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Anti-Aircraft & Rocket Battery, Ashleigh Road >

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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.  

In 2007, Muriel Schroter, who was then aged 89 and then lived in Regina Avenue, Waterloo, Liverpool contacted us. She recalled:-

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.)

        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.

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’.