Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Raf Box
Hob Uid: 1521265
Location : Wiltshire Box
Grid Ref : ST8439670867
Summary : A former Second World War and Cold War military headquarters for the Royal Air Force (RAF), constructed by 1940, when it was the administrative centre for 10 Group RAF Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain. This group was responsible for the south-west of England and south Wales. Whilst not as hard pressed as 11 Group in the south-east, it also played a part in the Battle by supporting that former Group and by rotating exhausted squadrons through its airfields. The non-flying station was built over stone quarry workings and may have had subterranean elements as well as the above ground station. It included an operations block. The nearby manor house may have been utilised for officers' accommodation. During the Cold War the station was renamed RAF Rudloe Manor. In the Cold War it served as a communications centre for Number 1 Signals Unit, managing the RAF's communications network. From 1952 to 1980, it was also a regional headquarters of the Royal Observer Corps. The station closed in 2000, but the site is still maintained by a Ministry of Defence agency and it is not open to the public.
More information : RAF Box was the administrative centre for 10 Group RAF Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain. This group was responsible for the south-west of England and south Wales. Whilst not as hard pressed as 11 Group in the south-east, it also played a part in the Battle by supporting that former Group and by rotating exhausted squadrons through its airfields. (1) RAF Box/RAF Rudloe Manor. The non-flying station was built over stone quarry workings and may have had subterranean elements as well as the above ground station. It included an operations block. The nearby manor house may have been utilised for officers' accomodation. During the Cold War it was renamed RAF Rudloe Manor. In the Cold War it served as a communications centre for Number 1 Signals Unit, managing the RAF's communications netwwork. From 1952 to 1980, it was also a regional headquarters of the Royal Observer Corps. The station closed in 2000, but the site is still maintained by a Ministry of Defence agency. (2) A complex labelled Royal Air Force Rudloe Manor is roughly centred ST 84396 70867 on modern Ordnance Survey mapping. (3)

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Source Number : 1
Source :
Source details : Royal Air Force Crown Copyright 2005: 'Battle of Britain: 10 Group' <> [Accessed 19-JUL-2010]
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Source Number : 2
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Source details : Wikipedia. 2010. 'Wikipedia: RAF Rudlowe Manor' <> [Accessed 19-JUL-2010].
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Source Number : 3
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Source details : 1:2500, 2007
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Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Second World War
Display Date : Constructed by 1940
Monument End Date : 1940
Monument Start Date :
Monument Type : Military Headquarters, Operations Block
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External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : ST 87 SW 64
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Relationship type : General association

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Historic England Research Records

Raf Box