GZU forms part of what was Sopley RAF Base, built at the begining of World War 2 to monitor and control coastal radar against foreign attacks. Sopley was operational 24 hours a day, every day, with a three watch system of staffing.

In 1941, Sopley had become the most effective intercept station with over one hundred successful night interceptions which were achieved by the fighter controllers at Sopley working in conjunction with Bristol night fighter squadrons who destroyed 27 enemy aircraft, more than twice the success rate of any other intercept station.

Sopley operated throughout the second world war using the callsign 'Starlight' and gave radar assistance and control to many squadrons operating initially from RAF Middle Wallop and later from RAF Hurn.



By 1950, the threat of the atomic bomb had caused a serious rethink in the organisation of air defence and a plan, codenamed ROTOR, was instituted to replace many of the existing stations with new protected underground operations rooms. The new station became operational in the summer of 1954 using the callsign 'AVO'. A new domestic camp for 450 personnel was built near Bransgore village.

The 100ft deep underground tunnels are still in operation today, being used by the government to transfer and sort magnetic media to digital media. This project is named 'Iron Mountain', and rumor has it there are still underground tunnels beginning somewhere within Sopley camp, that lead to this underground facility.



In early 1974, Sopley Air Traffic Control Centre became surplus to requirements and RAF Sopley closed on 27th September.

Between 1979 - 1982 the camp was used as a reception and resettlement centre for Vietnamese refugees fleeing from the oppressive regime in their country.

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