Marsden Hall was originally a farmhouse which was used as a Headquarters for the 3rd Battalion Durham Light Infantry who were based at South Shields during WW1. It was bought by the Whitburn Coal company and was occupied by John Daglish who was the managing director and chief engineer of the company. He developed it into a much grander building.

During the Second World War it was re-occupied as part of the Cleadon Hill decoy site, this was part of the strategy to lure enemy bombers away from the heavy industries on Tyneside and Wearside. The start of World War 2 saw the army occupying the Hall again with the surrounding fields on Lizard Lane and Cleadon hills being used for anti-aircraft and searchlight batteries as well as a decoy bombing site.

Searchlights in the Tyneside area were manned by men of the Royal Artillery attached to the Northumberland Fusiliers, under the control of fighter command. When the Royal Artillery were posted to the south coast in advance of the D-Day invasion, the US 225th Anti Aircraft Artillery (Searchlight Battalion) took over.

In March 1944 “B” Battery of 225th moved into Marsden Hall and made it their headquarters. The Americans stay at the Hall was just 3 short months. On the 2nd June 1944 just 4 days before the D-Day landings the Americans pulled out and moved south to take part in the invasion of Normandy.

See Blyth Skylighters plaque.

Following the departure of the Americans in 1944 and Hall again lay vacant until 1947.

This information was provided by the Marsden Banner group with thanks.

Copyright © 2013 Marsden Banner Group

For further information see Marsden Hall.