West Hill Outstation

Location
West Hill, near Ottery St Mary, Devon
Type
Outstation
Call sign
Golding 1
Special Duties Personnel
Role Name Posted from Until
Operator Mrs Audrey Gertrude Muriel Hall Unknown 07 Jul 1944
Operator Dr Francis Nasmyth Sidebotham Unknown 07 Jul 1944
Operator Miss Agnes Ann Sidebotham Unknown 07 Jul 1944
Runner Dr Ralph Robert Traill Unknown 07 Jul 1944
Runner Mrs Gladys Stella Traill Unknown 07 Jul 1944
Station description

The dugout was concealed below a hen house (others report a hay stack or a Dutch barn) in fields behind Bendarroch House, West Hill, the home of the Sidebotham family. The aerial went up a massive Wellingtonia tree. The field has been built on and is now Windmill Lane. The aerial cable ran underground from the dugout to the Wellingtonia tree that remains on the boundary of two gardens. No evidence remains of the cable.

Ann (nee Sidebotham, daughter of Frank) remembered the location was camouflaged by its situation beneath a hen house in a field behind Bendarroch and occupied a small underground room. About 6 foot square, it was reached by a ladder from ground level. Dr Jimmy Sidebotham (son of Frank) remembered the army fixing an aerial to the tallest tree in the area and excavating a deep bunker under a hay stack. They installed what was quite a sophisticated wireless system for its time. The Wellingtonia tree that housed the aerial from the dugout still stands.

In 1997, after a Radio 4 article on the British Resistance, Mr Moger from Exmouth wrote a letter about the dugout at Bendarroch. His family bought the house in 1954 and as they started to level the ground near the “Dutch barn” the digger hit “really tough steel sheeting”. They made enquiries and found out what the use of the bunker was, even though they were told by the gardener that they “were not meant to know about that as it is secret ”. Mr Moger drew a map of its location.

Station accessibility
This OB is on private land. Please do not be tempted to trespass to see it
Station Status
Destroyed
Pictures
Image
Caption & credit
Looking towards site
Image
Caption & credit
Aerial Tree
Image
Caption & credit
Aerial Tree
Image
Caption & credit
Map drawn by Mr Moger
Map Location

West Hill Outstation

References

Arthur Gabbitas

The Sidebotham family

Mr Moger, John Pilsworth and Robert Neal

Peter Benitz