The exciting early days of radar experiments as far as E. K. Cole Ltd were concerned started in the early spring of 1938 when representatives of TRE (Telecommunications Research Establishment) approached the Chief Engineer of EKCO Mr A. W. Martin via Mr E. K. Cole to carry out experiments on Radio Location. (Editors note: this became known as Chain Home and ultimately radar – see also WW2 write-up)
Word went around among us, the staff, that the company had taken over – although unconfirmed - the whole top floor of the 'Casino' on Canvey Island would be made available to the company in strict secrecy and only senior engineers - who had been screened and signed the 'Official Secrets Act' were allowed to know of the experiments.
The above is strictly anecdotal and only titbits of information that I (and others) picked up 'at the time' when I became an apprentice 'Electro Mechanical Engineer' in 1939. It was most unlikely that young apprentices such as myself would be let into any confidential information of this type.
Unfortunately the war clouds were already gathering and the government (under Baldwin) were forced to take some form of defensive action to prepare the nation for the more than likely stand against the German threat.
A system was therefore set up to provide training for all youths who were not already gainfully employed in mechanical engineering in both civil and military techniques. Training centres were set up attached to local colleges and compulsory attendance was introduced.
My dreams of being a commercial artist were therefore brought to an instant halt as I was directed to attend the centre three times a week, but when I arrived there I found that most of the courses were directed towards 'RAF training' which included engineering maintenance, navigation and wireless communication. I was told having already started training as an artist I would be trained as a mechanical draughtsman and engineer.
Under the act, I had no obligation but to do as I was told, so I knuckled down and did just that. Three months into training I was told to report to the EKCO works personnel department for an interview to see if I was suitable for employment as an apprentice.
Of course there was the small problem of a fee (15 Shillings a week) that my father would have to agree to, however later, the government apprentice scheme for industry was voted through in Parliament.
On one sunny Sunday morning Just after Dunkirk (June 1940) I found myself boarding a coach bound for an unknown secret destination, far, far away from any German landings.
Malmesbury High Street
I arrived in the early evening in the small country town of Malmesbury (in Wiltshire), as the many young girls who were directed to this place later were to refer to it 'A cemetery with a road running through it' of course they were at once directed to the new secret (shadow) EKCO factory at Cowbridge.
Cowbridge House
The early development on radar units was actually started at EKCO Southend in the research department. These were very large cumbersome units made of aluminium and produced in a 'Most Secret Building' we only knew as TF405 and I remember that every time we carried large assemblies from the research building across to the new TF405 unit it had to be covered up with a green cloth.
Looking from Priory Park the research building was on the far left of the site. The TF405 building was built behind the former Service Department. This was behind the research department. Hurried excavations for the building of bomb proof shelters were carried out and I remember that every time there was an air raid warning we had to carry the secret equipment across to the deep bombproof shelters.
These had been constructed of re-enforced concrete much deeper that the shelters provided for the staff. These shelters were also mined with high explosives. In fact the whole of the factory was eventually mined before we all left for Malmesbury and Aylesbury where the two secret factories had been prepared.
