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The announcement of the unveiling of the RAF Defford Memorial was made in the following Press Release:

RAF DEFFORD MEMORIAL

After suffering months of delays due to opposition to the original design DEFFORD looks set to finally get
a memorial for its Village Green.

The revised design replaces the original proposed and controversial stainless steel tall cross with a shorter granite plinth, although the base remains the same.

RAF DEFFORD REUNION ASSOCIATION has been working towards this goal for a number of years,
as it was long felt that the tragic loss of life suffered by the little known Telecommunications Flying Unit
(TFU) was 'hushed up' during the war due to the highly secret nature of the work carried out at DEFFORD.
Closely tied to the Telecommunications Research Establishment (TRE) based at Malvern, the TFU moved with
TRE from the South Coast during March 1942. With TRE at Worth Matravers, and TFU at Christchurch,
they were too vulnerable to enemy attack especially after the Bruneval Raid where the newly formed Commando
unit mounted a spectacularly successful raid on a German RADAR installation on the French coast
and secured the vital parts for investigation.

RADAR was the secret weapon where Britain led the World, and the whole operation was
so closely guarded that although by 1945, there were over 2000 personnel daily entering the airfield,
very few actually knew anything about the equipment they were working on.
'Boffins' would arrive, equipment would be installed, tests carried out, pilots requested to 'do this'
and 'do that', and afterwards the 'Boffins' would disappear with their results.

Inevitably there were accidents, and one involved a Wellington which crash landed in front of
Croome Court having failed shortly after take-off. With an aircraft full of fuel the crew made
a hasty retreat only to watch horrified as the 'Boffin' remained inside trying to retrieve
his equipment. He was dragged clear moments before the whole lot was engulfed in flames.

The worst accident in the history of the unit happened on 7 June 1942, and it was planned that
the memorial should be unveiled this year on that date to commemorate the 60th anniversary
of the loss of Halifax V9977 with all eleven on board. The aircraft crashed at Welsh Bicknor quite near
the famous beauty spot of YAT rock in the Forest of Dean.

Halifax V9977 in which Alan Blumlein was killed 7 June 1942

(photograph courtesy of Sir Bernard Lovell)

V9977 was virtually a new aircraft, one of the first of the four engined heavy bombers
entering service which allowed Britain to go on the offensive deep inside Germany with such devastating effect.
It was testing a revolutionary type of RADAR at the heart of which was a MAGNETRON valve,
so secret that at first aircraft were not allowed to fly over enemy territory for fear
that it could be recovered from a totally destroyed aircraft and its details revealed to the enemy.
Tragically, one of the Rolls Royce Merlin engines generally so revered and reliable,
caught fire and destroyed a wing just as the pilot was attempting
an emergency landing on the flat fields beside the beautiful River Wye.

One of those on board was a genius who would undoubtedly be a household name even today,
but for this dreadful tragedy. Sadly, he has been consigned to oblivion because of an accident
in the wrong place at the wrong time. Churchill himself was so appalled to receive the news,
that he described it as one of the greatest setbacks of the war effort occurring at a time when
Britain was in dire straights. He decreed that the news of the tragedy be suppressed,
thereby denying Blumlein the fame he would otherwise have achieved.

Fortunately, by 1942, TRE had enlisted the help of the Electrical Industry, and several companies were
involved in making production assemblies in order to cope wit the increasing demand for RADAR equipment.
Alan Blumlein worked for EMI and had led the team which resulted in the BBC choosing electronic
television is favour of the mechanical system pioneered by John Logie Baird. It could be said that almost
everyone has heard of Baird, whereas no-one has heard of Blumlein and yet EMI with a team led by him
developed television in an incredibly short time and it has remained virtually unchanged until today.
Blumlein also invented stereo twenty years before anyone else had heard of it.

The flight on which he lost his life was made to study the comparison between two different systems
installed in sister Halifax aircraft. The trials using the MAGNETRON were much superior to those
in the other Halifax based on the Klystron valve. Again, fortunately despite the huge setback
Bernard Lovell (later Sir Bernard Lovel of Jodrel Bank fame) was able to take this RADAR forward and
H2S RADAR went on to turn the fortunes in favour of the allies. It allowed Bomber Command to locate its targets
as far away as Berlin with devastating accuracy whatever the weather conditions. As ASV it also allowed
Coastal Command and the Royal Navy to locate and destroy U-boats thus releasing Britain from the
stranglehold which these submarines held the nation and thus win the Battle of the Atlantic.

It is to permanently mark the importance and debt the nation owes to such brilliant men that this
memorial is being built. Sixty years after the event the details of how significant and vital RADAR
was to the nation is still not widely recognised.

Hopefully when the memorial is unveiled it will go some small way to record the momentous achievements
which took place in this remote corner of rural Worcestershire.

Alan Blumlein together with his colleagues were civilians and again this memorial records the fact
that so many different people were involved in this highly secret location. All played a part be they RAF aircrew,
ground crew, WAAFS, WRENS, Royal Navy, Government Scientists or whoever.

Sadly, due to circumstances beyond our control the unveiling has had to be postponed until the
Annual Reunion on 10 September 2002 at 12 noon when it is hoped that Sir Bernard Lovell will do the honours
to record the sacrifice paid by his former colleagues during those dark days.

In order to raise funds for the memorial, and exhibition will again be held at the National Trust
Croome Landscape Park, on 28 July 2002, where the model of the airfield will again be on display
as will the model of the memorial itself.

Thanks are due to Wychavon District Council for a grant of £500 towards the project, Defford and
Besford Parish Council for agreeing the site on the Village Green, Craven Associates for donating the large slabs
which will form the base and all those who have made individual donations. Details of the RAF Defford
Reunion Association can be obtained from Albert Shorrock at 68 Charles Road, Halesowen, B63 4DD
or Graham Evans at 01684 295327.

Very few people will know that at the heart of every humble microwave oven sitting on millions of
kitchen tops throughout the world lies a MAGNETRON valve.
Food for thought (if you will pardon the pun).

 

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