It may have seemed a strange candidate for the BBC's 2004 Restoration programme. A concrete bunker on the shores of the Deben Estuary overlooking a quiet shingle beach on the East coast of Suffolk; perhaps not exactly everyone's idea of architectural interest. But what Bawdsey Radar Station lacks in design finesse is more than made up for by its historical importance and indeed impact on the eventual outcome of World War II.

On 24th September 1937 RAF Bawdsey became the first fully operational radar station in the world able to detect an approaching aircraft. With the onset of aerial attack on the UK in 1940, radar became the vital armour in the battle against German invasion.

The ferry which takes foot passengers and bicycles across the mouth of the Deben Estuary between Felixstowe and Bawdsey Quay

The development of radar was a matter of extreme secrecy, first developments taking place on the even more remote spit of land, five miles north of Bawdsey, Orfordness, a site for secret aviation research during World War I.

By July of 1939 the team, led by Robert Watson Watt were able to detect aircraft up to twenty five miles away at 500 feet. Work continued; by 1941 German pilots had discovered that they could evade detections by flying low, Bawdsey researchers responded by developing a system to detect low flying aircraft.

By 1943 there were twenty four radar stations positioned around the coast of England, including of course Bawdsey with around 7395 service men and women operating the radar day and night to detect enemy aircraft.

Bawdsey Radar Station consisted of a Transmitter building, Receiver block and buried reserves (underground buildings to be used in the event of either the transmitter or receiver buildings being disabled). The Transmitter building, transmitter switch gear and foundations for the four transmitter towers still in place and is open to the public on Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays from 1st May until 18 September, adults £2.00, children £1

Go to www.bawdseyradargroup.co.uk for more details.

If you are visiting Bawdsey from the Felixstowe area you may want to take the foot ferry which crosses the mouth of the Deben Estuary between Felixstowe Ferry and Bawdsey Quay. Operating throughout the summer and at weekends during the Spring and Autumn it is a great trip.