Setley Suboutstation

A list of wartime map references supplied by Arthur Gabbitas, based on Alf Ellis's diary includes SU304001. The same list says that the wireless was concealed in an outhouse, rather than underground. This location is south of The Filly Inn, known during the war as The Oddfellows Arms.

An oral history interview recorded as part of the New Forest Remembers Project on 25 Nov 2013 with former Boldre Home Guard, Hugo Du Plessis, noted that the operator was a retired Colonel with the wireless set in his hen house. Col Rigg lived at Forest Heath House and his son recalled that from his bed, his father could be heard on the wireless at night, so likely the hen house was close to the main house. He believes that it was adjacent the boundary fence to the south of the house. A genuine hen house was on the opposite side of the property. The exact location is hidden by trees in the wartime aerial photo.

Possibly the Oddfellows Inn was used for message drops. Pubs were commonly used by the Special Duties branch as it provided a good reason for the comings and goings of runners delivering information, which might have looked suspicious at a private property. Later in the war, a Prisoner of War Camp was built immediately opposite the driveway of Forest Heath House. Both Italians and Germans were accommodated there. An aerial photo of the site taken in 1946 also shows the house over the road.

In July 2023, CART's Andy Chatterton visited the site along with New Forest wartime historian Marc Heighway for a Dan Snow History Hit podcast. We got Dan Snow to do the door knocking bit! The results as it happened can heard on his podcast. The photos show what was found. Please remember the site is a private home and there is no public access.