Chain Home Low Station Chl26a |
| Hob Uid: 1477281 | |
Location :
Suffolk
East Suffolk
Bawdsey
|
| Grid Ref : TM3360038000 |
| Summary : The site of a Royal Air Force Chain Home Low radar station associated with the Air Ministry Research Station at Bawdsey. It was established by June 1941 to provide early warning of approaching low-flying enemy aircraft during the Second World War. Chain Home Low sites typically comprised two gantries carrying the transmitter and receiver aerial arrays, a transmitter and receiver hut, a standby set house for the reserve power, and a general purposes hut. Defence measures installed at radar stations included Light Anti-Aircraft gun emplacements, pillboxes, road blocks and air raid shelters. Aerial photography from 1998 shows that Bawdsey as a whole remains a well preserved site. A receiver block with four sets of aerial bases remains. The transmission block with four sets of aerial bases also remains, with one aerial retaining its radar. Buried transmitter and receiver buildings and their attached aerials are in good condition. A number of accommodation buildings remain, and a large number of ancillary buildings. Nine pillboxes are also visible. |
More information : A Chain Home Low Station located at Bawdsey (TM 336 380), called site CHL26A. It was established by the end of June 1941. Chain Home Low (CHL) stations provided early warning of approaching low-flying enemy aircraft during the Second World War. CHL stations used technology originally used by the Army to plot shipping for coastal batteries. In 1940 the Royal Air Force established the series of Chain Home Low stations to supplement the existing Chain Home stations as they were capable of detecting lower-flying aircraft. CHL sites typically comprised two gantries carrying the transmitter and receiver aerial arrays, a transmitter and receiver hut, a standby set house for the reserve power, and a general purposes hut. Defence measures installed at radar stations included Light Anti-Aircraft gun emplacements, pillboxes, road blocks and air raid shelters. (1)
Chain Home Low Station associated with the Air Ministry Research Station at Bawdsey. Aerial photography from 1998 shows that Bawdsey as a whole remains a well preserved site. A receiver block with four sets of aerial bases remains. The transmission block with four sets of aerial bases also remains, with one aerial retaining its radar. Buried transmitter and receiver buildings and their attached aerials are in good condition. A number of accommodation buildings remain, and a large number of ancillary buildings. Nine pillboxes are also visible. (2) |