Secret war hub in Leighton Buzzard to be marked with blue plaque
The efforts of dedicated servicemen and women at a secret war hub near Leighton Buzzard are set to be recognised at the unveiling of a blue plaque next week.
During the Second World War, thousands of men and women served at RAF Leighton Buzzard near Stanbridge, a base that proved crucial to British forces and secret service operations throughout the war.
Their efforts were previously unknown until restrictions of the Official Secrets Act were lifted, allowing their stories to be told.
The plaque will be unveiled at the War Memorial on Church Square at 10.30am on Tuesday November 11, recognising all those who worked at the site, which was the largest telephone exchange in the world at the time.
Among the dignitaries invited to the unveiling of the plaque are Leighton Buzzard Mayor David Bligh, Member of Parliament for Leighton Buzzard and Dunstable Alex Mayer, Deputy Lieutenant of Bedfordshire Air Commodore Gordon Moulds and former Air Vice Marshal Stephen Nicholl, who later served at Q Central.
They will be joined by members of the Leighton Buzzard branch of the Royal British Legion, representatives of community groups and schoolchildren from Leighton Buzzard’s schools.
Historian Paul Brown, who wrote a book entitled The Secrets of Q Central: How Leighton Buzzard Shortened The Second World War, told the LBO in May: "Most people have no idea this base ever existed and the thousands of dedicated service men and women, mostly women, who served there have nothing to commemorate their dedicated service, working day and night to keep vital communications going for all our services throughout the war.
"A plaque to pay tribute to their service is long overdue."