Telecommunications Research Establishment (T.R.E)
The development of radar in the UK was initiated by the Tizard Committee on Air Defence in 1935. In 1935 the first experimental radar transmitter was erected at Orfordness on the East Anglia coast, east of Ipswich. In 1936 the small research group moved to nearby Bawdsey Manor, and it became known as BRS (Bawdsey Research Station). This was the central research group for RAF applications of radar, expanding over the years, changing its name three times and changing its location three times. At the start of the war, in September 1939, it moved to Dundee on the east coast of Scotland. In May 1940 it moved to Worth Matravers near Swanage, Dorset, on the south coast. Around May 1942 it moved to Malvern, near Worcester in the West Midlands, where it took over Malvern College. On the move to Dundee its name was changed to AMRE (Air Ministry Research Establishment), then it became MAPRE (Ministry of Aircraft Production Research Establishment), and finally in November 1940 it became TRE (Telecommunications Research Establishment).
The Air Defence Research and Development Establishment, ADRDE, also moved to Malvern, and TRE and ADRDE (renamed Radar Research and Development Establishment in 1944) were amalgamated in 1953 to form the Radar Research Establishment, RRE, renamed the Royal Radar Establishment in 1957.
Further mergers, reorganisations and renamings took place from 1976, and it became part of DERA (1995), the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. This has now (2001) split into QinetiQ and dstl, the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory.