108 years old

We popped out today for some top up fresh veg. Instead of going to our most local supermarket we went to Redcar as I had ferreted out a blip :-)

On the edge of a relatively new road stands this WW1 Early Warning Station. 

This is the text from the plaque in front of it -

REDCAR EARLY WARNING STATION


This structure is a Sound Mirror or detector, built by the Royal Engineers in 1916. It was part of an extensive Zeppelin and enemy aircraft detection system deployed down the East Coast of Britain during the First World War. Zeppelins raided the North East Coast 15 times between April 1915 and November 1917.


The sound of approaching aircraft was reflected off the concave 'mirror' surface and received into a trumpet mounted on a steel cclumn.


The trumpet was connected to a stethoscope used by the operator or 'listener', and the part of the dish that produced the most sound indicated the direction of the approaching aircraft. Advanced warning of an imminent attack could then be given to local people


By the early 1940's sound detection technology was being replaced by 'reflective detection finding' now known as radar.


It’s a bit worse for wear, but then wouldn’t you be if you been standing outside for 108 years with very little love and attention….

When I came across it online, I’d not heard of them before, so it was intriguing. It really is just the concrete structure left there now, but it reminded me of the Airlander back in 2017 (this shot was in 2017, there were others somewhere else in my journal) the most recent incarnation of a Zeppelin.

I believe the Airlander is now at issue no 10, and it moved from its original base near where I used to live.