On This Day – 1937

On the 24th September 1937, RAF Bawdsey became the first fully operational RDF site in Great Britain, forming the first link of the chain of radar stations known as Chain Home. This network of radar stations proved vital in giving Fighter Command information about incoming enemy attacks during the Battle of Britain, allowing the outnumbered pilots of the RAF to effectively meet the Luftwaffe and defend the country. The Bawdsey story did not end here, however, and RAF Bawdsey helped keep Britain safe until 1991, first as a ROTOR radar station and later as a Bloodhound Missile site, stationed on the coast to defend against incoming aircraft.