RAF 'Y' Stations etc. Discussion Thread

Welcome to AiX stan.

Useful information in your post and links.

Many thanks STAN
regards TED

I know that this thread is very old, but maybe someone is monitoring it and may get some useful info from this.

1 - Carnaby said that he could not find a location for "Fairness" HDU. There is a location marked as Fairness just east of Comrie in Scotland - NN 7894 2127.

2 - The Fortress Study Group have located 5 RF sites around Goonhaven in Cornwall.

A few pages from a book at RAF Chicksands

Stan wrote:

"Y" stations were an abbrevation for WW2 "Wireless Intercept" stations

canberra;69518 wrote:

Id wondered why(sorry!) they were called Y stations, now I know.

Just been reading 'Secret Wireless War' which mentions that the 'Wireless Intercept' stations became known as 'WI' stations which was simplified to 'Y' stations.

Underground tanks The story behind the guys working in metal tanks underground is interesting. One group of interceptors was The Radio Security Service who worked for MI6 and listened for German Secret Service transmissions to their spies in other countries. They had a number of D.F. stations and some involved the operators working in underground tanks. This was the result of a mistake! Int 1941 they decided to build 7 new DF station of a new type called Spaced Loop. Unfortunately the new type proved unsuiatable and was abandoned in 1942, but not before the tanks had been installed. In the end they still used the tanks but with the earlier Adcock DF system.

I only know of one remaining tank in a field at Marsh Farm, Stockland Bristol near Bridgwater. All you can see is a rusty metal beam above ground level. I was very interested in the story that one tank was dug up by a farmer thinking it was a car! There is a photo of one dug up near Halkirk near Thurso in Scotland. More information at www.secretlisteners.org recently upgraded with a lot of new information.

Stan

TEAN Y STATION. Carnaby asked about TEAN at the start of this thread and I have just found a reference to it in a list I obtained from National Archives.

It is listed as Oakhill (TEAN) and described as a Main Intercept station with a note in pencil "Standby for Cheadle"

Rather a late reply but hope it helps.

Stan

Thanks Stan - bizzarely I too traced it a couple of weeks ago - probably from the same document you were looking at. Had intended to update the archive, but a fair bit of work is required if I do it all in one go - which makes sense.

On my recent visit I noticed that their big display board listing the 'Y' stations, together with the map, had disappeared. They didn't seem to know the reason. Perhaps they are updating too - there were a number of obvious (with hindsight!) errors on it. E.g. 'Fairness' should read 'Fayreness' (near Broadstairs).

Carnaby
Where was the map? National Archives?

I have just looked up Fayreness and the address was :- Fayreness Hotel,Kingsgate, Nr Broadstairs. the lat long was 51deg 5 1/4 min North, 1deg 24 min East. not very accurate bit it will give a general area. The hotel was probably where the crew were billeted.

I,m sitting with my feet up after an accidental fall so plenty of time on my hands to check things out! There was a complete aerial survey of UK by the RAF in 1946 48 and most county archives have their own set.... Very useful for spotting Y stations. Have you tried that?

Stan

Stan wrote:

Where was the map? National Archives?

No - Bletchley - this is it before its removal

Unfortunately there are no numbers on the coloured pins to refer to the site names.
I'll send you a pm shortly Stan.