Artwork commemorating the invention of radar has been unveiled weeks before the nation prepares to honour the Greatest Generation. The one-tonne monument in the Port of Dover, overlooked by the iconic White Cliffs, is inspired by the acoustic sound mirrors that lined England’s south coast in the 1930s and served as a predecessor to the crucial technology.
Artist Martin Barraud told the Express: “I wanted to create an artwork that interpreted those mirrors and thought about listening and was something that would remind people about those that didn’t come home and those that we need to look after today.” The 3m x 3m art installation is made out of corten steel which will change in tone as it rusts over the coming months, with it expected to have rich golden colour come the summer. It also amplifies noise like the original acoustic sound mirrors which enabled enemy aircraft to be heard before they were spotted.
“It’s an interactive artwork,” Mr Barraud explained. “I want people to knock on it, to feel it, to speak to it. If you speak to it from a couple of feet, you can be heard 20 feet away. It really works.”
Sound mirrors were an important precursor to radar which played a critical role in the Battle of Britain in 1940 as British pilots who became known as ‘The Few’ who stopped Germany’s seemingly unstoppable advance through Europe.
It marked Nazi Germany’s first major military defeat of the Second World War and was seen as a turning point as it prevented Adolf Hitler from launching an invasion of Britain.
The artwork, known as ‘Echoes’, was unveiled on Wednesday by the Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI) as part of the charity’s commemorations for next month’s 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day and 90th anniversary of radar.
Former British Army chief and patron of the charity Lord Dannatt said: “This year we are commemorating the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day and that victory came about at least in part because of the development of radar.
“These fantastic dishes, one of which is behind me, were the early origins of radar sitting there on the White Cliffs, listening out for the sound of approaching aircraft. That was really the thought behind the technology that became radar.
“Here in Kent, The Few could be scrambled to make sure that our skies were protected. That was all part and parcel of what became, ultimately, by May 8 1945 Victory in Europe.”
The dish of the sculpture includes the poignant silhouettes of soldiers which the charity uses as a symbol of sacrifice and service.
Former soldier and Labour MP for Dover Mike Tapp said it is an “honour and a privilege” to have the artwork in the town.
He explained military history is “well and truly ingrained” in his constituency, in particular in Dover which has been “that first line of defence of the United Kingdom” in previous conflicts.
The artwork, by the Clock Tower Square and Marina Curve, is free to visit and will remain in place throughout the summer before moving to another location within the Dover harbour area.
The unveiling comes as the RBLI launches its VE Day Tommy campaign which aims to fund 100 new homes for veterans.
It follows a 45% increase in requests and referrals for the charity’s emergency veteran accommodation.