Poling (Chain Home) Radar Station

Tangmere1940, I’m afraid the IWM photo looking up the transmitter tower is most definitely NOT Poling. The general view of the station (IWM neg no CH 15173), the vertical aerial and the private shot are, but the view up the tower is not. How do I know? It’s the wrong type of tower, and quite distinctive if you know the three different designs which were used. This photo is almost certainly of a tower at Bawdsey in Suffolk.

Hello Ian, I was delighted to find this site, and view the comments and photos from all contributors. My father was a radar mechanic in WW2 with his first posting to CHL Dunwich following attendance at No.1 Radar School Cracnwell in July 1942. Later postings were to RAF CH Poling, Truleigh Hill,Hythe & CHL The Needles. He died not long after returning to NZ,and I am keen to obtain information/photos of the Dunwich CHL and/or RAF Accommodation sites. I visited Dunwich in 2002, only the generator block remains, and a photo in the National Trust/Coastguard building of campers taken in the 1950’s showing an outline of the CHL tower in the background. Would you have any further information regarding RAF Dunwich in particular? Many thanks, Maurice340.
P.S. I was directed to the Stenigot Site, with one remaining transmitter mast, amazing!

Hello 1stThings1st, if still available, I would be keen to receive your sharper photo image of the site, Many thanks, Maurice.

1stThings1st,

In your post #14, you mention ‘Radar Cottages’. This put me in mind of a cottage at the corner of a factory where I once worked. The factory is long gone and I am certain that not many, if any, of the local residents know why it is (still) called ‘Frequency Cottage’.

The factory was previously known within the company as ‘High Frequency Works’ and was allegedly used to produce cables for radar installations using the newly invented polyethylene as dielectric. I was told by an old stager that they were one of ICI’s first customers for their new ‘Polythene’ material, maybe even the first. That would have been in the late 1930s. ‘Polythene’ is now of course a generic term along with ‘Biro’ and ‘Hoover’.

Just thought you may be interested.

Rod

Whilst on Chain Home – has anyone any pictures of ‘Dry Tree’ (Goonhilly)?

The bases and some of the bunkerwork are still there.

Maurice340 – its a long shot that you will even still get this post notification but I feel our relatives must have known each other. My late Grandfather Henry Jensen was also a NZ radar mechanic who was stationed at RAF Dunwich from 5 August 1942, his first posting after Signal school too. If you would like to share information please get in touch, 

Megan 

Nothin to do with Poling I’m afraid, but still interesting…

http://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/media/pdf/7/m/Great_Baddow_Mast_A4.pdf

Anyone ready for the German photo of the crash site of Bader’s Spitfire yet…..???!!

Well, someone told me on Sunday that he’d flown from Great Sampford (though I haven’t a clue about his source…), so I’m up for it.

Seriously, it’s really interesting to see an unusual aspect being covered especially as I’ve spent a (very cold!) night camping at the old Drone Hill radar station on the Scottish border.

Adrian

A couple of shots of Poling, scans of small snapshot’s from my collection..the masts in 1958. View of buildings and mast bases taken in 1960.

Chumpy.

Don’t worry – I know it is VERY sad that I know these things. That said, it is surprising how often such information comes in useful and being one of the few people in the entire country with such knowledge does keep me in demand.

Tangmere1940, I’m afraid the IWM photo looking up the transmitter tower is most definitely NOT Poling. The general view of the station (IWM neg no CH 15173), the vertical aerial and the private shot are, but the view up the tower is not. How do I know? It’s the wrong type of tower, and quite distinctive if you know the three different designs which were used. This photo is almost certainly of a tower at Bawdsey in Suffolk.

Doh….:rolleyes:

Silly me, if I’d have counted the number of bolts on the girder ends I’d have know straight away it wasnt Poling! 😀

Seriously though, its good to know it isn’t Poling. I am sure IWM sold it to me as such…and I am VERY impressed by your knowledge!

Oops, I forgot to mention that I have another couple of photos, showing the receiver site at Poling.

Tangmere1940, I’m afraid the IWM photo looking up the transmitter tower is most definitely NOT Poling. The general view of the station (IWM neg no CH 15173), the vertical aerial and the private shot are, but the view up the tower is not. How do I know? It’s the wrong type of tower, and quite distinctive if you know the three different designs which were used. This photo is almost certainly of a tower at Bawdsey in Suffolk.

Wot?

:confused:

More interesting than the Bader photo? Oh well…back in the filing cabinet with it then!

I will see if I can find more Poling shots.

And this one…..

(which IS an IWM shot)

Would not have wanted to be up there on 18 August 1940.

Blimey……I seem to be loading up half my photo collection here tonight.

Anyone ready for the German photo of the crash site of Bader’s Spitfire yet…..???!!

You might not have see this one.

Private photo – not IWM, but will try to dig out the other IWN shots.