Monument record MWX4905 - Chain Home Radar Station CH11 (RAF Southbourne), Hengistbury Head, Bournemouth

A chain home radar station was constructed at Hengistbury Head (RAF Southbourne) by April 1941. The site is visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s. It may have been contemporary with another site to the east (see MDO28876), or may have replaced it.

A Chain Home station at Southbourne (SZ 164 908) established by 18-APR-1941. Chain Home stations comprised transmission and receiver blocks, four 240ft timber receiver aerial towers, four 350ft steel transmitter aerial towers that stood on concrete pads, and other buildings such as dispersed accommodation huts, guard huts and standby set houses. From 1940 defensive measures were installed at radar stations, including Light Anti-Aircraft gun emplacements, pill boxes, road blocks and air raid shelters. The receiver towers were located at SZ 164 908. <1>

A Chain Home station at Southbourne. Aerial photography from 1972 shows that the station has been removed and the site given over to agricultural use. <2>

It comprised four 350ft transmitter aerial towers in West Field and four 240ft timber receiver towers around and to the east of the Double Dykes. There were a number of dispersed buildings both east and west of the Double Dykes and the whole was defended by numerous weapons pits, pillboxes, mines, and defence wire. It was dismantled in 1948. <1-4>

A Chain Home radar station is visible as a structure on aerial photographs of the 1940s on Hengistbury Head. It may have been contemporary with another site to the east (see MDO ), or may have replaced it. It consists of two compounds one containing the transmitter masts and the other containing the receiver masts (at SZ 15814 91025 and SZ 16119 91088), to the east and west of a control building (at SZ 14960 91115). Two lines of pylons carrying wires into the eastern compound are visible extending to the west and north of the enclosure. <5-6> This site was digitally plotted during the South West Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey (Dorset).

<1> Dobinson, C S, 1996, Twentieth century fortifications in England, volume 7. Acoustics and Radar: England's early warning systems 1915-45, 160 (Monograph). SDO12579.

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 Anderton, Michael J, 2000, Twentieth century military recording project: World War Two radar stations, 64 (Unpublished document).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

<2.1> 11-AUG-1972, MAL/72071/75-76 (Aerial Photograph). SDO20417.

<3> Hodges, M A, 2003, Christchurch in World War II (part 2), 32 (Monograph). SWX9138.

RAF Southbourne was occupied by RAF 80 Wing engaged in the implementation of techniques developed by Air Defence research. At Southbourne, the RAF used wireless to detect German short-wave navigation radio beacons at Cherbourg which sent out a pulse on a bearing to help bombers find their target at night. 80 Wing searched for the beam to detect its bearing so that night fighter and anti-aircraft artillery could be warned.

<4> Hoodless, W A, 2005, Hengistbury Head, The Whole Story (Monograph). SDO12578.

<5> Royal Air Force, 30-OCT-1945, RAF 106G/T16/PART II 7123-4 (Aerial Photograph). SDO12742.

<6> Royal Air Force, 26-AUG-1941, RAF 1416/S442H55 PO-39 MSO 31259 (Aerial Photograph). SDO12747.

<7> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1476612 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Dec 23 2024 3:41PM