More information : TL 098 866. Construction of the Thor Missile Site, on the former
Second World War Airfield at Polebrook TL 08 NE 30, probably began
in 1958 with the completion of the ageement with the US government
to deploy Thor missiles in the UK. It was one of twenty such bases
built in eastern England. Responsibility for handling the missiles
at Polebrook was given to 130 Squadron RAF, which became operational
in December 1959; it was one of the last Thor squadrons to be stood
down in August 1963.
The Thor Missile Site is of a standard form, comprising 3 reinforced
concrete launch emplacements; each was designed to hold a single
shot Thor missile. The easterly two emplacements at TL 0992 8665
and TL 0985 8645 are both buried by earthen mounds. L shaped blast
walls protrude through the mound at TL 0992 8665, and part of a
concrete tank is visible.
The best preserved emplacement is centred at TL 0965 8655, this
survives intact but is partly covered by organic farm waste. At the
centre of the pad is the smashed holdfast for the missile. To
either side are lines of bolt fastenings which mark the line of the
rails which carried a movable protective shelter. Set perpendicular
to the rails are two concrete gullies. At one end was the kerosine
fuel tank and at the other was a liquid oxygen tank. In operation
the kerosine and liquid oxygen was piped along the gullies to the
missile. Other features on the pad include conduits in which
control cables were situated and mounting for lamp standards.
A small building was shown by the OS to the north of the pads at TL
0972 8675. Its site was not visited, but may be the position of a
guidance control hut. The OS also depicted two wartime bomb stores
to the SW of the launch emplacements, centred at TL 0925 8610. This
may suggest that they were retained for use by the Thor squadron
(1b). It is unclear whether or not the Thor squadron used the
surviving wartime structures to the north. In the late 1950s these
included two T2 hangars and a J Type hangar, only the J Type
survives.
To the west of the Thor site is a Royal Observer Corps Underground
Monitoring Post (TL 08 NE 42). This is not thought to be directly
associated with the Thor Missile Site. (1-1b)
|