Reigate Hill Instation

Location
Reigate Hill, Surrey
Type
Instation
Call sign
Harston 0
Up station
Special Duties Personnel
Role Name Posted from Until
Operator Second Subaltern Heather Pauline Bell (Miss) 17 Jun 1943 20 Jul 1944
Operator Second Subaltern Phyllis Michelle Browne (Miss) 1943 20 Jul 1944
Operator Second Subaltern Florence Margaret Cole (Miss) 1944 20 Jul 1944
Operator Second Subaltern Hiliary Graham Graham (Miss) 1942 1943
Operator Second Subaltern Ann Lettice Valborg Gunter (Miss) 1943 20 Jul 1944
Operator Second Subaltern Edna Iris Prudence Gwynne (Miss) 01 Nov 1943 21 May 1944
Operator Second Subaltern Olga Elizabeth Jensen (Miss) 27 Jun 1942 20 Jul 1944
Operator Second Subaltern June Isabelle Pearce (Mrs) 13 Jan 1943 20 Jul 1944
Operator Second Subaltern Enid Mary Thompson (Miss) 21 Sep 1941 20 Jul 1944
Operator Second Subaltern Isobel Doris White (Mrs) 1942 Jan 1943
Station description

The station was in use from at least June 1942 until stand down. There was a large underground complex built at the top of Reigate Hill as a Divisional Command bunker. It's commanding position was well suited to be in contact with the wireless stations further south and meant relatively long links to outstations were possible. It opened prior to the closure of the Sussex Zero Stations and may have initially received messages relayed by them. In stations did sometimes pick up other transmissions over longer distances than intended, and perhaps they learnt that they could receive the Sussex outstation signals as well direct, and thereby would reduce the delay caused by re-transmission.

Unlike any of the other stations, it appears likely that Auxiliary Units moved into an existing complex. This was built from brick and concrete with multiple underground rooms in a roughly semicircular layout. It also had obvious above ground protected entrance doorways which weren't disguised, though somewhat concealed in woodland. The complex was accessible until the 1980s when the entrances were sealed.

No accounts from Auxiliary Units Operators survive describing what the facilities they used at Reigate looked like. It is possible that they simply used an above ground "Met Hut" most of the time.

Beatrice Temple visited many times and on 15 June 1943 she noted she visited a "new hut" and it was later described as "very grand". This suggests there were at least two huts used at Reigate.

Station accessibility
The OB site is publicly accessible
Station Status
Largely intact
Map Location

Reigate Hill Instation

References
www.surreyhills.org/could-there-have-been-a-secret-wartime-communications-facility-on-reigate-hill/ (obsolete link) 

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/reigate-hill-and-gatton-park/features/…

http://www.surreylife.co.uk/out-about/places/a-military-mystery-at-reig…

www.reigatehistory.co.uk/churchill.htm (obsolete link) 

https://www.jordanheights.org/history

www.thebestof.co.uk/local/reigate/community-hub/blog/view/things-you-never-knew-about-reigate-by-sue-fenton-of-f-words (obsolete link) 
www.reigatehistory.co.uk/Tunnels.html (obsolete link) 

Grace Filby

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/5595479.prudences-secret-army/