Langley Rd HAA gun battery Wolverhampton

Discussion in 'General' started by Patwalker, Apr 12, 2009.

  1. Patwalker

    Patwalker Junior Member

    Having had so much help and advice from a previous post I am trying again.
    This time I am trying to research the static gun battery (mixed) 3.7" or 4.5 " which was positioned on Langley rd ( Castlecroft/Merry Hill ) to the west of Wolverhampton.
    What still remains can be seen on Google Earth but much has been destroyed for developement.
    At the present I can find very little about the setup. Many hours in the local Archives and reading 1939-42 papers and trawling through all the ARP records has turned up nothing. I have also put adverts in local papers to see if anyone is alive who worked there.
    What I need as a starter is to try and find the name of the unit that was based there although there might have been more than one during the war. As a matter of interest when a german aircraft was shot down in the midlands some of the navigator`s maps were recovered from the crash site and on these this particular battery was marked to help them keep away from the danger.
    If there is anyone who can help me to identify the unit that manned this battery it would be a great start.
    I gather the site was designated H18 by the military and contained its own searchlight batteries and a primitive radar. The ATS are believed to have operated the Predictors and height finders. I have a few notes from one chap who was a `message deliverer` but he only went as far as the gate.
    Several people say they can remember the guns and their firing which shook the nearby houses but noone actually went inside the site. Being either children or teenagers they were banned from this military camp.
    Another chap recalls the gunners getting off the last trolley bus from town and going into the local fish and chip shop before walking the five hundred yards or so along Langley road to their site.
    Patrick Walker.
     
  2. WV4RED

    WV4RED Junior Member

    Hi

    Just found this thread as I'm in process of buying this site and exploring possibility of trying to restore it as local heritage site.

    Obviously be very keen to share whatever you'd been able to discover - for example, did you know there are underground rooms (ammunition storage possibly?)

    Love to hear from anyone with any insight.

    Thanks

    Andy
    andy@medsol.biz
     
    Mark fellows likes this.
  3. KevinT

    KevinT Senior Member

    Having had so much help and advice from a previous post I am trying again.
    This time I am trying to research the static gun battery (mixed) 3.7" or 4.5 " which was positioned on Langley rd ( Castlecroft/Merry Hill ) to the west of Wolverhampton.
    What still remains can be seen on Google Earth but much has been destroyed for developement.
    At the present I can find very little about the setup. Many hours in the local Archives and reading 1939-42 papers and trawling through all the ARP records has turned up nothing. I have also put adverts in local papers to see if anyone is alive who worked there.
    What I need as a starter is to try and find the name of the unit that was based there although there might have been more than one during the war. As a matter of interest when a german aircraft was shot down in the midlands some of the navigator`s maps were recovered from the crash site and on these this particular battery was marked to help them keep away from the danger.
    If there is anyone who can help me to identify the unit that manned this battery it would be a great start.
    I gather the site was designated H18 by the military and contained its own searchlight batteries and a primitive radar. The ATS are believed to have operated the Predictors and height finders. I have a few notes from one chap who was a `message deliverer` but he only went as far as the gate.
    Several people say they can remember the guns and their firing which shook the nearby houses but noone actually went inside the site. Being either children or teenagers they were banned from this military camp.
    Another chap recalls the gunners getting off the last trolley bus from town and going into the local fish and chip shop before walking the five hundred yards or so along Langley road to their site.
    Patrick Walker.

    Hello Pat / Andy,

    Just a thought but have you tried contacting the Black Country Bugle? They often have some interesting war time articles covering WWI and II. Someone just may have the info you are looking for.

    Cheers
    Kevin ( used to live near to the area )
     
  4. Mark fellows

    Mark fellows New Member

    So interesting hope this gets listed if I can be of any help or you ever arrange a talk on the site or a visit please let me know
     
  5. hutt

    hutt Member

    Doesn't look like this was answered at the time but if anyone comes across it again I would start with the 11th AA Division Diaries at Kew. There are about 10 in the WO166 series and are highly likely to have lists of AA sites and the Brigades, Regiments and Batteries that were under their command. From that it should be possible to match Regiments and Batteries to the site and that should lead to their unit diaries too. If you are really lucky you might find lists of men in addition to the officers but they should also include records of raids and guns fired.
    WO166/2206/2207/2208/2209/2210/2211/7364/7365/7366/7367/7368
     
  6. Osborne2

    Osborne2 Well-Known Member

    I totally agree with hutt. If anyone wants to search home front units or locations on a micro scale like this, then you will usually find that a trip to Kew is usually the only way to crack open your problem. However its much better to go after studying the command structure of the part of the army you are interested in. LAA units seem to move around more, especially those being trained up for attachment to corps and divisions destined for Normandy. You might even find for sites on the south and east coast that US units took over in early 44 for the chance of some practice against German raiders. In 1943, British LAA units rotated through the New Forest in July to protect Fawley refinery.
     
  7. Mark fellows

    Mark fellows New Member

    How did you get on in purchasing this fantastic find.
     
  8. Mark fellows

    Mark fellows New Member

    Went for a visit today it's a very interesting site wish it could be saved.
     

    Attached Files:

  9. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    Mark,

    WV3RED the author of Post 2 who was purchasing the site in October 2012 has not logged on since. You could try an email to his declared email address. I will send him a PM in a moment, assuming after ten years the email given is still used.
     
  10. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    States no remains but possibly not picked up on the review

    Heritage Gateway - Results

    Heavy Anti Aircraft Battery Birmingham H18
    Hob Uid: 1471435
    Location :
    Staffordshire
    South Staffordshire
    Lower Penn
    Grid Ref : SO8770097100
    Summary : Site of Second World War heavy anti-aircraft battery on Merry Hill, documented as extant in 1942 when it was armed with four 3.7-inch static guns and GL Mark II radar. It was manned by 348th Battery of the 95th Royal Artillery Regiment. There are no remains
    More information :
    Sources :

    Source Number : 1
    Source : Twentieth century fortifications in England, volume 1. Anti-aircraft artillery : England's air defence gunsites, 1914-46
    Source details :
    Page(s) :
    Figs. :
    Plates :
    Vol(s) :

    Grid Reference Finder
     

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