| Summary : The site of a Chain Home radar station at Rye established by February 1940. The station provided early warning for the south coast during the Second World War, overlooking the English Channel towards the Cap Griz Nez area of northern France. It was thus an important element of the country's defences during the Battle of Britain, especially for the heavily engaged 11 Group Royal Air Force Fighter Command. Because of its importance it was attacked and bombed by the Luftwaffe on "Adlertag" or "Eagle Day", the German code name for the all-out air assault mounted from 13th August 1940. 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 guns, pill boxes, road blocks and air raid shelters. The station was remodelled and technically restored in the early 1950s as part of the Rotor programme. A domestic site was built at TQ 975 246. The radar station was eventually sold in 1958. Aerial photography from 1996 shows a transmission block and a receiver block surviving at the site in reasonable condition, but without their protective earthen mound. Both blocks still have the attached aerial bases visible. Buried aerial and receiver bases are located in a field to the south. Two minor defensive positions are visible on the northern perimeter. The layout of the station is visible and some building bases survive. A standby set house is visible as a rubble mound and a guard house is still visible. |
More information : A Chain Home radar station located at Rye (TQ 966 229) established by 23-FEB-1940. Chain Home stations comprised transmission and receiver huts, a 240ft timber receiver tower and a 350ft steel transmitter tower that stood on four concrete pads. (1)
A Chain Home radar station at Rye (CH05). Aerial photography from 1996 shows a transmission block and a receiver block surviving at the site in reasonable condition, but without their protective earthen mound. Both blocks still have the attached aerial bases visible. Buried aerial and receiver bases are located in a field to the south. Two minor defensive positions are visible on the northern perimeter. The layout of the station is visible and some building bases survive. A standby sethouse is visible as a rubble mound and a guard house is still visible. (2)
Aerial photograph from 1996 referenced in source 2. (3)
RAF Rye radar station, controlled by 11 Group, provided early warning for the South coast, looking over the English Channel towards the Cap Griz Nez area of northern France. (4)
The Rotor programme was developed to advance the wartime radar technology in detecting and locating fast-flying jets. It was approved by the Air Council in June 1950. The first phase of the programme, Rotor 1, was to technically restore existing Chain Home, centrimetric early warning, Chain Home Extra Low and Ground Controlled Interception stations and put them under the control of RAF Fighter Command. There were three main components to the Rotor stations: the technical site, including the radars, operation blocks and other installations; the domestic site, where personnel were accommodated; and the stand-by set house, a reserve power supply. The technical site at Rye Rotor station was located at TQ 968 232. The domestic site was situated at TQ 975 246 and the stand-by set house was co-located at the technical site. (5-7)
As source 2. Also, aerial photography from 1954 shows a number of buildings surviving at the domestic site, although it is unclear if the air raid shelters at the eastern end of the site remain. This is confirmed in a 1998 source. (8)
RAF Rye, along with RAF Pevensey, were offered for sale by public auction in Battle (Sussex) in November 1958. (9)
Rye , along with Pevensey , Ventnor and some other chain home stations and were tageted by the Luftwaffe during their all out assault codenamed "Adlertag" or "Eagle Day", which took place from 13th August 1940. (10) |