RAF Tura

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RAF Tura was a Royal Air Force station near Tura in the Cairo Governorate of Egypt. Built in 1941, it was used during World War II and closed after the war, around 1947.

Its tunnels were carved in ancient limestone quarries that once supplied blocks for the pyramids. These underground caves were repurposed as storage depots, workshops, engine and signals repair shops, and general engineering spaces. The site also housed army elements and a small hospital.

Key units and activities
- No. 111 Maintenance Unit RAF was formed in August 1941 and moved to RAF Tura by October 1942 to repair aircraft engines. The unit ran engine repair, signals repair, and other engineering work from the caves.
- No. 2 Field Survey Depot RE arrived in September 1941, and No. 19 Field Survey Company RE followed in October 1941. They carried out survey work and supported the station’s operations.
- In November 1942, a boxing ring was built for RAF personnel.
- In August 1943, the Depot War Establishment was amended and the unit included more Palestinian and Jewish personnel, freeing some UK workers for other tasks.

Notable events
- On 22 August 1942, Winston Churchill visited RAF Tura. He praised the hard work but felt the scale of the work was still too small for the needs at the time.
- Construction of St Michael’s Church began in 1942 with help from nearby British camps and the Royal Navy, which donated a bell. The church was opened on 6 June 1948 and still stands today.

End of the station
- After hostilities in the Mediterranean and Middle East ended, RAF Tura was effectively closed. No. 111 Maintenance Unit was disbanded in 1947, and the remaining survey units moved to Abbassia in Cairo, then to RAF Fayid as part of consolidation in the Canal Zone.

Legacy
- RAF Tura’s underground complex played a significant role during the war, and the nearby St Michael’s Church stands as a lasting reminder of the station’s presence in the area.