Coast Defence/Chain Home Low Station M72
Coast Defence/Chain Home Low Station M72 is a former CD/CHL radar station near Grove Point on the eastern cliffs of the island, south of the Grove. The station, named M72, was constructed by the British Army during World War II as an early warning radar system, allowing shipping movement to be monitored.
History
In response to the anticipated German invasion of Britain, the need to detect and direct fire at enemy surface shipping was realised during 1940. As the English Channel was considered the most likely invasion point, the War Office developed plans for a chain of Coast Defence/Chain Home Low stations, which would be independent of the RAF's own existing chain of CHL stations.
The earliest of the Army's CD/CHL stations became operational in early 1941 and expansion of the network continued into 1942. Two sites were established at Portland; M72 was sited on the eastern side of Portland and M73 on the western side. Many of the CD/CHL stations followed a standard design, consisting of a combined transmitter, receiver and operations block with an aerial gantry mounted on the roof, and a separate standby set house for reserve power. All shipping movements recorded by the M72 station would have been forwarded to the Royal Navy.
The M72 station most likely opened during the early months of 1942 and was in operation by April of that year. That same year saw a number of CD/CHL stations (including M73) transferred to the RAF under the "Triple-Service" agreement, which saw radar coverage for shipping and aircraft unified. However, the M72 station remained part of the Army's independent chain of nineteen stations until its closure on 25 November 1942.
To date, M72's brick-built operations block and the nearby concrete standby house are still on site. The surrounding land is now used for agricultural purposes, while the South West Coast Path runs directly past the operations building.
References
The following is an A-Z list of references for this page.
1) Building Radar: Forging Britain's Early-warning Chain, 1939-45 - Colin Dobinson - Methuen Publishing Ltd - 2010 - book
2) Pastscape - Chain Home Extra Low Station K73 - website page
3) Pastscape - Coastal Defence/Chain Home Low Station M72 - website page
4) Pastscape - Coastal Defence/Chain Home Low Station M73 - website page
5) The National Archives - Fire Command, Portland - WO 192/150 - fort record book - 1941-44 - website page
6) Wikipedia - Chain Home - website page
7) Wikipedia - Chain Home Low - website page
History
In response to the anticipated German invasion of Britain, the need to detect and direct fire at enemy surface shipping was realised during 1940. As the English Channel was considered the most likely invasion point, the War Office developed plans for a chain of Coast Defence/Chain Home Low stations, which would be independent of the RAF's own existing chain of CHL stations.
The earliest of the Army's CD/CHL stations became operational in early 1941 and expansion of the network continued into 1942. Two sites were established at Portland; M72 was sited on the eastern side of Portland and M73 on the western side. Many of the CD/CHL stations followed a standard design, consisting of a combined transmitter, receiver and operations block with an aerial gantry mounted on the roof, and a separate standby set house for reserve power. All shipping movements recorded by the M72 station would have been forwarded to the Royal Navy.
The M72 station most likely opened during the early months of 1942 and was in operation by April of that year. That same year saw a number of CD/CHL stations (including M73) transferred to the RAF under the "Triple-Service" agreement, which saw radar coverage for shipping and aircraft unified. However, the M72 station remained part of the Army's independent chain of nineteen stations until its closure on 25 November 1942.
To date, M72's brick-built operations block and the nearby concrete standby house are still on site. The surrounding land is now used for agricultural purposes, while the South West Coast Path runs directly past the operations building.
References
The following is an A-Z list of references for this page.
1) Building Radar: Forging Britain's Early-warning Chain, 1939-45 - Colin Dobinson - Methuen Publishing Ltd - 2010 - book
2) Pastscape - Chain Home Extra Low Station K73 - website page
3) Pastscape - Coastal Defence/Chain Home Low Station M72 - website page
4) Pastscape - Coastal Defence/Chain Home Low Station M73 - website page
5) The National Archives - Fire Command, Portland - WO 192/150 - fort record book - 1941-44 - website page
6) Wikipedia - Chain Home - website page
7) Wikipedia - Chain Home Low - website page
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