Searchlight Battery - During WW2 many of the Tyneside searchlights were manned by the 225th Anti Aircraft Artillery (Searchlight Battalion) USA. Their headquarters was at Debdon Gardens in Newcastle (HER 5559). Many of the searchlight sites were used as low security POW camps after the American troops left, accommodating the prisoners who were working on local farms. Until radar was invented, searchlights were the only means by which aimed anti-aircraft fire and fighter interception were possible at night. The searchlights forced the enemy aircraft to fly higher, thus reducing their bombing accuracy. They also guided disabled allied aircraft back to base. During WW1 searchlights were emplaced to defend London and other vulnerable points. In 1916 a searchlight belt was established 25 miles inland from Sussex to Northumberland. In WW2 almost the whole country was covered in a grid of searchlights. A searchlight site would comprise of a circular earthwork around 9.14m in diameter for a 90cm light, a predictor emplacement, at least one light anti aircraft machine gun pit and a number of huts for the detachment and generator. These sites only generally survive as crop marks, unless the huts or foundations survive {"20th Century Defences in Britain, An Introductory Guide", 1995, Handbook of The Defence of Britain Project}.

Searchlight Battery - During WW2 many of the Tyneside searchlights were manned by the 225th Anti Aircraft Artillery (Searchlight Battalion) USA. Their headquarters was at Debdon Gardens in Newcastle (HER 5559). Many of the searchlight sites were used as low security POW camps after the American troops left, accommodating the prisoners who were working on local farms. Until radar was invented, searchlights were the only means by which aimed anti-aircraft fire and fighter interception were possible at night. The searchlights forced the enemy aircraft to fly higher, thus reducing their bombing accuracy. They also guided disabled allied aircraft back to base. During WW1 searchlights were emplaced to defend London and other vulnerable points. In 1916 a searchlight belt was established 25 miles inland from Sussex to Northumberland. In WW2 almost the whole country was covered in a grid of searchlights. A searchlight site would comprise of a circular earthwork around 9.14m in diameter for a 90cm light, a predictor emplacement, at least one light anti aircraft machine gun pit and a number of huts for the detachment and generator. These sites only generally survive as crop marks, unless the huts or foundations survive {"20th Century Defences in Britain, An Introductory Guide", 1995, Handbook of The Defence of Britain Project}.

Searchlight Battery - During WW2 many of the Tyneside searchlights were manned by the 225th Anti Aircraft Artillery (Searchlight Battalion) USA. Their headquarters was at Debdon Gardens in Newcastle (HER 5559). Many of the searchlight sites were used as low security POW camps after the American troops left, accommodating the prisoners who were working on local farms. Until radar was invented, searchlights were the only means by which aimed anti-aircraft fire and fighter interception were possible at night. The searchlights forced the enemy aircraft to fly higher, thus reducing their bombing accuracy. They also guided disabled allied aircraft back to base. During WW1 searchlights were emplaced to defend London and other vulnerable points. In 1916 a searchlight belt was established 25 miles inland from Sussex to Northumberland. In WW2 almost the whole country was covered in a grid of searchlights. A searchlight site would comprise of a circular earthwork around 9.14m in diameter for a 90cm light, a predictor emplacement, at least one light anti aircraft machine gun pit and a number of huts for the detachment and generator. These sites only generally survive as crop marks, unless the huts or foundations survive {"20th Century Defences in Britain, An Introductory Guide", 1995, Handbook of The Defence of Britain Project}.

Searchlight Battery - During WW2 many of the Tyneside searchlights were manned by the 225th Anti Aircraft Artillery (Searchlight Battalion) USA. Their headquarters was at Debdon Gardens in Newcastle (HER 5559). Many of the searchlight sites were used as low security POW camps after the American troops left, accommodating the prisoners who were working on local farms. Until radar was invented, searchlights were the only means by which aimed anti-aircraft fire and fighter interception were possible at night. The searchlights forced the enemy aircraft to fly higher, thus reducing their bombing accuracy. They also guided disabled allied aircraft back to base. During WW1 searchlights were emplaced to defend London and other vulnerable points. In 1916 a searchlight belt was established 25 miles inland from Sussex to Northumberland. In WW2 almost the whole country was covered in a grid of searchlights. A searchlight site would comprise of a circular earthwork around 9.14m in diameter for a 90cm light, a predictor emplacement, at least one light anti aircraft machine gun pit and a number of huts for the detachment and generator. These sites only generally survive as crop marks, unless the huts or foundations survive {"20th Century Defences in Britain, An Introductory Guide", 1995, Handbook of The Defence of Britain Project}.

Searchlight Battery - During WW2 many of the Tyneside searchlights were manned by the 225th Anti Aircraft Artillery (Searchlight Battalion) USA. Their headquarters was at Debdon Gardens in Newcastle (HER 5559). Many of the searchlight sites were used as low security POW camps after the American troops left, accommodating the prisoners who were working on local farms. Until radar was invented, searchlights were the only means by which aimed anti-aircraft fire and fighter interception were possible at night. The searchlights forced the enemy aircraft to fly higher, thus reducing their bombing accuracy. They also guided disabled allied aircraft back to base. During WW1 searchlights were emplaced to defend London and other vulnerable points. In 1916 a searchlight belt was established 25 miles inland from Sussex to Northumberland. In WW2 almost the whole country was covered in a grid of searchlights. A searchlight site would comprise of a circular earthwork around 9.14m in diameter for a 90cm light, a predictor emplacement, at least one light anti aircraft machine gun pit and a number of huts for the detachment and generator. These sites only generally survive as crop marks, unless the huts or foundations survive {"20th Century Defences in Britain, An Introductory Guide", 1995, Handbook of The Defence of Britain Project}.

Searchlight Battery - During WW2 many of the Tyneside searchlights were manned by the 225th Anti Aircraft Artillery (Searchlight Battalion) USA. Their headquarters was at Debdon Gardens in Newcastle (HER 5559). Many of the searchlight sites were used as low security POW camps after the American troops left, accommodating the prisoners who were working on local farms. Until radar was invented, searchlights were the only means by which aimed anti-aircraft fire and fighter interception were possible at night. The searchlights forced the enemy aircraft to fly higher, thus reducing their bombing accuracy. They also guided disabled allied aircraft back to base. During WW1 searchlights were emplaced to defend London and other vulnerable points. In 1916 a searchlight belt was established 25 miles inland from Sussex to Northumberland. In WW2 almost the whole country was covered in a grid of searchlights. A searchlight site would comprise of a circular earthwork around 9.14m in diameter for a 90cm light, a predictor emplacement, at least one light anti aircraft machine gun pit and a number of huts for the detachment and generator. These sites only generally survive as crop marks, unless the huts or foundations survive {"20th Century Defences in Britain, An Introductory Guide", 1995, Handbook of The Defence of Britain Project}.

This drill hall was the headquarters for A Battery during the 225th Anti Aircraft Artillery (Searchlight Battalion) USA's stay in Newcastle in 1944. It was later the HQ for the Territorial Army searchlight units. It is still a TA centre today. The main building (although much altered) and rear garages survive.

Searchlight Battery. A Second World War searchlight battery is visible as earthworks and structures on air photographs. No surface features are visible on the latest 1988 Ordnance Survey vertical photography. During WW2 many of the Tyneside searchlights were manned by the 225th Anti Aircraft Artillery (Searchlight Battalion) USA. Their headquarters was at Debdon Gardens in Newcastle (HER 5559). Many of the searchlight sites were used as low security POW camps after the American troops left, accommodating the prisoners who were working on local farms. Until radar was invented, searchlights were the only means by which aimed anti-aircraft fire and fighter interception were possible at night. The searchlights forced the enemy aircraft to fly higher, thus reducing their bombing accuracy. They also guided disabled allied aircraft back to base. During WW1 searchlights were emplaced to defend London and other vulnerable points. In 1916 a searchlight belt was established 25 miles inland from Sussex to Northumberland. In WW2 almost the whole country was covered in a grid of searchlights. A searchlight site would comprise of a circular earthwork around 9.14m in diameter for a 90cm light, a predictor emplacement, at least one light anti aircraft machine gun pit and a number of huts for the detachment and generator. These sites only generally survive as crop marks, unless the huts or foundations survive {"20th Century Defences in Britain, An Introductory Guide", 1995, Handbook of The Defence of Britain Project}.

Barrage Balloon - in Backhouse Park - these were first used in WW1. They forced enemy aircraft to fly high, preventing an easier target for fighters and anti-aircrafts gunners and reducing the accuracy of bombing. Barrage balloons were either positioned around the perimeter of large vulnerable points or were "field sited" - moored over a circular area. They were an RAF responsibility. Equipment was usually mobile and based on lorries. Today the main evidence of their siting on the ground will be a ring of cylindrical concrete tethering blocks. Regional Balloon Centres, which acted as headquarters for the balloon units and storage depots had two unique buildings - a balloon shed or balloon hangar, where the balloons could be test inflated, and the balloon storage shed with gantries over each of its four doors.

Barrage Balloon - these were first used in WW1. They forced enemy aircraft to fly high, preventing an easier target for fighters and anti-aircrafts gunners and reducing the accuracy of bombing. Barrage balloons were either positioned around the perimeter of large vulnerable points or were "field sited" - moored over a circular area. They were an RAF responsibility. Equipment was usually mobile and based on lorries. Today the main evidence of their siting on the ground will be a ring of cylindrical concrete tethering blocks. Regional Balloon Centres, which acted as headquarters for the balloon units and storage depots had two unique buildings - a balloon shed or balloon hangar, where the balloons could be test inflated, and the balloon storage shed with gantries over each of its four doors.