 We
are pleased to be able to research and develop an oral
history about the life and times of Bawdsey Radar Station
and those involved in and around the establishment. This
project has been made possible by the Heritage Lottery
Fund. For more information about the fund please
click here.
The following extract is an example of how Bawdsey Radar wish to collect & publish the first hand accounts of
time past at the radar station making up part of our
Oral History Collection.
The collection comprises both first hand audio interviews
and also artefacts and written accounts of life and times
at Bawdsey.
 Hilda
- Radar Operator at Bawdsey:
During World War II, I
trained as a Radar Operator and in 1943 I was posted to
Bawdsey Manor. I understood at the time that Hitler did
not know what this place was, despite the radio masts, and
it was not a target for bombers, so while I was there we
only received two stray bombs, one of which caused damage
to one of the Red Towers on the Manor but there were no
casualties.
The WAAF girls occupied the first floor of the Manor
House, while the men lived in wooden huts in the grounds.
We worked in the Receiver Block, a building with no
windows and only one door, where the only people allowed
in were the operators and mechanics with an Officer in
charge. We worked in four shifts over 24 hours, with most
of our free time being spent in having a meal and
sleeping.
As far as I remember, the crew each time consisted of
three operators, two mechanics and the Officer in charge.
One operator would sit in front of the receiving screen
wearing a headset and mouthpiece which was connected to
the main Plotting Room at Fighter Command, and she would
be reporting every movement that she saw on the screen
using a special formula of words and symbols.
To read the rest of this account please click
here.
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