What was the Blockhouse Park barrage balloon?

Barrage balloons were used during World War 2 to protect vulnerable and important locations, such as urban areas, factories and military bases.

Flying into the sky from heavy steel cables tethered to concrete blocks or to a winch on a six-wheeled lorry, these balloons prevent enemy aircraft from performing manoeuvers1.

Bombers were forced to fly higher to avoid the risk of striking the balloons or their cables. This also made the planes easier to attack with anti-aircraft guns.

Barrage balloons were huge!

Computer generated model of WWII Barrage Balloon, with person standing on ground for scale

Barrage balloons were 20m long x 9m wide2 – about the size of 4 double-decker buses!

They were filled with 20,000 cubic feet of hydrogen gas and made from a cotton fabric which was rubber-proofed to make it gas-tight, and coated with an aluminium powder to reflect heat3.

Protecting Plymouth

During World War 2, these balloons flew above many of Plymouth’s parks – including Blockhouse Park, Plymouth Hoe, Central Park, Devonport Park & Alexandra Park4.

Photos of 934 Barrage Balloon Squadron trench plaque from oldnautbits.com

The barrage balloon at Blockhouse Park was staffed by No. 934 (County of Devon) Balloon Squadron AAF5. Their HQ was at Beaumont House, Penlee Way in Stoke. The balloon flew at the Blockhouse from 2nd September 1939 until the end of WWII.

Site of Beaumont House & grounds (no longer existing) – near current site of Stoke Damerel Community College. Beaumont House was requisitioned during WW II for military purposes.
Old Scout Hut at Blockhouse Park, near Packing St entrance to the park – previously used by members of the No. 934 Balloon Squadron as their staff quarters. (Not to be confused with Stoke Youth & Community Centre which is still standing in 2024)

The staff used a wooden hut in Blockhouse Park as their staff quarters, which later became a Scout Hut (and was demolished before 2020).

The Barrage Ballon Staff Quarters / Scout Hut building has since been demolished, and the site is now a Community Garden near the Packington Street entrance to Blockhouse Park.

In 2024, we made Barrage Balloon lanterns for our community lantern parade (at the Stoke Village Christmas Tree Lights event) as a creative way to share these histories.

Contributors:

  • Rachel Dobbs
  • Richard Fisher

References:

  1. Jessica Davis (2022 – 2025) RAF Balloon Command. Available online at: https://www.thesecondworldwar.org/western-front-1939-1940/battle-of-britain/raf-balloon-command ↩︎
  2. John Simkin (1997-2020) Barrage Balloons. Available online at: https://spartacus-educational.com/2WWbarrage.htm ↩︎
  3. Alan Chanter (2021) RAF Barrage Balloon. Available online at: https://ww2db.com/weapon.php?q=384 ↩︎
  4. M B Barrass (2001- 2022) Organisational Movements: Mar – Dec 1939 of No 934 (County of Devon) (Balloon) Sqn Personnel and locations. Available online at: https://web.archive.org/web/20220925202857/https://www.rafweb.org/Members%20Pages/Unit%20Details/Squadrons/901-999/No%20934%20Sqn.htm ↩︎
  5. M B Barrass (2001- 2022) No 934 (County of Devon) (Balloon) Sqn Personnel and locations. Available online at : https://www.rafweb.org/Members%20Pages/Unit%20Details/Squadrons/901-999/No%20934%20Sqn.htm ↩︎

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