D-DAY SECRETS

A few years ago we were guests at a wedding and reception at Bylaugh Hall, near East Dereham, an occasion which also afforded an opportunity to stroll around the adjoining countryside. Not having visited the location before it came as a surprise to see the amount of World War Two paraphenalia still there, rotting gently in the sunshine. There were military buildings and trenches, and amid the trees the ragged skeletons of dozens of old Nissen huts and assorted constructions which, in their prime, must have been places of great activity.
I was left with two impressions: (a) that a lot of people were stationed there during the War, and (b) the place must have been tightly guarded and protected. Beyond that, its 1940s history was unknown to me. When I spoke to one of the staff about it at the time of the wedding, she said proudly, 'They do say General Eisenhower came here during the War.' Really? It was that important a place? Yes, it was. In fact, Bylaugh Hall was hugely important, particularly for its contribution to the D-Day landings effort.  
In 1943 Basil Embry, the Acting Air Vice-Marshal, was transferred to the newly formed Second Tactical Air Force, with its Group HQ at Bylaugh, and given the job of carrying out air operations related to Operation Overlord. Together with Group Senior Air Staff Officer David Atcherley they planned precision attacks in enemy territory and even flew together on a number of occasions. Then in January, 1944 (until December, 1945) Bylaugh Hall was handed over to No. 100 Bomber Support Group (motto: Coufound and Destroy).
It was now a very hush-hush place indeed, and the importance of 100 Group can be judged in the way it 'acquired' a network of local airfields and bases, including West Raynham, Great Massingham, Foulsham, North Creake, Swannington, Sculthorpe, Little Snoring, Oulton and Swanton Morley. Bylaugh was also connected to Bomber Command HQ and to 80 Wing, various British and American squadrons, and even Bletchley Park.
So what did they do? The Group's main duties were radio countermeasures, the investigation of enemy radar and radio equipment, and the jamming or interruption of enemy wireless, radar, navigational and control systems using, among other things, large amounts of Window - metallic-backed paper strips.
Flying many aircraft types including the Halifax, Fortress, Liberator, Stirling, Mosquito, Beaufighter and Wellington, they also used Mandrel jammers, Carpet transmitters to jam night-fighter radars, Tinsel and Jostle to jam radio systems, and Pipeback transmitters to confuse interception radars. In fact, from December, 1943, through to the end of WW2, aircraft from 100 Group flew 16,740 sorties, their efforts saving many lives.
Communications aircraft were mainly based at Swanton Morley, a few miles from Bylaugh, but it is said that a few small light aircraft actually operated from a tiny airstrip in Bylaugh Park, close to the hall.
Of course, the Group did not escape without losses. For example, two Fortresses were lost, one at Oulton and another at Foulsham; several Halifax bombers crashed, at Foulsham, Ryburgh and North Creake; a Wellington plunged into a field at Wood Dalling; and in 1944 alone some 25 Mosquitos were wrecked or damaged at places as diverse as Great Dunham, Swannington, Clenchwarton and Syderstone.
Because of its vital and significant contribution to the War effort, and to the D-Day landings, it is thus a very great pity Bylaugh Hall did not even receive a mention during the various programmes and ceremonies which marked the 70th anniversary of Overlord.