On the 12th August 1940, radar stations were attacked as the Battle of Britain raged. Although the radar station at Bawdsey was not targeted, the Luftwaffe attempted to blind the RAF by attacking sites such as Ventor on the Isle of Wight. While the station was indeed knocked out, it was operational within six hours, proving to the Luftwaffe the difficulty in successfully attacking the radar stations that proved so vital in the Battle of Britain.
On the 8th August 1934, Sir Frederick Lindemann wrote a letter to The Times, suggesting that there was currently ‘no means of preventing hostile bombers from depositing their loads of explosives, incendiary materials, gases or bacteria upon their objectives’. He believed, however, that a defeatist attitude should not be taken to the problem, arguing that scientific advancements would enable a method to defend British cities to be developed.
The fear of aerial bombardment led to the Air Ministry heavily investing in methods to defend against enemy attack which ultimately led to the development of radar at Orfordness and RAF Bawdsey.
Want to learn more about radar and the men and women who operated it? Visit Bawdsey Radar! Learn more here: https://www.bawdseyradar.org.uk/visit/
On the 7th August 1940, German aircraft attacked RAF Bawdsey using bombs and machine guns. Damage was done to structures on the site. It was, perhaps, during this raid that the damage evident on the Transmitter Block that houses Bawdsey Radar museum was done.
On the 5th August1985, Arnold ‘Skip’ Wilkins died. Wilkins was instrumental in the development of radar, discussing the feasibility of the system of Robert Watson Watt and helping to prove the possibility of using radio waves to detect aircraft in the 1935 Daventry Experiment. He went on to assist in the development of Chain Home and Identification Friend or Foe at RAF Bawdsey.
On the 3rd August 1934, Squadron-Leader P. R. Burchall wrote an article in The Spectator lamenting the public’s response to the results of recent simulations of air attacks on London that involved over 350 aircraft. Official figures suggested that approximately 70% of enemy aircraft could get through Britain’s defences to attack cities such as London, something that Burchall said caused a ‘feeling of defencelessness and dismay, or at all events of uneasiness’ among the British people. Such a fear led to the government investing heavily in air defences, leading to the development of radar at Bawdsey.
Although Burchall argued the best form of defence was attack, he also suggested that there was a need for greater cooperation among the ground units defending Britain, something which led to the establishment of the Dowding system, of which radar formed a vital part.
Want to learn more about the radar technology that proved vital in the Allied victory in the Second World War? Visit Bawdsey Radar! Learn more here: https://www.bawdseyradar.org.uk/visit/
Three 30-minute talks followed by a Q&A. There will be an opportunity to have a look around the museum after the talks, as well as have conversations with the experts about all things radar! Tea and coffee included.
2024 marks 80 years since the momentous landings on the Normandy coast as part of Operation Overlord, also known as D-Day. Radar played a decisive, yet little known, role in the successful outcome of the landings on the Normandy coast. To commemorate this, Bawdsey Radar are holding a Talks Day exploring the importance of radar in the successful outcome of the D-Day landings. Come along to hear more from the experts about radar at Bawdsey and the role of radar in Operation Overlord.
Ticket ONLY event. Book tickets here Door opens at 10am, talks begin at 10.30am
Talks:
‘The Eyes of the Few’
Bawdsey Radar’s own Graham Murchie will be giving an in-depth look at the development of radar at Bawdsey that became known as ‘the eyes of the few’, enabling the outnumbered RAF to effectively combat the Luftwaffe.
‘D-Day Deceptions with Radar’
Graham Randall will be exploring the little-known role of radar in the D-Day landings of 6th June 1944, 80 years ago this year. 160,000 men, 8,000 ships and 11,000 aircraft were involved in D-Day, the largest seaborne invasion force in history.
This huge force would be visible on German radar, so the allied planners needed a way to deceive the Germans to get as many of those troops as possible safely ashore and delay the inevitable counter-attack. It is here that radar played a significant role.
‘Radar and the Battle of the Atlantic’
Radar historian Dr Phil Judkins will talk about how ground based radar was developed in the mid to late 1930s but more was needed. He will include the history of airborne radar covering both Air Interception and, more particularly, Air to Surface Vessel radar. It explains how radar was vital in detecting U Boats and, as a result, enabled the Allies to win the Battle of the Atlantic.
No politics here but who doesn’t love the photos of #DogsatPollingStations today?
Here’s RAF Police Dog Eric and his handler Jason Lehan at RAF Bawdsey. Not actually at a polling station but you can’t have everything.
On the 3rd July 1940, high explosive bombs were dropped on RAF Bawdsey by Luftwaffe aircraft. Thankfully no damage was done and the Transmitter Block that houses the museum survived the attack.
It’s Armed Forces weekend and we’ll be in Felixstowe flying the Bawdsey Radar flag on Saturday 29 June – do come and say hello please? Head for the Sea Road and the Events area IP11 2AU.
On this day in 1940, Winston Churchill gave a speech to parliament in which he said ‘What General Weygand called the Battle of France is over. I expect that the battle of Britain is about to begin.’ It was in this Battle of Britain that the radar technology developed at RAF Bawdsey proved vital, allowing the outnumbered fighters of the RAF to effectively meet and engage incoming enemy aircraft.
