91Èȱ¬

Cirencester born Bryan Bennett was partly responsible for transmitting the news that war in Europe was over.

As a 16-year-old boy, Bryan worked on a large transmitting station on Rampisham Down, Dorset. It was one of the main 91Èȱ¬ World Service transmitter sites.

In 1939, the 91Èȱ¬ obtained land and built the transmitting station known as Overseas Extension 3 (OSE3). Inside it was equipped with four Marconi type SWB 18, 100 kW short-wave transmitters. Sitting at two transmitters in a big hall it was Bryan’s (and other 16 to 18 year old boys’) job to monitor the output of the station and change the frequency accordingly.

Most often the programmes were in English but sometimes, and especially overnight, foreign broadcasts came from overseas. Rarely was there a problem with transmission, but if the signal was lost the frequency had to be changed or the aerial reworked.

Bryan’s lodgings were in Bridport, a 20-minute journey away from OSE3. The boys worked a seven day shift of days, evenings or nights.

On VE Day, Bryan remembers working the day shift and hearing the peace treaty papers being signed. This was being broadcast to radios in people’s homes across the county. The transmission went ahead without any technical difficulties.

The boys knew the end of the war was imminent so there was no moment of jubilation or celebration. For Bryan it was work as usual, although he does remember having a sneaky pint in a crowded local pub.

Image: Rampisham Down Transmitting Station (1961)

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