The Experimental Section Royal Engineers, formed by the War Office in 1917 to develop searchlights, became in 1918 the Searchlight Experimental Establishment and then in 1924 the Air Defence Experimental Establishment. Its interests were extended to cover acoustical devices and gun sound ranging and, from 1936, radar. It was situated at Biggin Hill until it moved to Christchurch in 1939.
In 1939 the Ministry of Supply took over the Air Defence Experimental Establishment. This became the Air Defence Research and Development Establishment in 1941 and the Radar Research and Development Establishment in 1944. In 1942 it moved from Christchurch to Malvern.
The Air Ministry set up a radar research station in Orfordness in 1935 which was transferred to Bawdsey Manor in 1936. At the outbreak of war in 1939 it moved to Dundee and became known as the Air Ministry Research Establishment. In May 1940 it was moved to Worth Matravers and in the same month was passed to the control of the Ministry of Aircraft Production. In October 1940 it was renamed the Telecommunication Research Establishment. In 1946 it was passed to the Ministry of Supply
In 1953 the Telecommunications Research Establishment and Radar Research and Development Establishment were merged and the two establishments became the Radar Research Establishment, subsequently renamed the Royal Radar Establishment.
In 1959 control of the establishment passed to the Ministry of Aviation. When the Ministry of Aviation was abolished in February 1967 responsibility for the establishment was passed to the Ministry of Technology, in 1970 it was passed to the Ministry of Aviation Supply and in 1971 to the Ministry of Defence. In 1976 the Royal Radar Establishment was dissolved with some of its responsibilities passing to the Royal Aircraft Establishment and others to the newly formed Royal Signals and Radar Establishment.
