View Full Version : Dover CH Station
Andy Saunders
6th November 2011, 12:25
Does anybody know the AMES number of the Dover CH radar site(s)?
It would be AMES (Air Ministry Experimental Station)....but I do not know its specific station number.
MarkRS
6th November 2011, 16:15
http://www.vectorsite.net/ttwiz_01.html
AMES type 1
See 1.2 Chain Home
Regards,
Mark
MarkRS
6th November 2011, 16:31
http://www.radarpages.co.uk/mob/ch/chainhome.htm
Straight from the horse's mouth!
Article from "The GEC Journal of Research", Vol. 3 No.2 1985 pages 73-83
(GEC = Marconi = BTH)
On the last page; shown as Dover on the map , but called Swingate, Kent in the list.
Regards,
Mark
Andy Saunders
7th November 2011, 10:00
Mark
Many thanks, and all very interesting.
However, what I seek specifically is the unique station number for the Dover (Swingate) CH station. In other words, AMES (Number?) - eg AMES 430 etc etc.
MarkRS
7th November 2011, 14:19
This list contains some of the station numbers, but unfortunately not Swingate's:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_former_RAF_stations#Chain_Home.2C_Chain_Ho me_Low.2C_Chain_Home_Extra_Low.2C_ROTOR_and_tropo-scatter_Stations (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_former_RAF_stations#Chain_Home.2C_Chain_Ho me_Low.2C_Chain_Home_Extra_Low.2C_ROTOR_and_tropo-scatter_Stations)
One site states that Swingate was one of the first 5 built. That does not really help, but one can infer a range assuming the list started at AMES 1.
I shall keep digging.
Mark
MarkRS
7th November 2011, 14:37
Bingo!
http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=1350388
Here called CH 04.
Blackpool is called CH 64 which corrolates with AMES No 64 in the wikilist I posted before, therefore it is safe to surmise that Swingate is AMES No 4. There is a whole list of other numbered sites.
Mark
Andy Saunders
7th November 2011, 14:53
Mark
Thank you for your diligence!
Unless evidence emerges to the contrary, I will tentatively go with AMES 4 for Dover (Swingate) CH Station.
Thanks again!
Andy
Dave Wallace
7th November 2011, 19:28
My records show an AMES 9000 station located at Swingate which was an Oboe ground station.
Dave Wallace
Andy Saunders
7th November 2011, 20:11
Dave
I am interested in the 1940 period in relation to the Swingate site, thus long before Oboe.
I am wondering if the Oboe site was given a different AMES number?
I am keen to know if there are any reports of bomb damage at the Swingate CH station on 14 November 1940, by the way.
MarkRS
8th November 2011, 06:35
From what I have read the site number (4 in this case) never changes. Several different systems where mounted at Swingate up to 1955.
From the last reference I posted:
"The station was operational from the late 1930s and in use throughout the Second World War, including the Battle of Britain, during which it was briefly put out of action by a "near miss" from enemy bombers."
This could be a reference to 14 November.
Mark
MarkRS
8th November 2011, 09:19
Nice photo of Swingate here:
http://www.doversociety.org/WWII.html
And here is one taken from Cap Gris Nez, France!
http://www.dover.gov.uk/museum/information_resources/the_collection/chain_home_low_radar_station.aspx
Here is a detailed description of the bombing and shelling of Dover in November 1940 which mentions November 14. Swingate is not mentioned in the text but there is mention of St Margaret's which is another name for the same area, although not on that particular date.
http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/Deadly-fireworks-sky-November-1940/story-12022379-detail/story.html
Mark
Andy Saunders
8th November 2011, 18:59
Thank you, Mark, for your diligent searching.
I think the bombing on 14 November mentioned in the link was probably daytime and not nightime as suggested.
MarkRS
9th November 2011, 06:42
Nothing further on 14 November, but here is a photo of Swingate under bombardment. Unfortunately, it is undated and does not say if it is bombing or shelling.
http://www.du.kent-history.co.uk/1/Pictures/swingatebang.jpg
Mark
MarkRS
9th November 2011, 07:39
Interesting document:
http://www.rquirk.com/cdnradar/cor/chapter12.pdf
page XII - 18 covers attacks on Swingate, again not the right period.
page XII - 15 quotes the sources of this document, which may contain more relevant info.
page XII - 18 also mentions an ORB ref Air/29/168 at Kew.
Mark
MarkRS
9th November 2011, 08:21
No. 1 Canadian Radio Location Unit And Radar Battery
arrived Dover 15 December 1942:
http://army.ca/history/CanRadLocUnit.pdf
Mark
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