German German Coastal Radar Stations Then and Now

During World War II, German forces established a line of radar stations along the English Channel coastline in 1940 to detect incoming attacks from the sea or air. The Central Interpretation Unit (CIU) at RAF Medmenham was established to analyze aerial photography of the Continent and prepare plans of enemy radar sites. These plans, along with wartime photography and comparison views of the sites today, are reproduced in this book. The operation to raid the radar site at Bruneval in 1942 achieved its aims, dismantling and removing critical parts of the unit and capturing the operators for interrogation. The CIU then built up a Target List with detailed descriptions of all 66 sites in Belgium and France that would have a bearing on the invasion area in Normandy, which was of inestimable value in assuring the success of Operation Overlord in June 1944.

Format: Hardback
Length: 192 pages
Publication date: 16 July 2021
Publisher: After the Battle

When German forces occupied the coastline of the English Channel in 1940, one of the measures undertaken to give early warning of attacks from the sea or air was to set up a line of radar stations. Although this invisible screen was a passive defense, it was a serious barrier that had to be neutralized for the Allied invasion to be launched in 1944. Planners at RAF Medmenham had established there the Central Interpretation Unit (CIU) to examine the results of aerial photography over the Continent and the unit prepared plans of every enemy radar site ready for briefing pilots undertaking preinvasion attacks. Those once-secret plans are now reproduced in this book, alongside the wartime photography, with comparison views of the sites today. Where farmland has now reclaimed the sites, little remains to be seen, but on others, there are still significant traces of a once-powerful weapon in the German arsenal. To set the scene, Professor R. V. Jones, the Assistant Director of Intelligence at the Air Ministry, recounts the events leading up to the proposal to mount a raid on the radar site at Bruneval. The site had what became known as a Wurzburg and the idea was to dismantle and remove the critical parts of the unit to bring them back to Britain and, hopefully, at the same time capture the operators for interrogation. The operation in February 1942 achieved all its aims, and over the following two years, the CIU built up a Target List with folders including detailed descriptions of all 66 sites in Belgium and France that would have a bearing on the invasion area in Normandy. Undoubtedly, the information – now reproduced in this book – was of inestimable value in assuring the success of Operation Overlord in June 1944.

When German forces occupied the coastline of the English Channel in 1940, one of the measures undertaken to give early warning of attacks from the sea or air was to set up a line of radar stations. Although this invisible screen was a passive defense, it was a serious barrier that had to be neutralized for the Allied invasion to be launched in 1944. Planners at RAF Medmenham had established there the Central Interpretation Unit (CIU) to examine the results of aerial photography over the Continent and the unit prepared plans of every enemy radar site ready for briefing pilots undertaking preinvasion attacks. Those once-secret plans are now reproduced in this book, alongside the wartime photography, with comparison views of the sites today. Where farmland has now reclaimed the sites, little remains to be seen, but on others, there are still significant traces of a once-powerful weapon in the German arsenal. To set the scene, Professor R. V. Jones, the Assistant Director of Intelligence at the Air Ministry, recounts the events leading up to the proposal to mount a raid on the radar site at Bruneval. The site had what became known as a Wurzburg and the idea was to dismantle and remove the critical parts of the unit to bring them back to Britain and, hopefully, at the same time capture the operators for interrogation. The operation in February 1942 achieved all its aims, and over the following two years, the CIU built up a Target List with folders including detailed descriptions of all 66 sites in Belgium and France that would have a bearing on the invasion area in Normandy. Undoubtedly, the information – now reproduced in this book – was of inestimable value in assuring the success of Operation Overlord in June 1944.

Weight: 1134g
Dimension: 221 x 305 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781870067041