13th October 1976
A sleepy village woke yesterday to an invasion by 1500 soldiers. The troops, backed by hundreds of police, moved in to clear peace campaigners from Britain’s second Cruise missile site. Convoys of Army trucks rumbled through the narrow streets of Molesworth, Cambridgeshire. Roads were sealed off and bulldozers began clearing the homes and vehicles of 200 protesters camped on Defecnce Ministry land at the edge of the village. Five demonstrators who tried to cut the fence were arrested and held in custody. Defence Secretary Michael Heseltine spent over an hour at the base and later defended the secret operation. He said it was supported by 90% of the local residents and had been carried out without anyone getting hurt. Sixty-four Cruise missiles are due to be installed at RAF Molesworth in 1988.
PICTURED: Defiant Defence Minister Michael Heseltine.
