cabin was centrally situated on the upper floor from which place he overlooked the Tote on the far wall.5 In front of this was the General Situations Map table and the smaller Fighter table, both of which were manned by plotters. Behind, almost against the back wall, was the Tote which stretched from floor to ceiling. On this was displayed, for viewing through the tilted internal windows of the control positions, the whole air picture as far as 210 SU was concerned. This included the tracks and altitude of relevant aircraft, airfield states, readiness states, duty Squadrons, serviceability, call-signs, radio frequencies, weather information, and much else (including the cricket score!). The Chief Controller, the Operations Officer, and others were thus able to see all the available information. It was updated continuously.
The Tote operators worked from galleries behind the Tote, from which they could change the display. In the corner behind the Tote was a small table at which a volunteer signwriter sat when altering or making new indicator boards. There always seemed to be a good signwriter available among the Airmen even though this post was not on the Establishment.
The Chief Controller, as well as having the full radar picture on a console in his cabin, had, via his switchboard (usually manned by his Ops 'B') contact with the rest rooms and all cabins and facilities throughout the bunker, as well as the domestic site switchboard. He had direct lines to neighbouring radar stations at Rothwesten (USAF), Brockzetel (near Jever), and Üdem (near Goch on the Dutch border), and, of course, to Group HQ. The communication system was designed so that almost any facility within the bunker could be 'patched' through to almost any other, or to Group and elsewhere. The site operated in the 'Zulu' time zone and all colour clocks displayed this.
Each of the four fighter control cabins had two separate sets of radar displays, comprising PPIs and height displays, so that two control teams could operate in each, giving a maximum capacity of eight control positions on the site. Each cabin crew (one per controller) was in the charge of an NCO who monitored the activities of: the Craig computer/plotting board operator, the height finder, the log-keeper who recorded all transmissions between the Fighter Controller and the aircraft in abbreviated longhand, and the controller's assistant. The latter sat at his own screen alongside the cabin switchboard, radio channel selector, and squawk box connected to the Chief Controller. All the cabin crew, save usually for the NCO in charge and the fighter plotter, were connected by the same audio network and wore head and breast sets with single earpieces. The Fighter Controller spoke to the aircraft via a snake's head microphone and transmit switch on his Type 64 control console. There was also, during exceptionally busy periods, a supernumerary Airman who could take over any of the tasks when relief was required. On each PPI was superimposed an electrically lit video map showing all places within radar range, as heretofore described when discussing the mobile operating cabins of 537 SU, but at Auenhausen the range and coverage were far greater.
As can be gathered from the foregoing, there was a mass of electrical wiring connecting all aspects of power supply, radio and radar signals, and communications. This wiring was carried in underfloor ducts throughout the bunker. The floors all had varnished wooden removable panels for access to a deep mezzanine area through which the wiring was laid. Air-conditioning and cooling trunking was mostly placed overhead. The heat from the equipment racks could be considerable as each contained access drawers full of thermionic valves. If the chillers and air-conditioning failed, as it did once in my experience, as much equipment as possible had to be shut down to prevent too great a build-up of heat and stagnant air. Fortunately, in this one instance, the problem lasted only about half an hour. In that
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5 The Tote was named after the familiar runners and riders display commonly seen at racecourses. It was similarly slatted but was far more complicated.
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