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Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Record Details

NHER Number:	52901
Type of record:	Monument
Name:	Site of World War Two Radio Security Service Direction Finding Station

Summary

The site of a wireless station which was part of the Radio Security Service during World War Two is listed in documentary records and is visible on RAF 1946 vertical aerial photographs. Wymondham station was set up in 1941 and was equipped with both interception and direction-finding facilities. Two stations were set up at Wymondham, one ‘short-wave’ or ‘High Frequency’ (HF), the other ‘medium-long wave’ or ‘Medium Frequency’ (MF); these appear to correspond to the two structures visible on the aerial photographs.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:	TG 1156 0299
Map Sheet:	TG10SW
Parish:	WYMONDHAM, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

Wymondham Wireless Station was part of the Radio Security Service (RSS) run during World War Two by MI6. Wymondham station was set up in 1941 and was equipped with both interception and direction-finding (D/F) facilities. Two D/F stations were installed, one short wave or high frequency and the other medium and long wave or medium frequency. The high frequency station was equipped with a metal tank in which the operator worked. This site was one of a network of nine D/F stations operated by the Radio Security Service during World War Two. The aim of the RSS was to intercept radio signals produced by German spies and the German intelligence service, the Abwehr.
The remains of this station are visible on RAF vertical aerial photographs (S1).
Information from [1].
See (S2) in file for further information.
A. Cattermole (NLA), 7 July 2009.

September-October 2010. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of northern field (Field 1).
A strong dipolar anomaly identified at TG 1146 0301 can now be seem to correspond with the northernmost of two structures associated with this wireless station that are visible on 1940s aerial photographs (see below).
See report (S7) and NHER 55897 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 10 February 2021.

June 2011. Norfolk NMP.
The World War Two wireless station described above is visible as extant structures (since removed) on aerial photographs (S1) and (S3)-(S6). That to the southeast – a small circular or polygonal structure on what was probably a concrete base, centred at TG 1167 0289 – is probably the High Frequency Direction Finding (HF/DF) station. It is similar in appearance to the structures recorded at another HF/DF site at Hemsby (NHER 27341). The structure to the northwest, centred at TG 1146 0301, is probably the Medium Frequency Direction Finding (MF/DF) station. Little detail of the central structure can be made out, but the inner of the two concentric circles in the vegetation that surrounds it measures approximately 30m in diameter, corresponding with the 30-40m radial earth wire surrounding such sites (see Ames 2009 (S2)). The purpose of the outer circle, which measures approximately 150m in diameter, is not clear.
S. Tremlett (NMP), 16 June 2011.

Monument Types

RADAR BEACON (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
RADAR STATION (World War Two - 1941 AD to 1945 AD)
RADIO STATION (World War Two - 1941 AD to 1945 AD)
RADIO TELEGRAPHY STATION (World War Two - 1941 AD to 1945 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---	Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>	Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1634 2129-30 09-MAR-1946 (NHER TG 1103C, TG 1103E).
<S2>	Unpublished Document: Ames, S.. 2009. Wymondham RSS Wireless Station.
<S3>	Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 3G/TUD/UK/52 5298-9 31-JAN-1946 (NMR).
<S4>	Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 3G/TUD/UK/70 5325-6 28-FEB-1946 (NMR).
<S5>	Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1429 4131-2 16-APR-1946 (NMR).
<S6>	Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1606 1086-7 27-JUN-1946 (NMR).
<S7>	Unpublished Contractor Report: Walford, J. and Fisher, I. 2010. Archaeological Geophysical Survey on Land to the East of Wymondham, Norfolk. Northamptonshire Archaeology. 10/184.