Today we have added an extensive update to the previous report on the Special Duties Branch hidden radio hide codenamed ‘Chirnside 1’ – take a video tour inside the hide, hidden under an outside privy!
Thanks to the very kind new owners our team were allowed in to record this most rare of top secret WW2 locations, and to Dr Will Ward, Martyn Allen, Nina Hannaford and Chris Perry for their cracking work to get this online.
Today we have added a excellent report by Chris Perry and Nina Hannaford about Special Duties OUT Station located near Puckington in Somerset with the codename ‘Chirnside 4’.
The station would have communicated directly with “Chirnside Zero” at Castle Neroche near Buckland St Mary.
Today we have added information on the Special Duties OUT station known as Golding 4 in Somerset. The info and images have been supplied by CART’s Devon CIO, Nina Hannaford and Aux researcher Chris Perry.
The secret wireless was sited at Captain Wight Boycott’s home Oakhampton House (sometimes recorded as Oakhampton Manor) Wiveliscombe. The site has been recorded as being in the attic but it is known a dugout was present so it COULD have originally been placed in the attic whilst the dugout was being built.
“Runners” would then have brought messages to the dugout.
In Devon messages these were left in secret compartments (Quite often message bolts) hidden in gate posts (see above) and this would have been ideal at the location though we cannot prove this happened here.
Read the full report here
Edgarley ‘Chirnside Five’ – Special Duties Radio OUT Station has today been added to our Special Duties Branch microsite.
The Special Duties wireless set was recorded as operating out of a hut or box at Edgarley Manor Farm, Edgarley in Somerset. This was concealed as, or part of, a chicken house that was located between the farm house and Wick Lane.
There is some doubt over the actual operators of the station but the landowners (Captain) Kenneth and Dorothy Marsh have ideal credentials to be involved. Locally it is suggested a woman was the main operator.
Read Nina Hannaford’s full report here
We have added an update to the Sigglesthorne Out Station by Andy Gwynne our CIO for Yorkshire.
Andy was sadly unable to enter the bunker but has provided plans and hopes to gain access soon.
See it here
Last week we added a report on the Aylsham Special Duties Out-Station in Norfolk.
The Out-Station used to be located in a large town house called ‘The Beeches’, in the historic market town of Aylsham (North Norfolk). The property was owned by Dr Alec George Holman and his wife Grace Kathleen. Their daughter, Jill (now Jill Monk, seen left), recalls that her father was one of the first civilians to be recruited by SDS to gather information because of his local knowledge. Jill was only 14 years old when she was enrolled.
You can see the full report here
Stephen Lewins, our CIO for Northumberland has just sent us a report on the Longhorsley Special Duties Out Station in Northumberland.
The radio operators were Mr Charles Webb, a solicitor and the Reverant Father Wright (left) who was also the Air Raid Warden, a good choice for cover as this gave him access to many places in the village and round about at times when others were in doors, no questions asked.
Read the whole report here