October 2026

Echoes of Bawdsey – The Story of Radar Podcast Series

Bawdsey Radar Trust have unveiled their new podcast series, Echoes of Bawdsey – The Story of Radar. The podcast is being created by the museum’s patron, broadcaster Georgy Jamieson, and made possible with funding from Suffolk County Council’s Cultural Project Fund.

The trailer link is below.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7cib9eai5RYPNWbmgj1IPc?si=BoMmbXkoQKSepWn8uFAPQQ

There will be 10 episodes, over two series, charting the history and story of how radar was developed in Suffolk, from the early experiments and struggles with the technology in the 1930s, through the Second World War, and highlighting the significant part women played in the success of radar. The story then moves on to how Bawdsey became a RAF station and the significance of radar today.

The first series of five podcasts follows the story until the beginning of World War II. Each 30-minute episode will also include content recorded recently, highlighting the part the museum and Bawdsey play in the community now. Georgy has interviewed local playwright Suzanne Hawkes on her play Operation Radar, with the podcast including local actors playing some of the key roles in the story; she has met graduates and apprentices from BT who developed the Virtual Reality headset used to simulate climbing the transmitter mast and also recorded around Bawdsey Manor and a soundscape of the village fete, which was held this year in the grounds of the manor.

The trailer and full podcast episodes is available to listen to below and on all major podcast platforms. It will become an important resource for people who may not be able to visit the museum in person, and the audio will also be kept at The Hold, Suffolk Records Office, as a lasting oral record of the Bawdsey Radar story.

Georgy said, ‘I was thrilled when we got the Suffolk County Council funding to make this podcast because, as their patron as well as a podcaster, I wanted to tell this incredible story of what happened here in Suffolk, and to spread the word about the wonderful museum we have. I have loved discovering the history of radar, along with the impact Bawdsey still has locally in science, technology, music and drama. With series 2 in the Spring, I will be involving young people from the area and talking to them not just about the history but also the process of making a podcast.’

Bawdsey Radar Trust will also highlight their Connections project in the podcast, an ongoing project that compiles the details and memories of those who served, trained or worked at RAF Bawdsey from 1937 to 1991 https://www.bawdseyradar.org.uk/search-bawdsey-connections

Series 1

The first episode of the podcast series ‘Echoes of Bawdsey – The Story of Radar’ is now available. Titled The Bomber Will Always Gets Through, you will hear how sound interceptors were used in the search for Zeppelins at the end of the First World War.

Episode 1

Episode 2 Chain Home – The Daventry Experiment had proved that enemy aircraft could be detected at a distance using radio waves, but the scientists needed a new home to continue their research.

Episode 2

Episode 3 Eyes in the sky – By 1937 work was well underway to develop ground radar but what advances were being made in the search for a workable airborne radar system?

We hear about the world’s first airborne radar flight, which took place at Martlesham Heath in Suffolk and Bawdsey Manor becomes a RAF training school.

Episode 3

Episode 4 IFF – Identify Friend or Foe

In 1938 the Munich Crisis holds off the threat of war but only for a year, and in that time huge advances are made in the development of radar.

Decisions are made on who will manufacture the transmitters and receivers, we fool the Germans with a 50 HZ frequency, and a little device called ‘Pipsqueak’ helps us identify on the screen who was a friend and who was a foe.

Episode 4

Episode 5 – Women of Radar One of the untold stories of the birth of radar at Bawdsey is the part that women played. Even in the early days of radar, women were operating the equipment, long before most people even knew it existed. This episode explores the contribution women played in the development of radar. We hear stories of their determination and bravery and how they fought against prejudice and preconceptions to become a vital part of the war effort. You can read more about the Women of Radar on the Bawdsey Radar Museum Website.

Episode 5

SERIES TWO

Series 2 Echoes of Bawdsey – The Story of Radar Podcasts

Series 2 Echoes of Bawdsey – In this series, we hear about the part radar played in the Battle of Britain, as well as stories from the people who lived and worked at Bawdsey Manor.We’ll also hear how Bawdsey became an RAF station, how radar is now used everyday, and Bawdsey’s place in young people’s lives and the community today.

Below listen to the trailer for series two.

Episode 1

War breaks out –

It’s 1939, and Britain has declared war on Germany, but this is the time of the ‘phoney war’ before any fighting actually started. We find out what the Army and Navy were doing, alongside the RAF, in the race to get radar ready for war.

The scientists have to leave Bawdsey for Scotland, but things don’t go to plan, and just as things seem hopeless, a major development is made, just in time for our biggest test so far.

Episode 2

Reach for the Sky

It’s June 1940 and most of Europe has fallen under Nazi control. Hitler is planning the invasion of Britain, Operation Sealion, but before that could happen the Luftwaffe had to destroy the RAF.

What followed was the first major military campaign fought entirely in the air. The Battle of Britain.

Without radar the British would have not won the battle.

Episode 3

The Cavity Magnetron and The Battle of the Atlantic

As the Blitz continues to devastate Britain, the Tizard Mission travels to the United States in a bid to secure American support. There, the British astonish their hosts by revealing the powerful and robust cavity magnetron, a breakthrough that would revolutionise radar technology. Meanwhile, Suffolk comes under attack from Italian bombers. Churchill feared that the merchant convoys carrying food, fuel, and other vital supplies to the British Isles would fall victim to German U-boats. However, radar and the Enigma code, working hand in hand, proved to be the twin keys to victory in the Battle of the Atlantic, helping to detect and defeat the submarine threat.

With thanks to the staff and pupils of Bawdsey CEVC Primary School for their help with the Bawdsey Now section of the podcast.

Episode 4

Life at the Manor

What was it really like to live and work at Bawdsey Manor? In this episode, we hear from the people who experienced it first-hand, brought to life through fascinating archive recordings. Discover what it was like catching the ferry to Felixstowe — and what happened if you were late getting back after a dance or a night at the cinema!

We also continue the story of radar and its vital role during the Second World War. As America enters the war in December 1941, the Battle of the Atlantic reaches several major turning points.

We also hear the personal story behind Bawdsey Radar Trust President Mary Wain’s family connection to the manor.

Listen now and discover the stories, people and moments that bring Bawdsey’s remarkable history to life.

Episode 5

The end of the war and RAF Bawdsey

Bawdsey was an RAF station from 1937 to 1991, and in this episode, we hear stories from former service personnel about what life was really like while stationed there.

From a homesick American who took matters into his own hands one night, with fatal consequences, to the return of a very important figure from Bawdsey’s past, these personal stories offer a fascinating glimpse into life on the station.

We also reach the end of the Second World War, as the Allies celebrate VE Day as the war in Europe finally ends.

Plus, we hear about how radar impacts our lives now and what the future holds.

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