The No.11 Group Operations Room, Uxbridge

Image: © Andrew Curtis Taken: 12 Oct 2019

The Operations Room displayed various pieces of information in different ways, which the controller seated above the room behind curved, reflection-free glass would then use in order to make decisions. The location of formations of both enemy and friendly aircraft was displayed using numbered blocks on the map table below. Time was of the essence as enemy aircraft spotted in northern France by primitve long-range radar along the coast (the Chain Home system) could be over London within 20 minutes. The current activities of No.11 Group's squadrons e.g. 'At Standby', 'Enemy Sighted', 'Ordered to Land', etc. were displayed on the wall behind, the so-called 'tote board', using a series of lights. Current weather conditions at No.11 Group's sector stations were indicated with a system of coloured discs and the passage of time was tracked using a coordinated system of clock and coloured indicators. All information was received from either Fighter Command headquarters or the sector stations via telephone and teleprinter. The operations room now has its 'tote board' and map table set as it was at 11:30am on the 15th September 1940, Battle of Britain Day. There is another photo here: Image

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