Monument record MDO47647 - Ground Controlled Interception Station 07g, Sturminster Marshall

The site of a Ground Controlled Interception (GCI) radar station at Sturminster Marshall. GCI stations were developed by the Air Ministry from 1940 to detect, locate and track enemy aircraft and provide inland radar coverage of Britain. Sturminster Marshall opened in March 1941 and functioned as a Mobile station reporting to Middle Wallop Fighter Sector. Mobile GCI stations comprised transmitter and receiver aerial arrays mounted on trailers spaced no more than 220ft (67.1 metres) apart, with equipment stored and operations carried out from trucks. The site was not upgraded to any other form of GCI station. Aerial photography from 1982 shows that the site had been given over to agricultural use.

A Ground Controlled Interception station located at Sturminster Marshall (SY 957 995), called site 07G. Ground Controlled Interception (GCI) radar stations were developed by the Air Ministry from 1940 to detect, locate and track enemy aircraft and provide inland radar coverage of Britain. The stations worked in cooperation with local Fighter Sectors that had Airborne Interception (AI) radar fitted in it's aircraft to enable the crew to accurately home in on targets. Sturminster Marshall opened in March 1941 as a Mobile station and reported to Middle Wallop Fighter Sector. Mobile stations comprised transmitter and receiver aerial arrays mounted on trailers spaced no more than 220ft (67.1 metres) apart, with equipment stored and operations carried out from trucks. (1)

Aerial photography from 1982 shows that the site had been given over to agricultural use. (2)

<1> Dobinson, C S, 1996, Twentieth century fortifications in England, volume 7. Acoustics and Radar: England's early warning systems 1915-45, 78-104, 173 (Monograph). SDO12579.

<2> Anderton, Michael J, 2000, Twentieth century military recording project: World War Two radar stations, 64 (Unpublished document). SDO18992.

<3> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1478643 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jan 1 2024 1:53PM