Monument record TR 15 SW 217 - Searchlight Battery Hc04 9

Summary

The site of Second World War searchlight battery no. HC04 9 (old number HC05 4) at Petham. It was manned by 508 Searchlight Battery under the command of 28 Searchlight Regiment. The battery was operational by 14th October 1941. Large-scale re-organisation of the searchlight layout in Kent required the withdrawal of 313 SL Bty from the area and the taking over of its sites by 322 SL Bty together with the introduction of three batteries (314, 468 and 508). Sites occupied by these three batteries were renumbered.Searchlight sites typically comprised a small ring-ditch to provide the crew with shelter during an air raid, a predictor emplacement for calculating the height and range of targets, a light anti-aircraft machine gun pit, a generator and hutted accommodation for the crew.

Location

Grid reference TR 1400 5099 (point)
Map sheet TR15SW
County KENT
District CANTERBURY, KENT
Civil Parish UPPER HARDRES, CANTERBURY, KENT

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Full Description

The site of a Second World War searchlight battery, this was known as searchlight battery no. HC04 9 (old number HC 05 4) located at Petham at TR 140510. It was manned by 508 Searchlight Battery. It was operational by 14-OCT-1941. (1)

Searchlight sites typically comprised a small ring-ditch to provide the crew with shelter during an air raid, a predictor emplacement for calculating the height and range of targets, a light anti-aircraft machine gun pit, a generator and hutted accommodation for the crew. During the Second World War searchlights were manned by the Royal Artillery and were under the control of the Army's Anti-Aircraft Command. (2)


<1> Dobinson, C, 2000, CBA Twentieth Century Fortifications in England Supporting paper AA/1 Searchlight Sites in WWII A sample List (Bibliographic reference). SKE15230.

<2> Lowry (ed), 1995, 20th century defences in Britain : an introductory guide, No 12 (Bibliographic reference). SKE56150.

Sources/Archives (2)

  • <1> Bibliographic reference: Dobinson, C. 2000. CBA Twentieth Century Fortifications in England Supporting paper AA/1 Searchlight Sites in WWII A sample List.
  • <2> Bibliographic reference: Lowry (ed). 1995. 20th century defences in Britain : an introductory guide. No 12.

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Record last edited

Jan 29 2025 11:20AM