Procktuka

I take it you know about the GCI at Trimley Heath?

Thanks
When assigned to RAF Bent/waters (the / is to avoid the censors) I became interested in the area.

Bawdsey was handed over to the RAF in September 1937 and from that date was an operational front-line radar station, although Bawdsey Research Station – the scientists – was there until September 1939. The station did indeed play a role in plottingraids not just during the BoB, but throughout the war. Radar Days by Gwen Arnold (Woodfield Publishing) is a very good account from a WAAF Radar Operator at Bawdsey and is well worth reading (and I’m not just saying that because she lives about an hour’s drive from me 😉 ).

Getting off airplane matters but still on subject, did Bawdsy (sp?) in Suffolk play a role in the battle or was it just a R & D facility?

Thanks Ian and Daz.

Interesting to see. How long did it take to rebuild the towers after they were bombed in the Battle of Britain? Were they up and running really quickly again?

Did the Germans keep bombing the radar stations throughout the war of did they give up?

As Daz has mentioned, there wasn’t any serious damage to the towers, which presented little resistance to blast. IIRC one of the 240 foot receiving towers at Rye had a leg blown off, but the tower still stood perefectly fine and was repaired soon afterwards. Ventnor on the Isle of Wight was the only station that was out of action for more than a few hours, but a mobile unit provided emergency cover for the few weeks it took to get the station operational again.

Such damaage was largely due to the stations not being completed and equipment being housed in wooden huts. Once protected brick buildings were completed, the stations were much less vulnerable.

Attacks were carried out on stations throughout much of the war. I know one of the stations in the Shetland Islands was bombed several times during 1941, but without any real damage being done. Attacks are recorded taking place in 1942 and I think into 1943, but more as targets of opportunity than planned attacks. Stations were frequently strafed, being obvious military targets due to the towers which were highly visible.

Would anyone have a copyright free picture of a Percival Proctor (even a recent shot would be fine) that I might be able to use in a project I am putting together? Credit would, of course, be given when it’s used.

Thanks In Advance!

I don’t think the towers themselves were actually damaged – it was more the buildings around them that took a pasting. I think the Luftwaffe didn’t realise what a difficult target the towers would be!

Interesting to see. How long did it take to rebuild the towers after they were bombed in the Battle of Britain? Were they up and running really quickly again?

Did the Germans keep bombing the radar stations throughout the war of did they give up?

I forgot to mention that the Stenigot photos are taken from the website of the RAF Aerial Erector School at RAF Digby. They use the Stenigot tower for training. Further details from the school’s website: http://www.aerialerectorschool.fsnet.co.uk/Pages/Intro_frame.htm

I had a quick look on the net for a photo of Great Bromley, but can’t find one and can’t be bothered scanning the photo I’ve got. I think the above images are probably enough to be going on with.

Excellent, thanks Ian.

Regards,

Paul

And just in case I’ve not already bored you to death with pics of things without wings, heres another couple of images. The first one shows the tower at Great Baddow, the second the three towers at Dover.

Here’s another photo of the Stenigot tower, which gives a good idea of scale. Just compare with the house, or even with the car. 😮

Blimey, I genuinely thought these had all gone! Many thanks, Ian.

These are a couple of views of the one at Stenigot, in case you’re interested.

Thanks Ian, much appreciated.

Regards,

Paul

One is at Stenigot in Lincolnshire (scheduled ancient monument), one at Marconi works at Chelmsford (possibly due for demolition), several at Dover, one at Great Bromley in Essex (although missing a fair bit of the top). There may be others, but these are the only ones I can think of, off the top of my head.

Do any original Chain Home tower structures survive to this day?
Sorry if slightly off-topic!

Regards,

Paul

Thanks, that’s kind of what I thought. 🙁

I presumed if they had survived, they would have surfaced somewhere and I would have heard of them. A pity, though!

Fantastic, Mark12, that’s the ones! Interestingly, these appear to be models of only the top half-or-so of these type of towers. Any idea who made them, what happened to them, etc?

I think you can assume….. 🙁

Mark