Posted by Dave W on July 13, 2000 at 21:51:49 from dewaller.demon.co.uk:
In Reply to: Re: Those Searchlights posted by David McNeill on July 13, 2000 at 17:01:52:
Your explanation of the "search lights" is certainly rather intriguing. My understanding is that AR did actually himself sail across to Holland in 1936 as part of his research for the book. He certainly mentions details for the Harwich and Felixstowe region which I took to be authentic for the mid 30s, such as the seaplanes at Felixstowe and sighting the "tall wireless masts at Bawdsey" which could have been part of the "Chain Home" radar system being developed by Watson Watt and co at Bawdsey around 1935 - '37.
I wonder though, if AR was describing what he knew to actually be a lighthouse, would he have referred it as a searchlight?
To me the description he gives :"two faint beams swung across the sky..." reads as though he had seen this himself and interpreted as being searchlights, although I agree that your explanation seems to fit extremely well.