Monument record 1292/4 - Benefield ROC Site (Cold War)

The site of a Royal Observer Corps monitoring post. The site was built as part of an extensive network of posts designed to confirm and report hostile aircraft and nuclear attacks on the United Kingdom. It was opened during June 1958 and closed in September 1991. It was classed to be in a fair condition at the Defence of Britain survey. It is located underground on Deenethorpe Airfield. In a small rectangular compound 250 yards north of the A427 and immediately west of a large mound of rubble, formerly the control tower.

{1} In the summer of 1965 the RAF decided that it no longer required the services of the ROC in a low-level reporting role and the last 280 active overground structures became redundant. Benefield opened in 1955 at ngr SP960899. In 1958 it became an underground protected post with accommodation for a nuclear role. It was still in use in October 1968.

{2} Benefield opened in June 1958 and closed in September 1991. It was visited by Subterranea Britannica on 24/04/1999. It is located underground on Deenethorpe Airfield. In a small rectangular compound 250 yards north of the A427 and immediately west of a large mound of rubble, formerly the control tower. All its surface features were at this time intact, although the access shaft had been vandalised.

{3} Undated photos of Deenethorpe Airfield control tower also shows the underground ROC Monitoring Post (called Benefield) close by with its predecessor post (of uncertain date, but presumably post WWII), on the roof of the control tower. Armishaw notes that the tower has been demolished since it was photographed. (Note: ROC post is present in the vicinity of the control tower on the Airfield Record Plan No 1 4227/44 Nov 1944).

{4} The site of a Royal Observer Corps monitoring post. The site was built as a part of an extensive network of posts designed to confirm and report hostile aircraft and nuclear attacks on the United Kingdom. It was classed to be in a fair condition at the Defence of Britain survey.

<1> Wood D., 1992, Attack Warning Red: The Royal Observer Corps & The Defence of Britain 1925-1992 (Survival), (unchecked) (Chapter). SNN1225.

<2> 2002, Subterranea Britannica Web Site, (unchecked) (Website). SNN101437.

<3> Armishaw, A., 2002, Deenethorpe Airfield, (checked) (Photographic prints (COL)). SNN104625.

<4> Migrated Defence of Britain Project database record originally compiled from various sources (Database). SNN112922.

<5> Historic England, Undated, Defence of Britain, DEB01 (Archive). SNN112947.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 7:32PM