John was Officer-in-Charge of a group of Naval Radio Mechanics (Special Branch RNVR).
John, now a busy 79 year old, filled me in on his involvement in the programme for rebuilding commmunications after the war (John has since asked me to update this last sentence to "a decrepit 81 year old" following surgery to replace his knee in july 2006: "During WW2 all 18 yr olds had to register for National Service, either in the Forces or for essential work. As a science/radio student I opted for the Naval Service and was appointed, in April 1944 as a civilian Experimental Officer at the Admiralty Signal Establishment (ASE) at Haslemere, Surrey. ASE was the development/experimental offshoot of the Signal School at Leydene. After training periods at various UK locations, I was attached early in 1945 to a section at ASE which was concerned with rebuilding damaged or destroyed W/T Stations by deploying pre-planned "kits of parts" ( officially known as Assemblies),which came in several sizes as required.The CO of my section, by name Lt.Hugh Kettle RNVR, had earlier taken a party of RM's to the Azores to install one of these. In anticipation of future operations, I was Commissioned in the RNVR in May 1945 as Kettle's 2 I/C. When the Japanese war finished in about October 1945, Hugh Kettle took a party of RM's and an assembly to Singapore to start operations at Suara, and I followed a few weeks later via Ceylon and arrived at Suara at Christmas 1945. HEK returned to the UK in about May 1946, leaving me to carry on. The assembly work was completed in about September, and I handed the station over to Lt.Tel.John Lawn RN as O/C Woodlands & Suara. Chief and the lads carried on in a 24 hour watchkeeping role. I lost no time in trying to organise a passage home. Hundreds, if not thousands, of others had the same thoughts and there was a queue! However I got back soon after Christmas and was officially "decommissioned" early in January 1947, and got back to Liverpool University in time to complete my interrupted degree course."
From the air - 1946
View looking south
Almost the same view but
taken from the air
The old station - the only thing that survived was some smelly heads (toilets)!
With some of the staff
With the Chief
Aerial Feeder Poles
From the air - 1975 (Submitted by Barry Elwin)
Base of 180ft Aerial Mast
Assembling the 110ft masts
Inside the transmitter hut
Christmas Card from Singapore 1946
John's Permit