Was Chain Home captured in Normandy?

[Maury Markowitz]

Am I correct in believing that a Chain Home system was captured by the Germans in Normandy?

I seem to recall hearing this on several occasions, and just noticed that this claim is made in the BoB film as well.

If this is true, does anyone have any details on this?

 

[Justo Miranda]

Two mobile radar stations abandoned by the British in Dunkirk,finally finding out that they operated in 4 m. wavelenght ,the Germans also measured the emissions in 12 m. of the antennas of the Chain Home in Dover

 

[hagaricus]

fwiw..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/72/a2284472.shtml

 

[JFC Fuller]

If it was mobile it would either have been AMES Type 9 (no idea if any of these went to France) which was arguably kind of Chain Home, or GL.Mk.I of which 17 sets were sent to France but these were gun laying radars (hence the GL in the designation). I know that an MRU (Mobile Radio Unit, a precursor to GL.Mk.I used for searchlight control) and a GL.Mk.I were left behind as they were shown to Japanese representatives at one point.

@hagaricus link contains "anti aircraft radar" and "Mark 1", suggesting very strongly that the recollection is of the GL.Mk.1.

 

[Jemiba]

I remember having read, I think, it was in Alfred Price "Herrschaft über die Nacht" (Control over the night),
that the Germans tested one or two radar sets, captured during the advance to the channel. They were
said, not to have been impressed at all, judging their Würzburg far superior.

 

[Maury Markowitz]

Sorry guys, I'm not checking back often enough - sorry if I seemed like I was ignoring the thread I started.

I came back because I just saw another mention of this topic here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZtd4_vs-L0

As you say, if the Germans were comparing it to the WB, then it seems likely it was a GL model. But was the GL as "outdated" as CH?

In other news, I have been updating the Wiki article on CH quite extensively, so I'd love any eyeballs on it that you might all spare.

 

[JFC Fuller]

Noting two interesting bits there; "anti aircraft radar" and "Mark 1" suggests very strongly that the recollection is of the GL.Mk.1 that was about to be replaced in production, so it was rather outdated. I don't really know why you would consider CH outdated?

 

[Maury Markowitz]

Well GL.Mk.I was about to be replaced in production, so yes, it was rather outdated. I don't really know why you would consider CH outdated?

The floodlight broadcast pattern. Even Watt kinda made fun of it, but justified the decision with his famous statement about "the best".

Of course "the best" arrived shortly thereafter in the form of the Type 7. I suspect it might be one of the longest-lived radars in terms of operating in its original role.