TONDU - South Wales - Observation Bunker

Sadly sites like this are getting harder to find all the time so it really does deserve some form of protection, if I were nearer I would definitely have liked to look around if only too understand the relationship between the buildings and the topographical features of the site.

It's also worth noting that at least 1 building has been demolished from the camp complex and another rebuilt as a bunkhouse from when I did my research.

PETERTHEEATER;110859 wrote:

I have a reference that Tondu House (demolished in 1963) near Bridgend, Glamorgan was commandeered in 1940 by the Ministry of Supply for the Pyrotechnic Research Department (PRD) evacuated from Woolwich, London.

The PRD were involved in trialling various air-dropped pyrotechnics such as Flares used for 'pathfinding' but more importantly tested the effectiveness of air-dropped Incendiary Bombs of various weights.

The test area was in open fields adjacent to Tondu House Farm here:

A 'bunker' was used as an observation post and bombs were fired from a mortar to plunge down onto purpose built structures including houses to simulate German and Japanese dwellings.

This, as far as I can ascertain, is the 'bunker':

wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepath.htm?lat=5...519447327&gz=20&oz=8>=1

Peter I just re read your post and something struck me.... I had assumed that the majority of the work was conducted along similar lines as a Bletchley Park in the early days and at Aston House.. ie. the fields to rear of the house used for testing but the layout of the site being on the crest of a hill makes the work somewhat public? From your last line about mortars I now guess that the fire was directed off the hill towards the valley below (or down the gorge in some cases)?

The site was chosen because it was in an elevated position and (then) fairly isolated. It was also close to Bridgend.

Actual aircraft delivery of air dropped pyrotechnics such as Pathfinder flares and small Incendiary Bombs was out of the question due to a need to accurately place the munition impact point within a small area to enable visual sighting and photographic recording. Using a purpose made simple mortar tube, with a repeatable black powder charge electrically ignited enabled good accuracy. and control of the trajectory height. The surrounding rising ground would have given some protection against fickle winds. The actual distance from the viewpoint OP was probably less than 100 yards I should think.

ok so this extra info may also be of interest!

Whilst looking over the sites OS map history there was something i dismissed as it fell outside the logic of the site as i understood it.

Chris hope you dont mind me using your photo post from the thread....


If the direction of mortar fire is blue (not red as i assumed!) then the fire is uphill and all the location face the same focal point to a large degree (this could be confirmed by the direction of the top/red viewing point) then the yellow area would be a probable target site. Its directly on the top of the hill (note the green trig pillar location from the pre 1900 OS map) and in the aerial photo clearly shows some land disturbance (ringed in purple).

If you move to the post WW2 OS map (hazard a guess its 1962) and we can clearly see marked topographical features that could be ...."purpose built structures including houses to simulate German and Japanese dwellings"...


This disturbance is not on earlier mapping.

Good spotting Jenna

It is worth dwelling on the title of the establishment, 'Pyrotechnic Development'. I should expect the boffins employed here to be devising 'recipes' for pyrotechnic mixtures and having these formulas made up at Bridgend into 'candles' powders and pellets or whatever. They could then carry out static tests to determine the 'burn' and spread and colours. Many pyrotechnic mixtures burn fiercely and explosively and require some degree of containment offering protection to the initiators.

The structures you have pointed out are horseshoe shaped earth embankments and appear to be static test sites wherein experimental pyros would be burned. Considering 'flares' only and not incendiaries these were either illumination or marking. Air dropped they were usually initiated by a fuze pre-set on the ground or by a barometric fuze to initiate as airburst above ground. For the markers, the case containing the candles would burst pen and burning candles would cascade to the ground.

For static testing a trial flare could be set-up in an enclosure viewed by a cine camera. Electrical ignition at the push of a button took the place of a fuze and the pattern of operation recorded. It was also possible to use a 'mortar' tube set-up horizontally to shoot an experimental pyro at material representing a target structure (e.g a tiled roof) to check penetration and operation. So, those structures to me are/were for static tests.

The 4 pound Incendiary Bomb was the most common air dropped offensive munition in the Allied inventory and prototypes may well have been developed by the PRD between Woolwich and Tondu.

Tanks for the explanation Peter, who would be likely to hold archive material on the PRD in military terms (eg external to TNA).

I have gone back to the OS logs and can confirm that the area was re-triangulated in 1967 (from local origin Cradle Rocks, Powys) so the map is pre '67 and I did find mention of a redraw in 1962/63 so it probable the earthworks date to 1940-1960 (effectively ruling out any connection to the earlier Tondu House parks and gardens layout). The map data is also datable by the fact that it shows Tondu House (Ton-du House) as still standing when we know from the NCB archive data it was prepared for demolition bit its then owners (Merthyr Mawr Estate) in 1963.

Another possible source of data will be a book written by local historian Gwilym Rees titled 'Tondu House', I was unable to locate a copy a few years ago and a quick net search now turns nothing up at a reasonable cost. A copy or information relating to the relevant dates may be sourced through Kenfig.org Local Community Group whom I am led to believe have good local archive.

RCAHMS website does have listed 'House platforms' for this location however there is no explanation or supporting evidence that I can find.

I was up there about 3 weeks ago, afterall I know that area like the back of my hand. If you are planning on visiting the area then I must warn you that most of the buildings are on private property. You would have to approach the current owners for permission. There are one or two buildings that aren't on private property however, i.e. the shelter-like observation post

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and this one:

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Just for interest here are a couple more photos of the interior of the buildings on private property:

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cheers
Chris

"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!"

Hi there,

great piece of information, thankyou. Would you be able to post a photograph of the Ministry Of Supply sign from Tondu House? Would love to see that

cheers
Chris

I am about to start plodding through a lengthy 1946 monograph on the development of Incendiary Bombs over the WW2 period and hope that there is some mention of Tondu.