Category:Emergency management in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Continuity of government]] [[Category:Nuclear bunkers in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:British Defence Forces]] [[Category:Military installations closed in 1960]] [[Category:Shipton, North Yorkshire]]