RAF Ash

Royal Air Force Ash or more simply RAF Ash (formerly RAF Sandwich) was an Royal Air Force underground control centre and radar station situated near the village of Woodnesborough, Kent, England.

RAF Ash
Near Sandwich, Kent in England
The entrance to former RAF Ash during 2008
RAF Ash
Location within Kent
Coordinates51°16′8.04″N 1°17′40.92″E
TypeAir defence Control & Reporting Centre
Site information
OwnerMinistry of Defence (MOD)
OperatorRoyal Air Force
ConditionClosed
Site history
Built1942 (1942) – 1943
In use1943 – 1958 (as RAF Sandwich)
1986 – 1995 (1995) (as RAF Ash)
FateSite sold in 1998 for civilian use, bunker now used as a data centre

History

RAF Sandwich

RAF Sandwich was originally a Ground Controlled Interception (GCI) site situated in Ash Road, Sandwich. However, after the Second World War the area was chosen for one of a chain of ROTOR air defence radar stations and the site was relocated to an underground bunker 1.5 miles to the southwest in Marshborough Road, Ash. The site later closed on 1 October 1958 and was sold on 22 March 1965.[1]

RAF Ash

In 1980 the site was re-acquired by the RAF for the development of Improved UK Air Defence Ground Environment (IUKADGE) and became operational as RAF Ash on 6 January 1986. It closed as an RAF station in 1995.[1] The Ministry of Defence sold the site on 24 July 1998.[2]

Post-closure

The site is now used as a secure data centre by The Bunker, an Internet hosting company.[3]

References
  1. "Sandwich". RAF Heraldry Trust. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  2. "House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 2 Dec 1999 (pt 5)". www.publications.parliament.uk. 2 December 1999. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
  3. "About - The Bunker". www.thebunker.net. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
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