Anti-Aircraft & Rocket Battery, Ashleigh Road
A 3.7 inch mobile gun, fired by RA Gunners
The RA Predictor and height finder crews
INTRODUCTION
Initially, the gun-site was manned by 248th (Welwyn) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery, Royal Artillery, Blackpill, ('Sketty') and this glimpse into off-duty life was donated by Jackie Ann Morris in 2021.
Later, the site was an Royal Artillery (Mixed) gun-site, entitled Swansea T N6 N26 Sketty and is recounted by Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) member Muriel Schroter.
Peter Ridgewell, shared photos of the Home Guard, who also manned the Rocket Site (Z Battery) .
Although near the village of 'Blackpill,' the gun-site was next to to the Ashleigh Road Station of the Mumbles Railway, which was dismantled in January 1960. The site of the wartime gun site is now shared between Ashleigh Road Playing Fields and Swansea University Sports Ground, as well as by the Swansea Tennis & Squash Club and these are illustrated on the modern aerial photo further below.
248th (Welwyn) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery, Blackpill'
The army called this area Blackpill. Today it's still located beside the Singleton Park University Campus and renamed the 'Swansea Bay Sports Park.' In February 1941 the rugby pitches were taken over by the Royal Artillery, with Rocket Launchers, manned by the Home Guard, added later.
This collection of photos are dated 1941. Those showing snow may have been taken in February of that year, as it was reported that there were no AA Guns in Swansea in January. Later, huts were built on this site and these can be seen on the aerial photos below. Living conditions were improved and photos were taken inside the barracks later. A labour Camp was soon constructed on the other side of the road and in 1943 this was taken over by the American Army and greatly expanded.
The sandbagged ball tents, telegraph poles and hedge,, suggest that the photo was taken alongside Sketty Lane.
22 October 1941 Aerial of Ashleigh Road
Shows the Z Battery 'Rocket Site' (details below) and several Anti-aircraft sites, along with RA & ATS barracks. Currently, the site is playing fields, as well as a tennis club and lies on the border of Sketty and Blackpill.
Wikipedia
The 'Z Battery' was a short range anti-aircraft weapon system, which launched 3-inch rockets from ground-based single and multiple launchers. (Ref: Wikipedia Z Battery https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z_Battery )Typical views of the Z Battery in action
From early 1942, the manning of Z Batteries began to be transferred to the Home Guard, as the equipment was comparatively simple to operate and the rounds were lighter. (The age limit for Home Guardsmen to work on Z Batteries was 60, whereas it was 40 for those posted to conventional anti-aircraft guns and coast defence batteries, because of the heavier ammunition.) Wikipedia
D Troop, Z Battery Rocket Site
Swansea Home Guard
'Don' Troop, Z Battery Rocket Site
Swansea Home Guard
'Dad's Army' who served at the Z Battery Rocket Site
Mark Ridgewell shared this photo of number 7 section, Swansea Home Guard
Jan Probart says, 'my father, George Edward Dent is 2nd from the left in the back row and was in his thirties at the time. He suffered from very poor eyesight, which had kept him out of the forces.'
Private Peter Ridgewell and Sergeant Stan Ridgewell
Mark Ridgewell says, 'my dad Peter, is aged 16 in the picture (standing 4th from right in the back row). His father, Stan, aged 45 and a veteran of the First World War is proudly wearing his medal ribbons (sitting 4th from right in the 2nd row).
David Merrriman added, 'My father, Glyn Merriman is in the second row on the far left and was also a member of the rocket launching team. He was about 33 years old at the time of this photograph. He stated that on the first night of the blitz they didn’t fire any rockets because there were no officers present to give the order. They were all attending a dinner at the Mackworth hotel.' Anyone got any more information on this?
The 'Z Battery' was a short range anti-aircraft weapon system, which launched 3-inch rockets from ground-based single and multiple launchers for air defence.
(Ref: Wikipedia Z Battery https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z_Battery )Swansea University Home Guard
Counciller Harry Thomas (Community Councillor for Dyffryn Clydach) had learned during his studies at Swansea University, that students served at the Rocket Battery, towards the end of the Second World War.
'Students joined the home Guard and were responsible for patroling Swansea Bay.'
'During the war, the univerity's Singleton Campus was untouched by the three nights blitz in 1941 and so remained the scene of viatal war work, becoming home to Imperial College London's School of Mines and the government's dDepartment of Explosive Research,' said Dr. Blaxford.
Please, can you help identify any Home Guard volunteers?
Home Guard Anti Aicraft Squad, Ashleigh Road, 1943
Published in Mumbles News, October 1974Jan Probart says, 'I recognised my father, George Edward Dent who is 2nd from the right in the back row and is wearing very thick glasses, due to having poor eyesight.'
More Home Guard pictured -
Rachel A Thomas says, 'my grandfather, William Nordhoff is seated at the front left.'
Rachel said 'Unfortunately I have no other details, except that he served in the Home Guard at Ashleigh Road.'
William Nordhoff ran haulage firm from nearby site, (see advert from a 1935 Guide. >)
Editor: I suggest that as an Z Battery rocket launcher can be seen in the centre background, then the revealing such detail, may have meant that this photo was taken towards the end of 1944.
The Z Battery Rocket site and several Anti-aircraft sites -
10 August 1945 Aerial
This photo includes one derilict gun-site (upper centre) and another, which was built around 1940 (left of centre). These four [3.7 inch mobile] guns were replaced in early 1944, by an additional two upgraded [3.7 inch static] guns on separate hardstandings. A barracks on the lower left [is thought to accomidate the RA gunners ] and the barracks on Sketty Lane [thought to accomidate the ATS ladies] who noted that a NAAFI 'Cinema' was close to this site. The photo also reveals, on the upper left, a small part of the American Forces Camp at Sketty Lane.
Currently, the majority of the site is Council & University Playing fields. The part above Sketty Lane is still Singleton Park and the area which was the American Camp is now the site of Singlton Hospital. Footy Golf is now played on the Rocket site, on the upper right.
The Royal Artillery are joined by the ATS
The memories of Muriel Schroter who served in the ATS as Private Hawkins 205907, at Ashleigh Road and later Mumbles Hill
In 2007, Muriel Schroter, who was by then aged 89 and lived in Regina Avenue, Waterloo, Liverpool contacted us. She recalled:-
The Royal Artillery (Mixed) gun site
Muriel Schroter served as Private Hawkins 205907
'I was born in Liverpool and joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service in 1942 at Oswestry as Private Hawkins 205907. The 3.7" Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery was formed there and sent to ‘SWANSEA SIX Off Post’, at the University Playing Fields, Ashleigh Road, Swansea, in January 1943.
I was older that the other girls in the unit and took charge of the Telephonists/ Wireless operators there. At that site there were the 3.7" AA guns of our battery and Bofors AA Guns manned by the Home Guard. There was an original form of radar there'
We had one day off and one evening off per week and were rarely off the camp. When at ‘SWANSEA SIX’ I went to the cinema in Swansea and had fish & chips. I also visited the bomb damaged Methodist Church opposite the Civic Centre and close to the Patti Pavilion.
Muriel Schroter, (Private Hawkins 205907) continued - 'Later on I moved to ‘SWANSEA FIVE,’ a 3.7" Battery on Mumbles Hill, where at the time there was no radar, but later on they had a Canadian made radar which was much better.
I worked with 12 girls at the Command Post, again as a Telephonist. We worked a shift system, 8am – 12 midday, or 12 – 4, or 4 – 8, or 8 – 12, or 12 midnight until 8 am a longer shift.
When we arrived at the camp the men were moved out of the wooden huts and they lived in tents for several months, while Nissan huts were built opposite.'
(Editor: The wooden huts were situated by the Mumbles Hill Local Nature Reserve car park, at what is now called Thistleboon Drive.)
I remember that one day I had to talk to a major at the tented camp and it was usual to knock at any door before entering a room. As there was no door to the tent I found it difficult, as how could you knock on a tent flap?
The ATS then moved into six Nissan huts and 12 girls were billeted in each hut. In addition we had several female sergeants and officers who had separate accommodation’.
(Editor: The planned female establishment for the Gower Defence Scheme was recorded as 86 ATS. This corresponds to the figures given by Muriel, 72 other ranks, 14 NCO & Officers).
NB: A Modern Map records show that Ashleigh Road was named Swansea T N6 N26 Sketty. The two numbers could reflect a twin site, Guns & Rockets. The Mumbles Hill site was named, Swansea S Mumbles.
Ref: Modern Map -http://www.anti-aircraft.co.uk/HAA_gun_sites_map.html
At the Command Post the ATS were on the Instruments, Height Finders and communications. We once helped a Polish Airman who while flying over the Bristol Chanel, lost his direction and using the new Canadian radar we were able to guide him home to his base at Fairwood Airfield. He visited the AA Battery the following day to thank us for our help.
I remember that REME were at Fairwood and that airmen on the base used to practise ‘bombing’ on a range at Worms Head, Gower.
The ten ATS girls assembled here were described in a caption as, 'The Radar Girls, stationed at Mumbles Road, between 1943 and 1944'.
The full team of a dozen girls are also shown at work in the photo further above and served at the 'Control Bunker' (names vary). Around six girls would have worked on the predictor, there were always two on the phone lines to command and another two worked on the radar set. The information they processed was passed to the guns, for the enemy to be targeted.
Muriel Schroter, (Private Hawkins 205907) continued -At Mumbles Hill it was all practice and I saw little or no German airplane activity. We travelled elsewhere to actually fire a gun. One day we had a misfire and everyone ran away from the gun in case it exploded’.
(HG veteran said that 3.7 gun sites used for practice were near Llanelli as well as Jersey Marine, Swansea -NB John)
‘In 1944, sometime before D Day, the men in the coastal battery were moved and the Americans took over the accommodation there. We sent two of our 3.7" guns to Dover and I believe that afterwards we only had two guns.
I was sent to Reading later in 1944 where I worked in the Pay Corps.
I have two photos of the command post given to me by a man who asked me what each room was used for and then was able to complete his plans of the post.
When at ‘SWANSEA FIVE’ we went to the Methodist Church in Mumbles. I also spent evenings at the home of a couple Mr & Mrs Kirby Jones, who lived opposite the gates of the camp and they were very nice to me. Mr Kirby Jones worked for Swansea Town Council and showed me around the Brangwyn Hall at The Guildhall, Swansea and I also went to concerts there.
I was very interested when, a little while ago, the Antiques Roadshow was held in the Brangwyn Hall and I saw the panels. The panels had a great effect on me when I saw them and found them amazing.
I also met Mr Mrs Dyke, who were also from the Methodist Church and I used to visit them at their home at 33, Dryslyn Road, West Cross.
I am still in touch with one ATS girl who also served at SWANSEA SIX and was a clerk in the transport office there’.
This photo shows the US Army Camp Singleton Park >, Swansea University and the AA Gunsight & Home Guard Z Battery Rocket Site.
1 April 1945 Aerial of Ashleigh Road
This aerial photo of Swansea University was taken in 1929.
The later development in Singleton Park, outside of their boundary, can be noted.
After 70 years, a modern Ashleigh Road
The majority of the area is the Council & University Playing fields and several other businesses
Details:
King George V, Ashleigh Road Playing Fields, Mumbles Rd, Sketty, Swansea SA2 8AF,
Adjacent are
The University Sports Facilities, at Singleton Bay Campus, Swansea
Reference - Wikipedia
79th (Hertfordshire Yeomanry) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
By the end of February 1941 the HAA guns in the Swansea GDA still only numbered 18 out of a planned establishment of 36. These were distributed to sites as follows:[61][62]
N1 Llansamlet – 4 x 3.7-inch (247 Bty)
N2 Neath – 4 x 3.7-inch (246 Bty)
N3 Jersey Marine – 4 x 3.7-inch (247 Bty)
N4 Ravenhill (under construction by 246 Bty)
N5 Mumbles – 4 x 3.7-inch (248 Bty)
N6 Sketty – 2 x 3.7-inch (248 Bty)
These had been increased a month later to 36
Notes:
In February 1941, the local Air Defence Command lay with 5th Anti Aircraft Division, with 6 Light Brigade covering the approximate area from Carmarthen to Bridgend, under command of Brigadier R C Reynold OBE MC. He deployed 79th HAA Regiment in and around Swansea with a responsibility to provide a maximum wall of fire to defend the City from Air attacks.
Guns from 246, 247 and 248 HAA Batteries were deployed in the Swansea area as follows:
246 Battery - 4 guns at Neath Abbey and 2 guns at Mumbles. N5
247 Battery - 4 guns at Morriston and 4 guns at the Jersey Marine.
248 Battery - 4 guns at Sketty. (At Ashleigh Road, 'Blackpill') N6
Mumbles Train, History, Walks
and WW2 Remains on Mumbles Hill
and WW2 Remains on Mumbles Hill