RAF Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp
Angered by the UK’s decision to station cruise missiles, (guided nuclear missiles), a group of women planned a protest march in 1981 that started in Cardiff, Wales, and ended at RAF Greenham Common, which is located near Newbury in Berkshire. This is where they established the Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp.
The Imperial War Museum claims that the demonstrators tried to hinder the construction work at the base in 1981 and 1983. They blocked the base and cut sections of the fence, among other things. At the “Embrace the Base” event held in December 1982 at Greenham, almost thirty thousand women came together to form a human circle around the base.
SR-71 Blackbird at 1983 IAT at RAF Greenham Common
RAF Greenham Common hosted the 1983 International Air Tattoo (IAT) as well. A video of a Blackbird being flown by SR-71 pilot BC Thomas, with John G. Morgan serving as RSO, arriving at Greenham Common for the 1983 International Air Tattoo was posted on his YouTube channel.
Thomas recalls in the video description;
‘I was the pilot in this video, but did not fly the SR-71 out of RAF Greehnam Common. I was the “mobile control” officer when the aircraft departed and the pilot was Maj Jim Jiggens, a USAF Thunderbird pilot and formally a US Army helicopter combat pilot in Vietnam.
Protest women throw paint on SR-71 Blackbird
‘On the evening of the air show featured in this video, women, who were protesting President Reagan’s decision to station intermediate nuclear missiles in England, broke into the security cordon around the air show aircraft and threw paint on several, including this SR-71.
‘Owing to the unique metals associated with the SR-71, the removal of the paint required special maintenance procedures to assure that no “hot spot” would develop on subsequent flights. It was quite a hassle and we were not amused over this incident. Jim and I planned a farewell departure for the protesters who were encamped in a squalor of tents just outside the main gate.
SR-71 Blackbird noise on the protesters at RAF Greenham Common
‘Jim obtained clearance for a “closed pattern” and turned to a downwind leg, descended to about 50 feet above the ground, and flew directly over the protestors’ encampment. It was early and probably most were asleep, but not for long. Jim was flying about 250 knots and selected afterburner in both engines as he was approaching the tents. As the SR-71 accelerated to 350-400 knots, he pulled up and focused the plume (and noise) directly on the protesters. It was a magnificent sight.’
Thomas concludes;
‘As we were leaving the base immediately after Jim’s departure, the gate guard (British) said to me: “I say, that was a jolly good show, but next time, please warn me before you do it.” I also had the honor to prefer charges against the women, but the British government later declined to prosecute.’
Greenham Common today
In 1987 US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev signed the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, which paved the way for the removal of cruise missiles from Greenham.
Today Greenham no longer belongs to the military. Part of it is a business park and the rest is common land.
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Photo by Mike Freer – Touchdown-aviation via Wikipedia