RAF Fauld

Royal Air Force Fauld is a former Royal Air Force underground munitions storage depot located 2 miles (3.2 km) south west of Tutbury, Staffordshire and 10.4 miles (16.7 km) north east of Rugeley, Staffordshire, England.

RAF Fauld
Located near Hanbury in Staffordshire
Site information
Type	Bomb Store
Owner	Ministry of Defence
Controlled by	Royal Air Force
Open to the public	no
Condition	Sealed
Location
RAF Fauld Shown within Staffordshire
Coordinates	52.8471°N 1.7306°W / 52.8471; -1.7306
Site history
Built	1939 (1939)
In use	Royal Air Force 1939-1966 United States Army 1967-1973
Battles/wars	Second World War

The site was controlled by No. 21 Maintenance Unit RAF which stored munitions underground.

The site was connected to the Stoke - Derby Railway Line and had a number of standard gauge sidings to allow for shipment of materials and munitions. These sidings closed in 1966. A 2ft 0in gauge railway network was also present, both above and below ground. This was in use between 1939 and 1980.^[1]

250 lb MC bombs being stacked in one of Fauld's tunnels

250 lb MC bombs transported by narrow gauge railway at RAF Fauld

The explosion

Main article: RAF Fauld explosion

At 11:11 am on Monday, 27 November 1944 an explosion destroyed a large part of the site and killed about 70 people.

Post 1944

The depot was used until 1966 when the site was closed. However, in late 1966 when France withdrew from NATO's integrated military structure the site was briefly used between 1967 and 1973.^[2]

See also

• List of former Royal Air Force stations