TONDU - South Wales - Observation Bunker

Amazing what is on ones doorstep! Thanks for the pics and info,

Gasman;112715 wrote:

Thanks for filling out a family history. My father worked at Tondu during the war, though never mentioned details. Strange family story now makes sense - he drove a lorry of 'explosives' to a testing area, only to be told that it was lucky he hadn't hit any bumps because they were all armed. Also explains his unusual knowledge of soild fuel rocketry - controlled combustion.

Thanks Gasman and welcome to AiX. I should take the 'all armed' story with a pinch of salt. I suspect that there was testing of munitions other than Incendiary Bombs but it was a small area all 'drops' and firings would have been under tight control.

Hi,
As a new member of the group I was fascinated to read the info on the PRD (Pyrotechnic Research Department) at Tondu House. My father, Dr Stephen Harvey, worked there as a bomb designer from 1942-45. My mother also worked in the Dispensary at the ROF Bridgend (Brackla). Both were chemists in different ways. As a small boy, growing up in Leicester, I learnt a great deal of that top secret work in Tondu, but had never seen photographs of the trial range buildings until now. My father lodged at 1 Pandy Road, Aberkenfig, and George Browning became my Godfather. I have, in my possession, a Ministry of Supply sign from Tondu House, although demolition has removed the quaint old building itself. One peculiarity of the time was that in order to qualify for free First Class Travel on the GWR (when going up to Woolwich) my father had to carry a small pouch containing gunpowder with him on the train! So much for H & S. I should welcome any more info on this operation, including perhaps more information of the tracer trials and mock-up Japanese houses in the woodlands at Tondu!

Thanks for the information pumlumon and welcome to AiX. I am constantly surprised at how new details are added to old subjects thanks to the Internet. I especially like the personal connection.

If your father had to carry black powder to Woolwich to qualify for a first class ticket, I wonder what he had to carry back!

if it wasn't for this website and those on it that site would probably go unnoticed and unrecorded
and its also on my door step , fascinating cheers

I came across PRD Tondu when researching ROF Bridgend and any possible link to the SOE sites at ROF Elstow and Aston House but it proved to be a dead end for my line or research however the below info maybe of help in relation to understanding the site (especially if anyone local is able to conduct a field survey of whats left) with local interest.

This is an OS overlay of the site its the first post WW2 map and shows the WW2 development.


Using both pre and post WW2 OS mapping I worked out as best I could the relationships between possible pre and post PRD encampment on the site...
architectural sites pre WW2 are designated red
architectural sites post WW2 are designated blue
sites designated yellow are possible non building but related anomalies of indeterminable date


...forgot to add the purple is modern

Hi, I'm a new member to this group. The thread on Tondu House caught my eye. I was reared on stories of the Pyrotechnic Research Department of the Ministry of Supply because my father was a research chemist who worked there from 1943-46. In fact I have a blue p[ainted notice for the establishment in my collection.
My father (Stephen Henry Harvey) was a bomb designer involved in the trialling of incendiary devices and tracer rounds. He stayed at 1 Pandy Road, Aberkenfig, and George Browning became my Godfather, when I was born in Leicester in 1949. My father was a lecturer in the Department of Chemistry till he retired.
Another old Tondu scientist was Johnny Wilson, who later ran a nursery in Blairgowrie, Scotland. We visited once in the 1950's.
One strange fact about my father was that in order to qualify for a free first class rail pass to HQ in Woolwich, he had to carry a small pouch of gunpowder on the GWR! So much for Health & Safety! Hope this jogs some memories.

Post 17 is a duplicate of Post b13.

Thanks for the extra details and evidence Jenna.

Fantastic site! Fancy a visit ww2nut? Good to record it for the HER, so it has a degree of protection.

I would be up for meeting up on the site, though can't make it within the next month.