Contributor: R R

Butts Ash Searchlight Site

WWII searchlights formed part of a system of aircraft detection linking locator devices, searchlights, and antiaircraft (AA) guns. The locators sent electronic information to the lights and guns, which in turn tracked the target. Once a locator had "locked on" to an enemy aerial target, the concept was for both lights and guns to be trained on the target so it could be nearly simultaneously illuminated and then destroyed. For this to system to work successfully it required a whole network of searchlights and AA batteries across the country. The New Forest was well covered by searchlights and AA batteries, due to the open ground available and the proximity to large urban areas that were on the front line of the conflict for many years between the fall of France and the build-up to D-Day. Even after D-Day both played an important role in defending against V1 flying rockets.

Many of these sites can still be seen as echoes in the New Forest landscape, but just as many have been removed and leave no trace. Work in the war diaries has led us to be able to accurately map their locations and density across the New Forest.
War diaries will often record little more than codes, locations, daily activity, movements and interactions with other units whilst others can be much more descriptive, with daily reports on operations, intelligence summaries and other material. The diaries do not usually contain information about particular people: they are unit diaries, not personal diaries. Many maps and plans were included in the original diaries but some confidential material was removed before the files were made available. This accounts for the absence of some appendices referred to in many of the diaries. You can explore the war diaries through the National Archives.

The War Diary references for this site follow below:

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/3066 – War Diary of 48 S/L Bn, R.E., 1939-41.
Date: 15/2/1940
Site: Butts Ash <526/32>
Unit: 394 Coy, 48 S/L Bn, R.E. (new deployment following relief of 342 Coy by 454 Coy)

Ref. TNA:PRO WO 166/3066 – War Diary of 48 S/L Bn, R.E., 1939-41.
Date: 28/4/1940
Site: 526/32
Military grid ref.: U903225
Generator: Thornycroft
Projector: Mk.VI 90cm
Sound Locator: MK.III
Unit: 455 Coy, 48 S/L Bn, R.E. (takes over from 394 Coy on this date)

Ref. TNA:PRO WO 166/3066 – War Diary of 48 S/L Bn, R.E., 1939-41.
Date: 12/5/1940
Unit: 394 Coy, 48 S/L Bn, R.E., returns from practice camp and relieves 455 Coy.

Ref. TNA:PRO WO 166/3066 – War Diary of 48 S/L Bn, R.E., 1939-41.
Date: 25/5/1940
Site: Butts Ash, 526 Area
Military grid ref.: U853253
Unit: 394 Coy, 48 S/L Bn, R.E.

Ref. TNA:PRO WO 166/2267 – War Diary of 35 AA Bde, 1939-40.
Date: 31/5/1940
Site: Butts Ash, 526/46
Military grid ref.: U853253

Ref. TNA:PRO WO 166/2267 – War Diary of 35 AA Bde, 1939-40.
Date: 25/6/1940
Site: Butts Ash, 526/46
Military grid ref.: U853253

Ref. TNA:PRO WO 166/2267 – War Diary of 35 AA Bde, 1939-40.
Date: 1/8/1940
Site: Butts Ash, 526/46
Military grid ref.: U853253

Ref. TNA:PRO WO 166/2267 – War Diary of 35 AA Bde, 1939-40.
Date: 29/9/1940 (same situation on 31/10/1940)
Site: Butts Ash, 526/46
Military grid ref.: U853253

Ref. TNA:PRO WO 166/2267 – War Diary of 35 AA Bde, 1939-40.
Date: 17/12/1940
Site: Butts Ash, TG01/46
Military grid ref.: U853253

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/2290 – War Diary of 47 AA Bde, 1941.
Date: 13/9/1941
Site: Butts Ash, TG01/5
Military grid ref.: U854254
Unit: 392 Btty, 48 S/L Regt, R.A.

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/2290 – War Diary of 47 AA Bde, 1941.
Date: 1/10/1941
Site: Butts Ash, TG01/43
Military grid ref.: U854254

equipped as a homing site

Search Light location shown on map plotting and confirmed by Military grid ref.

Copythorne Searchlight Site

WWII searchlights formed part of a system of aircraft detection linking locator devices, searchlights, and antiaircraft (AA) guns. The locators sent electronic information to the lights and guns, which in turn tracked the target. Once a locator had "locked on" to an enemy aerial target, the concept was for both lights and guns to be trained on the target so it could be nearly simultaneously illuminated and then destroyed. For this to system to work successfully it required a whole network of searchlights and AA batteries across the country. The New Forest was well covered by searchlights and AA batteries, due to the open ground available and the proximity to large urban areas that were on the front line of the conflict for many years between the fall of France and the build-up to D-Day. Even after D-Day both played an important role in defending against V1 flying rockets.

Many of these sites can still be seen as echoes in the New Forest landscape, but just as many have been removed and leave no trace. Work in the war diaries has led us to be able to accurately map their locations and density across the New Forest.
War diaries will often record little more than codes, locations, daily activity, movements and interactions with other units whilst others can be much more descriptive, with daily reports on operations, intelligence summaries and other material. The diaries do not usually contain information about particular people: they are unit diaries, not personal diaries. Many maps and plans were included in the original diaries but some confidential material was removed before the files were made available. This accounts for the absence of some appendices referred to in many of the diaries. You can explore the war diaries through the National Archives.

The War Diary references for this site follow below:

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/3066 – War Diary of 48 S/L Bn, R.E., 1939-41.
Date: 25/5/1940
Site: Copythorne, 524 Area
Military grid ref.: U755357
Unit: 393 Coy, 48 S/L Bn, R.E.

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/2262 – War Diary of 35 AA Bde, 1939-40.
Date: 31/5/1940
Site: Copythorne, 524/41
Military grid ref.: U755357

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/2262 – War Diary of 35 AA Bde, 1939-40.
Date: 25/6/1940
Site: Copythorne, 524/41
Military grid ref.: U755357

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/2262 – War Diary of 35 AA Bde, 1939-40.
Date: 1/8/1940
Site: Copythorne, 524/41
Military grid ref.: U755357

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/2262 – War Diary of 35 AA Bde, 1939-40.
Date: 29/9/1940 (same situation on 31/10/1940)
Site: Copythorne, 524/41
Military grid ref.: U755357

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/2262 – War Diary of 35 AA Bde, 1939-40.
Date: 17/12/1940
Site: Copythorne, TG06/41
Military grid ref.: U755357

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/3066 – War Diary of 48 S/L Bn, R.E., 1939-41.
Date: 22/10/1941
Site: Copythorne, TG01/16
Military grid ref.: U756355
Generator: Caterpillar
Projector: 150cm
Sound Locator: Mk.VIII
Unit: 438 Btty attached to 48 S/L Bn, R.A., under command of 392 Btty, to relieve 'A' Tp, 392 Btty, who are away for training.

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/3066 – War Diary of 48 S/L Bn, R.E., 1939-41.
Date: 19/11/1941
Unit: Tp of 392 Btty, 48 S/L Regt, R.A., return from Regimental Training School and relieve 438 Btty.

Search Light Location estimated from military grid ref.  Could relate to either or both the mapped sites.

Criddlestyle Searchlight Site

WWII searchlights formed part of a system of aircraft detection linking locator devices, searchlights, and antiaircraft (AA) guns. The locators sent electronic information to the lights and guns, which in turn tracked the target. Once a locator had "locked on" to an enemy aerial target, the concept was for both lights and guns to be trained on the target so it could be nearly simultaneously illuminated and then destroyed. For this to system to work successfully it required a whole network of searchlights and AA batteries across the country. The New Forest was well covered by searchlights and AA batteries, due to the open ground available and the proximity to large urban areas that were on the front line of the conflict for many years between the fall of France and the build-up to D-Day. Even after D-Day both played an important role in defending against V1 flying rockets.

Many of these sites can still be seen as echoes in the New Forest landscape, but just as many have been removed and leave no trace. Work in the war diaries has led us to be able to accurately map their locations and density across the New Forest.
War diaries will often record little more than codes, locations, daily activity, movements and interactions with other units whilst others can be much more descriptive, with daily reports on operations, intelligence summaries and other material. The diaries do not usually contain information about particular people: they are unit diaries, not personal diaries. Many maps and plans were included in the original diaries but some confidential material was removed before the files were made available. This accounts for the absence of some appendices referred to in many of the diaries. You can explore the war diaries through the National Archives.

The War Diary references for this site follow below:

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/2318 – War Diary of 64 AA Bde, July-Dec 1941.
Date: 18 & 28 Nov 1941
Site: MPB/12 (previously MP08/8C)
Miltary grid ref.: U594344

Search Light Location estimated from Military grid ref.

Culverley Searchlight Site

WWII searchlights formed part of a system of aircraft detection linking locator devices, searchlights, and antiaircraft (AA) guns. The locators sent electronic information to the lights and guns, which in turn tracked the target. Once a locator had "locked on" to an enemy aerial target, the concept was for both lights and guns to be trained on the target so it could be nearly simultaneously illuminated and then destroyed. For this to system to work successfully it required a whole network of searchlights and AA batteries across the country. The New Forest was well covered by searchlights and AA batteries, due to the open ground available and the proximity to large urban areas that were on the front line of the conflict for many years between the fall of France and the build-up to D-Day. Even after D-Day both played an important role in defending against V1 flying rockets.

Many of these sites can still be seen as echoes in the New Forest landscape, but just as many have been removed and leave no trace. Work in the war diaries has led us to be able to accurately map their locations and density across the New Forest.
War diaries will often record little more than codes, locations, daily activity, movements and interactions with other units whilst others can be much more descriptive, with daily reports on operations, intelligence summaries and other material. The diaries do not usually contain information about particular people: they are unit diaries, not personal diaries. Many maps and plans were included in the original diaries but some confidential material was removed before the files were made available. This accounts for the absence of some appendices referred to in many of the diaries. You can explore the war diaries through the National Archives.

The War Diary references for this site follow below:

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/3066 – War Diary of 48 S/L Bn, R.E., 1939-41.
Date:28/4/1940
Site: 526/24
Military grid ref.: U799255
Generator: Thornycroft
Projector: Mk.I 120cm
Sound Locator: Mk.III
Unit: 455 Coy, 48 S/L Bn, R.E. (takes over from 394 Coy on this date)

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/3066 – War Diary of 48 S/L Bn, R.E., 1939-41.
Date: 12/5/1940
Unit: 394 Coy, 48 S/L Bn, R.E., returns from practice camp and relieves 455 Coy.

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/3066 – War Diary of 48 S/L Bn, R.E., 1939-41.
Date: 25/5/1940
Site: Culverley, 526 Area
Military grid ref.: U799255
Unit: 394 Coy, 48 S/L Bn, R.E.

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/2267 – War Diary of 35 AA Bde, 1939-40.
Date: 31/5/1940
Site: Culverley, 526/14
Military grid ref.: U799255

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/2267 – War Diary of 35 AA Bde, 1939-40.
Date: 25/6/1940
Site: Culverley, 526/14
Military grid ref.: U799255

Location estimated from military grid ref.  Some of the 'bomb craters' herabouts are probably Search Light & Lewis Gun emplacements.

Dilton Searchlight Site

WWII searchlights formed part of a system of aircraft detection linking locator devices, searchlights, and antiaircraft (AA) guns. The locators sent electronic information to the lights and guns, which in turn tracked the target. Once a locator had "locked on" to an enemy aerial target, the concept was for both lights and guns to be trained on the target so it could be nearly simultaneously illuminated and then destroyed. For this to system to work successfully it required a whole network of searchlights and AA batteries across the country. The New Forest was well covered by searchlights and AA batteries, due to the open ground available and the proximity to large urban areas that were on the front line of the conflict for many years between the fall of France and the build-up to D-Day. Even after D-Day both played an important role in defending against V1 flying rockets.

Many of these sites can still be seen as echoes in the New Forest landscape, but just as many have been removed and leave no trace. Work in the war diaries has led us to be able to accurately map their locations and density across the New Forest.
War diaries will often record little more than codes, locations, daily activity, movements and interactions with other units whilst others can be much more descriptive, with daily reports on operations, intelligence summaries and other material. The diaries do not usually contain information about particular people: they are unit diaries, not personal diaries. Many maps and plans were included in the original diaries but some confidential material was removed before the files were made available. This accounts for the absence of some appendices referred to in many of the diaries. You can explore the war diaries through the National Archives.

The War Diary references for this site follow below:

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/3066 – War Diary of 48 S/L Bn, R.E., 1939-41.
Date: 15/2/1940
Site: Dilton <526/42>
Unit: 394 Coy, 48 S/L Bn, R.E. (new deployment following relief of 342 Coy by 454 Coy)

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/3066 – War Diary of 48 S/L Bn, R.E., 1939-41.
Date: 28/4/1940
Site: 526/42
Military grid ref.: U784199
Generator: Guy
Projector: Mk.V 90cm
Sound Locator: Mk.IX
Unit: 455 Coy, 48 S/L Bn, R.E. (takes over from 394 Coy on this date)

equipped with W/T

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/3066 – War Diary of 48 S/L Bn, R.E., 1939-41.
Date: 12/5/1940
Unit: 394 Coy, 48 S/L Bn, R.E., returns from practice camp and relieves 455 Coy.

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/3066 – War Diary of 48 S/L Bn, R.E., 1939-41.
Date: 25/5/1940
Site: Dilton, 526 Area
Military grid ref.: U780199
Unit: 394 Coy, 48 S/L Bn, R.E.

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/2267 – War Diary of 35 AA Bde, 1939-40.
Date: 31/5/1940
Site: Dilton, 526/36
Military grid ref.: U780199

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/2267 – War Diary of 35 AA Bde, 1939-40.
Date: 25/6/1940
Site: Dilton, 526/36
Military grid ref.: U780199

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/2267 – War Diary of 35 AA Bde, 1939-40.
Date: 1/8/1940
Site: Dilton, 526/36
Military grid ref.: U780199

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/2267 – War Diary of 35 AA Bde, 1939-40.
Date: 29/9/1940 (same situation on 31/10/1940)
Site: Dilton, 526/36
Military grid ref.: U780199

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/2267 – War Diary of 35 AA Bde, 1939-40.
Date: 17/12/1940
Site: Dilton, TG01/36
Military grid ref.: U780199

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/2290 – War Diary of 47 AA Bde, 1941.
Date: 13/9/1941
Site: Dilton Gardens, TG01/2
Military grid ref.: U785195
Unit: 392 Btty, 48 S/L Regt, R.A.

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/2290 – War Diary of 47 AA Bde, 1941.
Date: 1/10/1941
Site: Dilton, TG01/41
Military grid ref.: U785195

search light equipped as a homing site

Location estimated from military grid ref. (28/4/1940).  To the SW in the clump of trees is what is later recorded as an Army  Strong Point while the site grid ref moves a little to the NE.  It may be that the site accomodation started off in the trees while the light itself was to the NE, with the grid ref given being the mid point between the two.  With the construction of Beaulieu airfield a new site opens at Crockford Clump.

Down Farm Searchlight Site

WWII searchlights formed part of a system of aircraft detection linking locator devices, searchlights, and antiaircraft (AA) guns. The locators sent electronic information to the lights and guns, which in turn tracked the target. Once a locator had "locked on" to an enemy aerial target, the concept was for both lights and guns to be trained on the target so it could be nearly simultaneously illuminated and then destroyed. For this to system to work successfully it required a whole network of searchlights and AA batteries across the country. The New Forest was well covered by searchlights and AA batteries, due to the open ground available and the proximity to large urban areas that were on the front line of the conflict for many years between the fall of France and the build-up to D-Day. Even after D-Day both played an important role in defending against V1 flying rockets.

Many of these sites can still be seen as echoes in the New Forest landscape, but just as many have been removed and leave no trace. Work in the war diaries has led us to be able to accurately map their locations and density across the New Forest.
War diaries will often record little more than codes, locations, daily activity, movements and interactions with other units whilst others can be much more descriptive, with daily reports on operations, intelligence summaries and other material. The diaries do not usually contain information about particular people: they are unit diaries, not personal diaries. Many maps and plans were included in the original diaries but some confidential material was removed before the files were made available. This accounts for the absence of some appendices referred to in many of the diaries. You can explore the war diaries through the National Archives.

The War Diary references for this site follow below:

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/2318 – War Diary of 64 AA Bde, July-Dec 1941.
Date: 18 & 28 Nov 1941
Site: MPB/5 (previously MP08/7A)
Miltary grid ref.: U578398

Search Light location estimated from Military grid ref.

Fawley Searchlight Site

WWII searchlights formed part of a system of aircraft detection linking locator devices, searchlights, and antiaircraft (AA) guns. The locators sent electronic information to the lights and guns, which in turn tracked the target. Once a locator had "locked on" to an enemy aerial target, the concept was for both lights and guns to be trained on the target so it could be nearly simultaneously illuminated and then destroyed. For this to system to work successfully it required a whole network of searchlights and AA batteries across the country. The New Forest was well covered by searchlights and AA batteries, due to the open ground available and the proximity to large urban areas that were on the front line of the conflict for many years between the fall of France and the build-up to D-Day. Even after D-Day both played an important role in defending against V1 flying rockets.

Many of these sites can still be seen as echoes in the New Forest landscape, but just as many have been removed and leave no trace. Work in the war diaries has led us to be able to accurately map their locations and density across the New Forest.
War diaries will often record little more than codes, locations, daily activity, movements and interactions with other units whilst others can be much more descriptive, with daily reports on operations, intelligence summaries and other material. The diaries do not usually contain information about particular people: they are unit diaries, not personal diaries. Many maps and plans were included in the original diaries but some confidential material was removed before the files were made available. This accounts for the absence of some appendices referred to in many of the diaries. You can explore the war diaries through the National Archives.

The War Diary references for this site follow below:

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/3066 – War Diary of 48 S/L Bn, R.E., 1939-41.
Date: 15/2/1940
Site: Fawley <526/33>
Unit: 394 Coy, 48 S/L Bn, R.E. (new deployment following relief of 342 Coy by 454 Coy)

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/3066 – War Diary of 48 S/L Bn, R.E., 1939-41.
Date: 28/4/1940
Site: 526/33
Military grid ref.: U 886233
Generator: Thornycroft
Projector: Mk.VI 90cm
Sound Locator: Mk.III
Unit: 455Coy, 48 S/L Bn, R.E. (takes over from 394 Coy on this date)

equipped with W/T

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/3066 – War Diary of 48 S/L Bn, R.E., 1939-41.
Date: 12/5/1940
Unit: 394 Coy, 48 S/L Bn, R.E., returns from practice camp and relieves 455 Coy.

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/3066 – War Diary of 48 S/L Bn, R.E., 1939-41.
Date: 25/5/1940
Site: Fawley, 526 Area
Military grid ref.: U887233
Unit: 394 Coy, 48 S/L Bn, R.E.

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/2267 – War Diary of 35 AA Bde, 1939-40.
Date: 31/5/1940
Site: Fawley, 526/41
Military grid ref.: U887233

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/2267 – War Diary of 35 AA Bde, 1939-40.
Date: 25/6/1940
Site: Fawley, 526/41
Military grid ref.: U887233

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/2267 – War Diary of 35 AA Bde, 1939-40.
Date: 1/8/1940
Site: Fawley, 526/41
Military grid ref.: U887233

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/2267 – War Diary of 35 AA Bde, 1939-40.
Date: 29/9/1940 (same situation on 31/10/1940)
Site: Fawley, 526/41
Military grid ref.: U887233

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/2267 – War Diary of 35 AA Bde, 1939-40.
Date: 17/12/1940
Site: Fawley, TG01/41
Military grid ref.: U887233

search light Location estimated from Military grid ref.

Fritham Searchlight Site

WWII searchlights formed part of a system of aircraft detection linking locator devices, searchlights, and antiaircraft (AA) guns. The locators sent electronic information to the lights and guns, which in turn tracked the target. Once a locator had "locked on" to an enemy aerial target, the concept was for both lights and guns to be trained on the target so it could be nearly simultaneously illuminated and then destroyed. For this to system to work successfully it required a whole network of searchlights and AA batteries across the country. The New Forest was well covered by searchlights and AA batteries, due to the open ground available and the proximity to large urban areas that were on the front line of the conflict for many years between the fall of France and the build-up to D-Day. Even after D-Day both played an important role in defending against V1 flying rockets.

Many of these sites can still be seen as echoes in the New Forest landscape, but just as many have been removed and leave no trace. Work in the war diaries has led us to be able to accurately map their locations and density across the New Forest.
War diaries will often record little more than codes, locations, daily activity, movements and interactions with other units whilst others can be much more descriptive, with daily reports on operations, intelligence summaries and other material. The diaries do not usually contain information about particular people: they are unit diaries, not personal diaries. Many maps and plans were included in the original diaries but some confidential material was removed before the files were made available. This accounts for the absence of some appendices referred to in many of the diaries. You can explore the war diaries through the National Archives.

The War Diary references for this site follow below:

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/2318 – War Diary of 64 AA Bde, July-Dec 1941.
Date: 18 & 28 Nov 1941
Site: MPB/13 (previously MP08/8D)
Miltary grid ref.: U666352

Search Light location estimated from Military grid ref.

Hamptworth Searchlight Site

WWII searchlights formed part of a system of aircraft detection linking locator devices, searchlights, and antiaircraft (AA) guns. The locators sent electronic information to the lights and guns, which in turn tracked the target. Once a locator had "locked on" to an enemy aerial target, the concept was for both lights and guns to be trained on the target so it could be nearly simultaneously illuminated and then destroyed. For this to system to work successfully it required a whole network of searchlights and AA batteries across the country. The New Forest was well covered by searchlights and AA batteries, due to the open ground available and the proximity to large urban areas that were on the front line of the conflict for many years between the fall of France and the build-up to D-Day. Even after D-Day both played an important role in defending against V1 flying rockets.

Many of these sites can still be seen as echoes in the New Forest landscape, but just as many have been removed and leave no trace. Work in the war diaries has led us to be able to accurately map their locations and density across the New Forest.
War diaries will often record little more than codes, locations, daily activity, movements and interactions with other units whilst others can be much more descriptive, with daily reports on operations, intelligence summaries and other material. The diaries do not usually contain information about particular people: they are unit diaries, not personal diaries. Many maps and plans were included in the original diaries but some confidential material was removed before the files were made available. This accounts for the absence of some appendices referred to in many of the diaries. You can explore the war diaries through the National Archives.

The War Diary references for this site follow below:

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/2318 – War Diary of 64 AA Bde, July-Dec 1941.
Date: 18 & 28 Nov 1941
Site: MPB/7 (previously MP08/7C)
Miltary grid ref.: U677403

Search light location estimated from Military grid ref.

Holdenhurst Searchlight Site

WWII searchlights formed part of a system of aircraft detection linking locator devices, searchlights, and antiaircraft (AA) guns. The locators sent electronic information to the lights and guns, which in turn tracked the target. Once a locator had "locked on" to an enemy aerial target, the concept was for both lights and guns to be trained on the target so it could be nearly simultaneously illuminated and then destroyed. For this to system to work successfully it required a whole network of searchlights and AA batteries across the country. The New Forest was well covered by searchlights and AA batteries, due to the open ground available and the proximity to large urban areas that were on the front line of the conflict for many years between the fall of France and the build-up to D-Day. Even after D-Day both played an important role in defending against V1 flying rockets.

Many of these sites can still be seen as echoes in the New Forest landscape, but just as many have been removed and leave no trace. Work in the war diaries has led us to be able to accurately map their locations and density across the New Forest.
War diaries will often record little more than codes, locations, daily activity, movements and interactions with other units whilst others can be much more descriptive, with daily reports on operations, intelligence summaries and other material. The diaries do not usually contain information about particular people: they are unit diaries, not personal diaries. Many maps and plans were included in the original diaries but some confidential material was removed before the files were made available. This accounts for the absence of some appendices referred to in many of the diaries. You can explore the war diaries through the National Archives.

The War Diary references for this site follow below:

Ref.: TNA:PRO WO 166/2318 – War Diary of 64 AA Bde, July-Dec 1941.
Date: 18 & 28 Nov 1941
Site: MPB/23 (previously MP03/5)
Miltary grid ref.: U553154

Search Light location estimated from Military grid ref.