Echoes Of Bawdsey Podcast: The History Of Radar

 Radar—short for Radio Detection and Ranging—wasn't discovered all at once. It began when Heinrich Hertz proved radio waves reflect off metal (1886). In the 1930s, as war loomed, British physicist Sir Robert Watson-Watt developed the first practical system, successfully bouncing radio signals off an aircraft in 1935

The Echoes of Bawdsey – The Story of Radar is a podcast created by the Bawdsey Radar Trust and hosted by broadcaster Georgy Jamieson. It details the invention of radar in Suffolk, England, and its pivotal role in helping Allied forces win World War II.

The series covers a wide array of fascinating topics, including:
The Origins of Radar: Starting with early sound interceptors used to track Zeppelins in WWI before moving to the development of radar technology in the 1930s. 
There are in-depth episodes on the Battle of Britain and how radar was the deciding factor in giving the RAF an edge against the Luftwaffe. There are also stories of the local community, people who lived and worked at Bawdsey Manor, how the Manor became an RAF station, and its enduring legacy in the local area. The podcast is made possible with funding from Suffolk County Council’s Cultural Project Fund.

There are also special segments with ambient audio recordings designed to relax or transport listeners into the history and atmosphere of Bawdsey.

The first episode arrived in October 2025. This episode goes back to the end of the First World War to trace the early days of sound interceptors searching for Zeppelins. We also discover that the birth of radar was a lot more dramatic behind the scenes than previously thought.By 1937 work was well underway to develop ground radar but what advances were being made in the search for a workable airborne radar system?We hear about the world's first airborne radar flight, which took place at Martlesham Heath in Suffolk, and Bawdsey Manor becomes an RAF training school.

There will be 10 episodes, over two series, charting the history and story of how radar was developed in Suffolk, from the early experiments and struggles with the technology in the 1930s, through the Second World War, and highlighting the significant part women played in the success of radar. The story then moves on to how Bawdsey became an RAF station and the significance of radar today.

Each 30-minute episode also includes content recorded recently, highlighting the part the museum and Bawdsey play in the community now. Georgy Jamieson has interviewed local playwright Suzanne Hawkes on her play Operation Radar, with the podcast including local actors playing some of the key roles in the story; she has met graduates and apprentices from BT who developed the Virtual Reality headset used to simulate climbing the transmitter mast and also recorded around Bawdsey Manor and a soundscape of the village fete, which was held this year in the grounds of the manor.

Host Georgy Jamieson said, "I was thrilled when we got the Suffolk County Council funding to make this podcast because, as their patron as well as a podcaster, I wanted to tell this incredible story of what happened here in Suffolk, and to spread the word about the wonderful museum we have. I have loved discovering the history of radar, along with the impact Bawdsey still has locally in science, technology, music and drama. With series two in the Spring, I will be involving young people from the area and talking to them not just about the history but also the process of making a podcast."

Bawdsey Radar Trust will also highlight their Connections project in the podcast, an ongoing project that compiles the details and memories of those who served, trained or worked at RAF Bawdsey from 1937 to 1991.

Echoes of Bawdsey is not just a military history tale. It's the story of an entire community uniting around this critical piece of technology that so impacted their lives.