Black Beacon, Orford Ness, MockMills 🌍

THE BLACK BEACON

The building in which you are standing was built in 1928 and restored by The National Trust in 1997. It was designed to house an experimental rotating-loop navigation beacon.

From the mid 1920s, the Air Ministry were keen to develop navigational aids for military aircraft. The Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, selected R.A.F Orfordness as the ideal site for trials of radio direction- finding apparatus. This was publicised as being for maritime purposes, and from the outset the Royal Navy and merchant shipping were involved in evaluation research. However, civil aviation, then in its infancy, was excluded from any consultation over its working. Capital and operational costs were shared between the R.A.F and, significantly, Trinity House. No effort was made to disguise the existence of this station - on the contrary - notices were published in the national press and statements given in Parliament. Even continental shipping authorities were encouraged to participate in monitoring it. However, this emphasis on sea-faring navigation was a total 'cover' for its true application.

Following questions raised over the value of funding something most ship owners felt they had never called for, the Air Ministry sent a confidential memo in July 1928 to the Treasury confirming the true importance of this station for national defence, namely to provide a simple homing navigation system for military aircraft operating under warfare conditions. Thus, from its inauguration in 1929, military aircraft were involved in tests, though this fact was kept secret.

Meanwhile, the maritime trials proved extremely successful and by 1930, the beacon was fully operational. Was it a deliberate part of the deception 'cover' that warships alone cast doubts on its efficacy? Trinity House, rather begrudgingly, continued to pay half the cost, until 1933. At this time a decision was taken to further develop research as the RAF feared that the system was flawed - an 'enemy' could jam the signals or make use of them for their own offensive purposes. In conjunction with the extension of the bombing range and the construction of the Bomb Ballistics Building (36), a new power house (24) was built. Then on 16 October 1934, the system was abruptly scrapped and the Black Beacon was relegated to use as a store. With war clouds looming, radio HF D/F 'homing' equipment was researched with a new urgency, updating what had been basic World War 1 technology. Priority was given to fighter stations and by 1940 a network was established. Just in time for the Battle of Britain.

The research done in this unusual building may have been terminated in relative failure, but the building itself was significant. At RAF stations up and down the land direction-finding radio beacons were housed in structures notably similar. These technologies represent clearly the crucial development of the pioneering research here on Orfordness. The development of radar by Watson Watt and his team allowed allied fighters to be vectored onto their target and the 'Homing' D/F beacon directed them back to base ready for their next sortie. The importance of these two technical developments, both originating at Orfordness, can scarcely be overstated.