WD Marker - Douglas, Isle of Man
Posted by: 
Mike_bjm
N 54° 08.589 W 004° 28.041
30U E 404149 N 6000443
World War II War Department (“W.D”) Marker on Douglas Head close to the former Douglas Head Hotel (H.M.S. Valkyrie).
Waymark Code: WMX1VG
Location: Isle of Man
Date Posted: 11/14/2017
Views: 1
The War Department Stone Marker No.3 is hiding under a Gorse bush on the site occupied by H.M.S. Valkyrie during World War II.
The Marker is inscribed as follows:
“W ? D
No. 3”
During World War II the Douglas Head Hotel became home to H.M.S. Valkyrie, a radar training school. The School trained approximately 30,000 radar operators before the end of the War.
H.M.S Valkyrie 'trained HO ratings in radar and communications'. It closed in January 1947.
The Hotel was badly damaged by a fire in 1948 and closed. Today, however it has a new lease of life having been converted in to the Douglas Head Apartments complex.
Some of the teaching facilities at H.M.S Valkyrie were in a nearby building which is today known as 'Broadcasting House' and houses the studios of Manx Radio the Islands public service broadcaster.
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Page 259 ‘A New History of the Isle of Man, Volume V, The Modern Period 1830 – 1999’, Edited by John Belchem. (ISBN 0-85323-726-3 Paperback)