Monument record 9024/1 - Woodend Searchlight Battery

{1} Describes arrival of 323 S/L Battery RA to take over this S/L late Aug 194[?], along with 8 others in Northants/Warwicks. Site described as DX 013 Blakesley at MGR 83/072691.

WO166/3082 64 S/L Bty RA 39-41: 64th (Essex) S/L Regt to man 72 lights. 441 Battery to take over following cluster sites and single sites on DX 01 Area forming part of a Killer Zone. Cluster sites Dodford, Preston Fields, Blakesley, Biddleston. Battery HQ will be at Easton Neston Lodge.

DX013 Blakesley. One of 8 S/Ls, ’Killer Zone cluster sites in SW Northants. 7 with convertible MGRs (6 in Northants); many others are mentioned by name but without a grid reference. As yet I have been unable to find a list of all of the sites in the area, as the files for the batteries in the area are unavailable.

NOTE: This S/L is in Woodend parish, over 1km NNE of the pillbox SMR 6787. Is it possible the 2 are related ie defended pillbox with pillbox record incorrectly located?

{2} Reference to a searchlight site in a field called "Great Ground" on the Blakesley to Woodend road. The troops were based in the village hall.

<1> Armishaw A., 1939-1941, WO 166/3150 318 S/L Bty RA June 1940-Dec 1941, (unchecked) (Document). SNN101764.

<2> Kingston P.B., 1983, Blakesley - Then and Now, (unchecked) (Book). SNN104682.

Record last edited

Dec 8 2010 10:10AM