Colerne Airfield

Colerne Airfield (ICAO: EGUO), now known as Azimghur Barracks, is a British Army facility just north-west of the village of Colerne, Wiltshire, England. It is set to close in 2029.

Colerne Airfield
Summary
Airport typeMilitary
OwnerMinistry of Defence
OperatorBritish Army
LocationColerne, Wiltshire
Occupants21 Signal Regiment
Elevation AMSL593 ft / 181 m
Coordinates51°26′21″N 002°17′11″W
Map
EGUO is located in Wiltshire
EGUO
EGUO
Location in Wiltshire
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
01/19 1,095 3,593 Asphalt
07/25 1,664 5,459 Asphalt
"Airport information for EGUO". World Aero Data. Archived from the original on 5 March 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) Data current as of October 2006.

History

RAF Colerne was opened on this site in 1940, and was in operation until 1976.[1] From 1940 to 1955, RAF Fighter Command units were based here. During the Battle of Britain, the airfield served as a satellite field to RAF Middle Wallop, and squadrons rotated back and forth from there on a daily basis.[2]

In the 1970s and 1980s, Azimghur Barracks was used as a training depot by the Royal Corps of Transport's Junior Leaders Regiment.

Present day

The site is a ground station for the Skynet 5 military satellite system that provides battlefield support (e.g. real-time imagery from remote-piloted drones[3] in various theatres of war). It is in close proximity to the underground Corsham Computer Centre.

The Azimghur Barracks part of the site is home to 21 Signal Regiment.[4]

Since November 1992,[5] the airfield is used by Air Cadets[6] and 3 Air Experience Flight,[7] and is the headquarters of Bristol University Air Squadron, a Volunteer Reserve unit which recruits from several universities in south-west England.[8]

Future

In November 2016, the Ministry of Defence announced that the airfield would close in 2018 (later extended to 2025[9]), and Azimghur Barracks in 2031[7] (later brought forward to 2029[10]).

References
  1. Berryman, D. (2002). Wiltshire Airfields in the Second World War. Newbury, UK: Countryside Books. pp. 63–77. ISBN 9781853067037.
  2. RAF, Groups in the Battle of Britain, accessed February 2009
  3. "UK Skynet: Not to be confused with The Terminator". BBC. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
  4. "21st Signal Regiment (Air Support) & Air Formation Signals History" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
  5. March 1993, p. 87.
  6. "93 (Colerne) DF". RAF Air Cadets. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  7. "A Better Defence Estate" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. November 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  8. "Bristol University Air Squadron". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  9. "Is Your Military Base Closing? Read The Full List of Sites Shutting". Forces News. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  10. "Disposal database: House of Commons report". Government of the United Kingdom, Ministry of Defence. 28 June 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  • March, P. (1993). Royal Air Force Yearbook 1993. Fairford, UK: Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund.
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