Radio Location Courseat Chelmsford Technical College in WW2
After I had gained my School Certificate at Fakenham Secondary School ,Norfolk in July 1941,I was directed by the M of L to attend the above Course. The objective of the Course was initially to provide Technicians to maintain equipment at the Radio Location Stations installed along the British coastline. But in the event this scheme was not proceeded with ,and instead on completion of the Course we were posted to factories developing and producing the new radio and radar equipment for the Armed Forces . We were recruited to make good the shortage of labour required to carry out the necessary work . Along with three or four others I was sent to the EKCO Radio Plant at its wartime location at Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire ,where we remained throughout the war.
Young men like myself, who had gained good exam results , had been selected from Grammar Schools and Colleges all over the country . There were thirty of us in all and the Course was held during the period from the beginning of November1941 to the end of March 1942, during which time we were billeted in private homes in Chelmsford . After the war was over we all went our separate ways and I have never again met anyone who was on the Course.I would like to find out if there are any survivors,besides myself,and whether the records of the erstwhile 'Chemsford Tech' contain any reference to the unique exercise which it hosted at that time .
Norman Wells
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