Monument record BAW 119 - RAF Bawdsey

Photographs from July 1940 show a variety of different types of military structure at the northern end of the site of RAF Bawdsey. At least a few of these structures must be related in some way to the experimental Chain Home radar station set up at Bawdsey in1936. These structures include a row of three or four small radio masts, with a central building surrounded by a blast wall. It is possible that these mast were receiver masts for the radar (see BAW 051 for the nearby transmitter masts) although they are layed out in a similar pattern to transmitter masts. (S1) By April 1944 the masts had been removed but the central building was only demolished some time between 1955 and 1965. (S2) To the northwest of these structures are some circular structures of unknown function and an area of quarrying, possibly in order to construct underground bunkers, are visible. (S1) All these features are no longer visible by April 1944, although there is a slit trench running over the site where the quarried out area was located. (S3) To the northwest of these features, a number of structures are sited in an enclosure, including a large radio mast and two buildings. (S1) By April 1944 the buildings appear to have changed in appearance and another smaller radio mast has been constructed just to the north. (S3) By October 1949 the large mast has been dismantled. (S2) The small radio mast was dismantled at some point between 1955 and 1965 but the foundations of the buildings and the feet of the masts are still extant in 1995. (S4) Further to the north, a variety of military features can be seen in 1940, including a slit trench (TM34333847) and a number of buildings of unknown function, including one, with a surrounding blast wall, that may have housed the power supply (TM34303849). (S1) By April 1944 the building mentioned as possibly housing the power supply has been converted into two buildings, an observation post can be seen at TM34353847 and another slit trench has been constructed to the north (TM34353851). There are also two possible bomb craters visible in 1944, one near the above mentioned trench and one at TM34273851. (S3) The observation tower and the large building with the surrounding blast wall are still extant in 1995. (S4) There are also a number of buildings, probably of World War II date, to the east of the features described above, along the edge of the cliff. These consist of small square and rectangular buildings which were probably lookout post and pillboxes etc. None of these features appear to remain today. (S5)
See BAW 051 for the radar station to which some of the above features may be related.
Also seen as part of field survey of Suffolk Coast - brick built rectangular structure on cliff top sunk into cliff. Half roofed with concrete. Possibly shelter/light anti aircraft post or observation post. S6