Pershore Heritage and History Society

OUR April meeting was a talk about a local landmark which is difficult to see, Defford Airfield, The Silent War Weapon., as our speaker Bob Shaw told us also how important it was during WW2 he said that the development of radar in 1942 was the saving weapon and that The Battle of the Atlantic was “Won over the green fields of Worcestershire”, The airfield became the national centre for the development of radar, Bob said radar had started in 1935 with towers but it was soon realised it needed to be inside the aircraft to be more effective. In 1942 on a raid by British Forces into Germany part of the German radar was pinched and brought back to England and helped with our development. The area was very secret with personal l from RAF Royal Navy and USA, in 1945 3,000 people were stationed at Defford. It was closed in 1957 with research being moved to Pershore Airfield, Bob also said that on July 11 and 12 this year it is Defford Airfield Heritage Weekend. Bob was thanked for his very interesting talk by our chairperson Cynthia Johnson. Our next meeting is on Thursday, May 7 at 7.30pm at Function Room Pershore Football Club when Paul Harding will give a talk on the Magna Carta. Visitors are always welcome at our meetings.

EDWARD HIRD