On 24 September 1937, when RAF Bawdsey became the first fully operational Radar station in the world, many of the first generation of Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) radar personnel were trained at Bawdsey. However, the voices of the WAAFs are under-represented in the displays and interpretation at the museum.
Now, thanks to a successful bid to SHARE Museums East, more women’s voices and stories will be sought out to remedy this gap. Many of these stories are buried deep in the Trust’s collections of watch and service records, written/oral histories and photographs.
It is hoped that following research, these stories will be shared and will form the basis of a permanent addition to the exhibition displays at the Transmitter Block. In addition, they will provide outreach materials and be part of a pilot STEM event for younger audiences in partnership with the Suffolk STEM Ambassador programme. This will be a first for Bawdsey Radar.
But we need help! Do you have any photographs or documents tucked away that might help us? Do you have memories of the WAAFs working on the radar systems at Bawdsey or elsewhere? If so, please do contact us – these stories must not be lost!
Battle of Britain 2020
Next year is the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain which took place between July and October in 1940. We are planning to commemorate this important period of WW2 with a series of special days and family events that will ensure we remember and reflect on the significance of radar to the “Few”. 277