description
Object description
British civilian radar expert worked with Air Ministry Research Establishment at Dundee and with Telecommunications Research Establishment at Worth Matravers, Dorset and Malvern, 1940-1945
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of period at Air Ministry Research Establishment, Dundee, 1939-1940: story of interview and recruitment to work with radar, 7/1939; move from Bawdsey Research Station to Dundee; description of training with RDF and role as T (Transmitter) Man; accommodation; problem of bad weather. Recollections of period at Telecommunications Research Establishment, Worth Matravers, 5/1940- 1945: pay and conditions; amusing story of Bernard Lovell; problem of radar detecting low-flying aircraft and increasing signal strength; opinion of early sound detection devices including sound mirrors; story of development of radar and role of Robert Watson-Watt; comparison of German and British radar; description of radar experiments at Daventry, 1935; story of Zeppelin; reason for movement of research to Worth Matravers; description of pre-war radar developments and building of Chain Home stations; development of magnetron; mobile radar systems.
REEL 2 Continues: memory of Professor Cockcroft; question of secrecy; co-operation with Americans; story of invention of magnetron; amusing story of death ray and sheep; reason for move to Malvern, 1942; opinion of facilities; description of centimetric frequencies; question of signal strength and detecting low-flying aircraft; height of aerials; importance of radar in winning Battle of Britain; improvements in bombing accuracy including Gee, Oboe and H2S; description of methods to avoid radar detection; use of Window; civilian applications of radar; opinion of Watson's Watt's role in development of radar; description of post-war employment at Royal Radar Establishment in GB; memories of early days of radar development; importance of ASV (Air to Surface Vessel) radar in Atlantic; further comments on Daventry experiments; question of funding and resources for radar development.
