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Radar Station Summary WW II
When the Air Ministry started to create a network of radar stations immediately prior to the outbreak of war in 1939, pioneered by Robert Watson-Watt, they were assigned to Group areas for administration purposes. RAF Wings were also created in order to control them. The boundaries of RAF Groups, AA Commands and Civil Defence Regions were usually coterminous in order to make defence easier.
Scotland came under RAF 13 Group (also being No 11 Civil Defence Region) and No 72 Wing RAF was formed in 1941 to control all radar stations from the Tees in Northern England to the Forth. It was based in Dollarbeg Castle, Dollar, Clackmannanshire (NS97169645), and later transferred stations to No 73 Wing in Newcastle in order to concentrate on controlling all radar stations in Scotland. When 79 Wing was disbanded on June 30, 1943, stations in Ulster were transferred to 72 Wing, which was eventually disbanded on April 15, 1944.
Radar stations evolved from the initial Chain Home equipment to Chain Home Low (CHL) and Chain Home Extra Low (CHEL), as frequency coverage was extended and the radar curtain lowered to try and prevent enemy aircraft sneaking in at low level. Ground Control Intercept (GCI) equipment was later developed to guide RAF fighters to their targets.
The Royal Navy used radar to monitor coastal convoys and any German U-Boats attempting to enter the Atlantic between Orkney and the mainland.
Station Number - Name - Location | SecSco Page | Notes |
Chain Home Stations | ||
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| Drone Hill provided long range early warning for the southern Firth of Forth approaches and Edinburgh.
Went out of service on October 16, 1939, due to blown valve, and not repaired until October 17. This allowed a raid by German aircraft of 1/KG30 to penetrate as far as the Forth Bridge, as AA defences were caught unaware. Three warships damaged in the firth and numerous casualties. Now a caravan site. | |
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| Douglas Wood provided low level raid cover in central Scotland and the approaches to Dundee. Became CHL station. | |
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| School Hill provided low level raid cover for the central east coast of Scotland and the approaches to Aberdeen. Became CHL station. | |
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| Hillhead provided long range early warning for north of Scotland. Exceptional remains. See RCAHMS and geograph | |
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| Thrumster provided long range early warning for the extreme north of Scotland. RCAHMS entry | |
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| Nether Button provided long range early warning for raids approaching the Orkney and Shetland Islands and the naval bases there.
See Sub-Brit for more. | |
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| Kilkenneth Radar Station Port Mor Radar Station | |
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| Chain Home Beam Station; Chain Home Low equipment fulfilling Chain Home functions. | |
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| Chain Home Beam. Habost Chain Home Beam Radar Station NB5096 6286 Station became operational in 1942. | |
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| Borve Castle Chain Home Beam Station NF7736 5055 | |
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| Eye Peninsula, Broad Bay Chain Home Radar Station NB5314 3447 There are believed to be no remains on this site. | |
Chain Home Low Stations | ||
42 Drone Hill, Borders. | Cf. CH stations. | |
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| Cockburnspath provided low level raid cover for the southern approaches to the Firth of Forth. | |
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| Scotland's Secret Bunker | Anstruther provided long range early warning for raids approaching southern Scotland, Edinburgh and the Firth. Long range, so not Chain Home Low. |
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| St Cyrus provided long range early warning for central Scotland and the approaches to Dundee. Long range station, so not Chain Home Low. | |
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| Doonies Hill provided long range early warning for raids approaching central Scotland and Aberdeen. Long range station, so not Chain Home Low. | |
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| Rosehearty provided low level raid cover for the east coast of northern Scotland. | |
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| RCAHMS entry | |
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| Designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), the installation will soon become a Bird & Wildlife Sanctuary | |
50a Deerness, Orkney. | ||
50b South Ronaldsay | Ward Hill Radar Station South Ronaldsay | |
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53a Fair Isle North, Shetland. | Ward Hill Radar Station Fair Isle | Fair Isle provided low level raid cover in the Shetland-Orkneys gap. |
53b Fair Isle South, Shetland. | ||
54a Grutness, Shetland. | ||
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| See Sub-Brit for pic and location NR207616 | |
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| Kilkenneth Radar Station | |
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| Eorodale Chain Home Low Radar Station NB5319 6268 This site became operational in 1941. Also remains of Military Camp and Air Raid Shelter. | |
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| Greian Head Chain Home Low Radr Station NF6579 0463 Station became operational in 1942. There is also an Accomodation camp 3 km south at Tangusdale. | |
92a Kendrom, Skye, Highland. | The imposing cliff-top structure between Flodigarry and Kilmaluag is no ancient hill fort but the exoskeleton of RAF Kendram, known by an Air Ministry innocent of Tippex or WP software as RAF Kendrom. This was a Chain Home Low radar station built in the late 1940s as part of an extended network to protect the UK.
The solid stone walls, enclosing a concrete floor, never had a roof. Instead a prefabricated building was erected inside to house radar equipment and operators. The walls seen today protected a timber shed against weather and possible bomb blast. Still to be seen are radio mast anchor points - HF radio being the means by which the station communicated with Stornoway sector station. Several concrete foundations are visible lower down the slope and by the road is the old generator house. The entire camp extended as far as the Kilmaluag River, where an old pump house now serves as a store. A section of asbestos pipe which carried water to the main site is still visible, if you know where to look. Also extant is the motor pool building and associated concrete plinths. At least one, and maybe more, Kendram RAF personnel billeted locally married local girls and settled down. RAF Kendram Retrieved September 26, 2010. | |
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| Rodelpark Chain Home Low Radar Station NG0528 8389 operational from 1942 to 1944. | |
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| Druim Grunavat, Islivig Chain Home Low Radar Station NB0013 2939 | |
95a Stoer, Highland. | ||
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| Beinn Hough Radar Station | |
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| Gin Head Radar Station | |
Coast Defence Stations | ||
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M27 Gin Head, Border. | Gin Head Radar Station | |
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Ward Hill, Fair Isle, Shetland | Ward Hill Radar Station Fair Isle | |
Ground Controlled Interception Stations | ||
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| Machrihanish Intermediate Ground Control Intercept Radar Station | |
Experimental Stations | ||
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| http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/138799/details/forth+nether+lennie/ | GCI station at Nether Lennie Farm, Craigiehall Estate. |
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| Brenish, Mealista Chain Home Radar Station NA9913 2423 Completed 1942 | |
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| Beinn Hough Radar Station | |
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| Port Mor Radar Station | |
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| Machrihanish Intermediate Ground Control Intercept Radar Station | |
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| Whinhill Observation Post | Reported as an experimental radar station. |
Known stations not included above | ||
RAF Cresswell | Cresswell provided low level raid cover for the north of England coast in the Newcastle region. | |
RAF Bamburgh | Bamburgh provided long range early warning for raids approaching the north of England. | |
RAF Danby Beacon | Danby Beacon provided long range early warning for raids approaching the north midlands and the industrial cities of the north of England. | |
RAF Ottercops Moss | Ottercops Moss provided long range early warning for the industrial cities and shipbuilding yards of the central north of England. | |
RAF Shotton | Shotton provided long range early warning for north of England in the Durham to Middlesbrough region. |
External links
Map
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⚠ [[!World War II]]
⚠ [[!Radar Station]]
⚠ [[!Summary]]
⚠ (:WPCategoriesList:)
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