Radar Recollections - A Bournemouth University / CHiDE / HLF project

 
 

Yet another move... Malvern

   

One of the consequences of the Bruneval raid was that it was feared that retaliatory raids would soon take place. Certainly attacks in the area became more frequent and in one raid on TRE Worth a number of RAF airmen were killed.
Some bombing raids even coincided with specific train departures from Swanage station!
Churchill gave the order that the move was to be completed " before the next full moon" and just one month later (26th March 1942) the whole operation had been moved to Malvern College, a public school. The unit is still there now (RAF Malvern).

A fleet of Pickfords trucks was hired for the move. All the loading was done in the rain and then the convoy (heavily guarded) moved off to Malvern…

The Worth Matravers site remained under RAF
control until 1967 as a 'GEE' monitoring station.
The last of the of the old CH towers was
dismantled in the early 1970's.

Staffing levels at Malvern meant that nearly 1000 people were now employed there and many huts with galvanized tin roofs had to be rapidly constructed….

The working conditions were not ideal and there was some trouble with the 'directed labour' who were complaining about the poor wages and overstretched accommodation and the lack of free time. A.P.Rowe (much to his annoyance) had to intervene and eventually an extra £2 per week was offered to the men and more home passes issued.

The relocation did, however, give easy access to the industrial might of the West Midlands.

 

 
Loading equipment into a lorry.
Loading equipment into a lorry for the move to Malvern
 
 
 
TRE Malvern Huts in winter 1942-3
TRE Malvern Huts in winter 1942-3
   
A. I. Llewelyn
(1)
A. I. Llewelyn
(2)
A. I. Llewelyn
(3)
A. E. Bennett
(1)
A. E. Bennett
(2)
         
A. E. Bennett
(1)
Professor G. E. Bacon
S. Ratcliffe
(1)
S. Ratcliffe
(2)
S. Ratcliffe
(3)
         
   
Air Vice Marshall P. M. S. Hedgeland
   
   
   
   
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