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Greenham Common : The GAMA Area
The abbreviation GAMA is an acronym within an acronym. GAMA is GLCM Alert and Maintenance Area, and GLCM is Ground Launched Cruise Missile.
The GAMA area contains, within its generous ground area, various administrative and storage buildings but also, most notably, six large above ground shelters in which
fully operational cruise missiles were stored.
These shelters were specially designed and constructed to protect the GLCMs and crews against nuclear and conventional strikes. They are about 10 m high, with a reinforced 2 metre
thick concrete ceiling. Below was a massive titanium plate, 3 m of sand and a reinforced concrete plate. The shelters were completely covered with tons of clay.
They were designed to withstand the blast of an air-bursting nuclear explosion
above the base or a direct hit from a 2,500 lb (1,100 kg) conventional bomb.
The GAMA area is far and away the biggest and most notable artefact remaining of the former air base. Yet, I'm sad to say, I can't bring you pictures of anything inside the
GAMA area, as it's VERY out of bounds to the public, and is protected under the Official Secrets Act. But most of all, it's triple-fenced. All I can do is bring you pictures of
said fence in an attempt to show you why I can't show you inside the GAMA.
An view from my Phantom quadcopter at 400 feet. In the picture you can see the three fences, most clearly on the right-hand part of the area. While only two buildings are visible, there are several other smaller buildings. As you can see, there are cars parked within the area. Some businessman - never been able to find out any details - either owns or rents the whole area, and from time to time permits it to be used as secure storage. I've seen varying numbers of cars, as well as trucks and containers of various sizes. You may recall, a few years ago, that part of the site was used in the filming of one of the Star Wars films. I watched the film, and at one point, a battle scene clearly shows detail of the shelters.
Photographs of the externals of the GAMA area, in particular showing why I can't take you in there:
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They've recently been clearing away an awful lot of accumulated undergrowth and bushes. You can see where various bushes have made a brave attempt to escape, only to be strangled by toughened steel.
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Off there way in the distance, right there in the middle of the picture, you can see the original water tower, which was off-base within the accommodation area
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Many an Urban Explorer has tried to get in there, and you can see numerous attempted fence breeches. Invariably the holes are quickly patched up.
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These next three show detail of the electrical substation which supplied power to the area. It's situated at the far right corner in my aerial image (though not visible in the image). It's right next to the staff car park, which IS visible as a grey square.
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Some of the original concrete roads leading to the area.
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You can see one of the shelters here - they're more or less impossible to photograph
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The side of one of the shelters
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A couple of distant views of the shelters across the common
