Monument record TQ 73 SW 81 - Second World War searchlight battery No. 5101 2 at Three Chimneys

The site of a Second World War searchlight battery, this was known as searchlight battery No. 5101 2 at Three Clumneys, located at TQ 727 346. It was manned by 34 (The Queen's Own Royal West Kent) Anti-Aircraft Battalion Royal Engineers. The battery was operational by 12-MAY-1940 and positioned to protect Kent from air attack. (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)

A more accurate location name is possibly Three Chimneys as this appears on the OS map, close to the NGR given in source 1. The location of this searchlight site is possibly closer to NGR TQ 72758 34715, as this is the approximate location of Three Chimneys. The scale of the map is 1:2500. (3)

<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 (Bibliographic reference). SKE56150.

<3> Landmark, Ordnance Survey 1:2,500 map (OS 1st edition 1862-1875): Landmark Epoch 1 (Map). SKE30964.