Shush, it's a secret!

[steve811]

Anyone live near the A10 at Ware? Many years ago (and I am talking 30 plus!) I used to drive the A10 coming back to base from weekend leave. I always remember seeing a sign saying "RAF Cold Christmas" pointing off the A10. If I remember correctly it was red writing on a white background. Although I did look it up in our telephone directories (this was pre-internet) I could not find it. This was not unusual as many secret and closed off bases were not in the directory and you had to call the operator to get a connection.

Now with the advent of the internet I have tried to find both the sign and anything about the place, but it does not appear to exist! Either my memory is false or it has disappeared! What I can see from looking at Google Maps is that there is a Cold Christmas Lane and between the lane and Gunpowder Wood there is a group of three buildings on a proper metalled road running parallel to the river. I can't see why anyone would go to the expense of building both the road and the houses (if that's what they are) in such an isolated place. I wonder if it could have been a cold war bunker?

The map link is here:

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Col...Christmas&z=17

[SapperGB]

Not listed on a site of 'Known' bunkers

http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/873564/posts

however theres a bit of information on the Village and church hauntings
http://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/f...christmas.html

[Tatts]

I joined the RAF in 1979 (left in 2001), and one of my first jobs was working in a registry - civilian equivalent would be mail room come post office, and we had a RAF postal directory, which (funnily enough!) listed all the RAF bases in the world.

I can say confidently that I never heard of or saw listed anywhere called that.

If it was a bunker, it wasn't a main one, it may have been a ROC bunker though (Royal Observer Corps), not usually manned unless there was an exercise.

I'll ask on a couple of ex-military groups I'm a member of, see if anyone knows about it.

[Frank Incensed]

From this post on the Internet, I'd say it was nothing more sinister than a navigation beacon used by aircraft. (TCAS is Traffic Collision Avoidance System and MLS is Microwave Landing System).

"23 Feb 06 John Cross - Cold Christmas, Nr Ware, Herts
Not noise but similar.

I live just north of Ware, Herts, directly under the approach path for easterly approaches into Stanstead. They arrive overhead at around 3500ft routing via BPK. - 1 every 2 mins or so.

All the TV’s go doolally, as they pass overhead and even the computer is affected, I’m sure the dogs react too. Is it radar? TCAS ? MLS ?” - are we being zapped by something nasty?

p.s. I’m not a NIMBY re; Stanstead, but would be nice to know."

I've not seen that one, but I've seen similar signs and the enclosures they refer to.

[steve811]

Originally Posted by Tatts

I joined the RAF in 1979 (left in 2001), and one of my first jobs was working in a registry - civilian equivalent would be mail room come post office, and we had a RAF postal directory, which (funnily enough!) listed all the RAF bases in the world.

I can say confidently that I never heard of or saw listed anywhere called that.

I agree, although some RAF bases were listed under their parent unit, such as Watton being listed under Honnington and Barkston Heath being listed under West Rainham. There were also some units not listed as they were officially classed as dormant, RAF St Eval being an example. Do you remember RAF Sculthorpe?

[Tatts]

Originally Posted by steve811

I agree, although some RAF bases were listed under their parent unit, such as Watton being listed under Honnington and Barkston Heath being listed under West Rainham. There were also some units not listed as they were officially classed as dormant, RAF St Eval being an example. Do you remember RAF Sculthorpe?

In the directory, all units were listed in their own right, although it did say who their parent unit was.

I do remember Sculthorpe - I always used to think it was a typo, and it should have read Scunthorpe!

Anyway, here's a few comments from folk on facebook. BTW, hi guys from the ex TG17 page!
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There was an old RAF Station called Royal Air Force Station Nuthampstead on the A10.
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The nearest base to Ware was RAF Hunsdon (approx 5 miles) which was open from 1941-45
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There was a WW2 command bunker located in Ware but I can't find much info on it.
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Cold Christmas is just north of ware on the A10 Nr Thundridge it's only a small hamlet. There are no signs of it ever being an airfield, looking on google Earth. It may of been a signals unit.
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This might help, When they built RAF Stradishall in Suffolk, it was in fact in the village of Hundon ( i know because i was born there). It was called Stradishall because it was thought that the name Hundon might get mixed up with Hendon. It may be that RAF Hunsdon may of had a localised name change for the very same reason and called it Cold Christmas, but pure speculation.
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The only RAF Cold Christmas I know was the dinner I had in Thumrait in Oman several years ago!!!
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I have read it was Nav Aid location
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Many RAF Stations during the Second World War were not named after the nearest local village as this would pinpoint there location for the enemy, maybe that was the case in 'Cold Christmases' case!
----
I just remember being cold at a lot of RAF stations!

[Greeners]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Barkway#Current_use

Just up the road from Cold Christmas........

[steve811]

[QUOTE=Tatts;1434957]In the directory, all units were listed in their own right, although it did say who their parent unit was.

I do remember Sculthorpe - I always used to think it was a typo, and it should have read Scunthorpe!

Anyway, here's a few comments from folk on facebook. BTW, hi guys from the ex TG17 page!
----

No Sculthorpe was very real! Had some wild parties there courtesy of the USAF! None of those leads makes any real connection with my memory, I must have imagined it!

TG17? Oh, yes of course Shineys! I was TG1.

Originally Posted by Greeners

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Barkway#Current_use

Just up the road from Cold Christmas........

Definitely not Barkway, ****** awful place!

[coolcat]

Originally Posted by Frank Incensed

From this post on the Internet, I'd say it was nothing more sinister than a navigation beacon used by aircraft. (TCAS is Traffic Collision Avoidance System and MLS is Microwave Landing System).

"23 Feb 06 John Cross - Cold Christmas, Nr Ware, Herts
Not noise but similar.

I live just north of Ware, Herts, directly under the approach path for easterly approaches into Stanstead. They arrive overhead at around 3500ft routing via BPK. - 1 every 2 mins or so.

All the TV’s go doolally, as they pass overhead and even the computer is affected, I’m sure the dogs react too. Is it radar? TCAS ? MLS ?” - are we being zapped by something nasty?

p.s. I’m not a NIMBY re; Stanstead, but would be nice to know."

I've not seen that one, but I've seen similar signs and the enclosures they refer to.

I never knew they moved Hertfordshire to Manchester
I used to live in Hunsdon in the Much Hadhams just down the road from Ware.
There was a Ww2 mosquito squadron based there on what is now a farm.
Spent much of my childhood playing in the abandoned pill boxes and other old ww2 structures.
Never found any underground bunkers though !
There also used to be a famous Pub that the RAF used during the war that was affectionally known as the 'Crazy Pub'
I think it has long since been pulled down and houses built on the site!

[Frank Incensed]

Originally Posted by coolcat

I never knew they moved Hertfordshire to Manchester

Been through Ware quite a few times in the long ago.
In the '60's, after being grounded with ear damage, my father had postings at Oakington, Brampton and Wyton in Cambridgeshire.
I think I got lost one day looking for Godmanchester.