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Monument record TR 34 SE 455 - Chain Home Extra Low Station K147

Summary

The site of a Chain Home Extra Low (CHEL) radar station at Leathercoates. It was built by the Royal Air Force to provide low-coverage radar during the Second World War. CHEL sites comprised a Nissen hut with an aerial gantry straddling the roof and a separate standby set house for the reserve power. Aerial photography from 1978 shows that the radar site was associated with the coastal battery. A large number of building bases and a few extant buildings survive in the complex. Summary from record TR 34 SE 388: During the Second World War a Chain Home Low Radar station was built close to the South Foreland Lighthouse. It was part of a chain of radar stations designed to detect low-level aircraft.

Location

Grid reference	Centred TR 3588 4329 (22m by 14m)
Map sheet	TR34SE
County	KENT
District	DOVER, KENT
Civil Parish	ST MARGARET’S AT CLIFFE, DOVER, KENT

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Type and Period (1)

RADAR STATION (From 1942, Modern - 1942 AD to 1945 AD)

Full Description

A Chain Home Extra Low station located at Leathercoates (TR 359 433), called site K147. From 1942 the Royal Air Force implemented the K-series of Chain Home Extra Low (CHEL) stations. CHEL sites used centimetric radar that operated on a 10cm wavelength to provide a low-coverage radar more advanced than the existing Chain Home Low and Coastal Defence/Chain Home Low stations. The sites comprised a Nissen hut with an aerial gantry straddling the roof and a separate standby set house for the reserve power. (1)
Aerial photography from 1978 shows that the radar site was integral with the battery complex. A large number of building bases and a few extant buildings survive in the area. (2)

Description from record TR 34 SE 388:
During the Second World War a Chain Home Low Radar station was built close to the South Foreland Lighthouse. It was part of a chain of radar stations designed to detect low-level aircraft. The site consisted of a set of three buildings, one of which had a small tower with a scanner on the top. Two of the buildings were demolished after the war but one remains. (3)

<1> Dobinson, C, 2000, Twentieth century fortifications in England, volume 7. Acoustics and radar: England's early warning systems 1915-1945 (Bibliographic reference). SWX23709.

<2> Anderton, Michael J., 2000, Twentieth century military recording project: World War Two radar stations (Bibliographic reference). SWX22107.

<3> John A. Guy, 2013-, Verbal communication from John Guy, defence expert working in the Dover area (Verbal communication). SKE24831.

Sources/Archives (3)

<1> SWX23709 Bibliographic reference: Dobinson, C. 2000. Twentieth century fortifications in England, volume 7. Acoustics and radar: England's early warning systems 1915-1945.
<2> SWX22107 Bibliographic reference: Anderton, Michael J.. 2000. Twentieth century military recording project: World War Two radar stations.
<3> SKE24831 Verbal communication: John A. Guy. 2013-. Verbal communication from John Guy, defence expert working in the Dover area.