Foreign Office WWII

[bertles86]

Dear All,

I am fairly certain that my maternal grandfather (Noel Ripley Reynolds, b. 19/12/06) was an employee of the Foreign Office during WWII. At the beginning of the war (late 1939-40) he was living in Bognor Regis and likely working on/around the "Chain Home" early warning radar station at Poling in Sussex.  He also mentioned that he worked for/with/at Bletchley Park in the same capacity.

I have already visited Kew and could not find him in the FO Lists for that period; he is also not on the Bletchley Park employees list (probably as he was not a permanent staff member).

Can anyone help with any of the following?

(a). Listed staff of the Chain Home network in the Foreign Office
(b). Detailed operational information about the Poling radar station
(c). Any mention of NRR in an FO capacity

Any help would be gratefully appreciated as in my current research he disappears for 5 years during WWII!

[IMBER]

The Poling ORB may be a start:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATID=479&CATLN=3&accessmethod=5

[bertles86]

Thanks for the reply, I did a quick search but nothing coming up for Reynolds on that reference.

Would the records for the Chain Home stations be held under RAF/Air Ministry as opposed to the FO?

[IMBER]

Yes.  All of these sites were operated by the RAF.  I wouldn't expect you to pick him up by searching under Reynolds, even if his name appeared in the ORB. And it's not immediately obvious why someone employed by the FO would be at such at site. Perhaps he was RAF?

Some random information, including photos, appears here:

http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=89306

The RAF Museum has a website and may hold information on Poling.

[bertles86]

Great link Imber thanks, he definitely was FO and not RAF because, he had fitness issues with his health, dodgy feet or something if I remember. The FO took him for his linguistics and other skills I'm guessing.

Where to keep looking!? Will his name show up on any records?

[IMBER]

Someone called Colin has a tree on Genes Reunited which appears to include your grandfather.

[IMBER]

If you are really keen then you always apply to see a copy of his 1939 Identity Card which would include some description of his occupation. Cost is just over £40! I see he married in 1939.  The certificate ought to include information about his occupation.

[IMBER]

This is looking a lot more promising:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y-stations

You'll note that there was one at Beachy Head, which was also an RAF Chain Home site.

[bertles86]

Thanks folks, that 1939 identity card will be interesting!

The marriage certificate from 1939 should arrive tomorrow, so I'll see what it says!

Could you link to the Genes Reunited tree?