Warning pic heavy!
I set out this morning to see RAF Kete which was established early in the Second World War as a Chain Home Low (CHL) radar station for the tracking of low-flying aircraft, and for training radar technicians. It was later named HMS Harrier in 1948 and used as a Royal Navy Fighter Direction School and also a School of Meteorology. There were over 100 buildings and huts which provided classrooms, offices and living quarters for about 800 people. The base closed in 1960 and then became derelict, all of the buildings (apart from one) were demolished and the land cleared and then became owned by the national trust. I have read reports from people who were stationed at the base and they compared it to being at Butlin’s, mainly because the base was right next to the cliffs and the staff had their own beach, the surroundings are spectacular! The base was never used as an airfield and the surrounding land (St Anne’s head) has some very interesting history relating to its use during the war. link with old pics:http://www.cloudobservers.co.uk/19601/36831.html?*session*id*key*=*session*id*val*
I decided to go for a walk and see if i could find anything left of the base but there is basically nothing, so instead of returning home i decided to take a walk along the coastal path to see if there was anything else to see related to the Second World War. Here’s what i found:
The last remaining building of Raf kete:
I found what looked like a dumping ground near the cliff edge full of old glass bottles, electrical components and this Raf fork:
Small observation post:
And next to the observation post on the cliff i found this graffiti, i think it says “Austin Evans, ST.DA, 20/7/38.:
Next was another emplacement of some sort with an underground tunnel looking thing next to it? Unfortunately this wasn’t accessible and looks to be privately owned. I wonder where the tunnel goes?
Just round the next corner is this plaque:
Looking back to where i started:
West blockhouse coastal battery:
In the next field was this pillbox looking structure?
Next is the West blockhouse which has been renovated and is used as a holiday property, unfortunately it had people staying so i couldn’t get too close:
Just down from the blockhouse was this searchlight:
I decided to call it a day as i was now a couple of miles away from my car, i wasn’t looking forward to the long walk back so i decided to do a bit of cross country hedge hopping to get back quicker. And i was amazed to come across what i think is an Anti aircraft battery, its very overgrown and i can’t find any information about it anywhere, it’s in the middle of fields and it looks like the local farmer has used it as a dump for old farm machinery.Google earth- http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en...9306,-5.168976&spn=0.00149,0.005273&t=h&z=18:
Then just as i got back to my car i noticed this loophole wall:
Thanks for looking.
I set out this morning to see RAF Kete which was established early in the Second World War as a Chain Home Low (CHL) radar station for the tracking of low-flying aircraft, and for training radar technicians. It was later named HMS Harrier in 1948 and used as a Royal Navy Fighter Direction School and also a School of Meteorology. There were over 100 buildings and huts which provided classrooms, offices and living quarters for about 800 people. The base closed in 1960 and then became derelict, all of the buildings (apart from one) were demolished and the land cleared and then became owned by the national trust. I have read reports from people who were stationed at the base and they compared it to being at Butlin’s, mainly because the base was right next to the cliffs and the staff had their own beach, the surroundings are spectacular! The base was never used as an airfield and the surrounding land (St Anne’s head) has some very interesting history relating to its use during the war. link with old pics:http://www.cloudobservers.co.uk/19601/36831.html?*session*id*key*=*session*id*val*
I decided to go for a walk and see if i could find anything left of the base but there is basically nothing, so instead of returning home i decided to take a walk along the coastal path to see if there was anything else to see related to the Second World War. Here’s what i found:
The last remaining building of Raf kete:
I found what looked like a dumping ground near the cliff edge full of old glass bottles, electrical components and this Raf fork:
Small observation post:
And next to the observation post on the cliff i found this graffiti, i think it says “Austin Evans, ST.DA, 20/7/38.:
Next was another emplacement of some sort with an underground tunnel looking thing next to it? Unfortunately this wasn’t accessible and looks to be privately owned. I wonder where the tunnel goes?
Just round the next corner is this plaque:
Looking back to where i started:
West blockhouse coastal battery:
In the next field was this pillbox looking structure?
Next is the West blockhouse which has been renovated and is used as a holiday property, unfortunately it had people staying so i couldn’t get too close:
Just down from the blockhouse was this searchlight:
I decided to call it a day as i was now a couple of miles away from my car, i wasn’t looking forward to the long walk back so i decided to do a bit of cross country hedge hopping to get back quicker. And i was amazed to come across what i think is an Anti aircraft battery, its very overgrown and i can’t find any information about it anywhere, it’s in the middle of fields and it looks like the local farmer has used it as a dump for old farm machinery.Google earth- http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en...9306,-5.168976&spn=0.00149,0.005273&t=h&z=18:
Then just as i got back to my car i noticed this loophole wall:
Thanks for looking.
