Station IX facts for kids

Station IX was a super-secret British factory during World War II. It was part of the Special Operations Executive (SOE), a group that helped resistance fighters in countries taken over by the enemy. At Station IX, clever scientists and engineers made special weapons and equipment that were often hidden or very quiet. Two famous inventions from this secret place were the tiny Welbike motorcycle for paratroopers and the Welrod, a special quiet pistol.

A Secret Workshop for Special Missions

Station IX had a very important job: to create and build secret tools for the SOE. These tools helped agents and resistance groups working secretly in countries taken over by enemy forces in Europe. It was one of many similar workshops and labs across England.

The person in charge was Lieutenant Colonel John Dolphin. The main scientist was Professor D.M. Newitt. They led secret projects that included military vehicles, special equipment, explosives, and ways to hide things (like camouflage). They even looked into biological and chemical warfare, but always for defense.

This secret base was located at a large house called "The Frythe". It was about an hour's drive north of London, near the town of Welwyn. Before the war, it was a fancy hotel. But in August 1939, the British military took it over. In the gardens, small cabins and barracks were turned into labs and workshops. The place was heavily guarded. The people who worked there included civilian scientists and skilled workers, along with military staff from the army, navy, and air force. Everyone wore their own uniforms and badges, but they were all part of this top-secret team.

Cool Inventions from Station IX

All the special machines and gadgets made by Station IX at Welwyn had "Wel-" at the start of their names. John Dolphin helped create the Welbike and the Welman submarine. He also led the team that developed the Welfreighter.

One of the most creative engineers at Station IX was Major H. Q. A. Reeves. He invented both the Welrod and the Sleevegun. He also helped design a silencer for the Sten gun, special night sights that glowed, the Welgun, and the Welbum. All these inventions were officially credited to the right people after the war ended.

Here are some of the cool inventions from Station IX:

• Welrod – This was a simple pistol with a built-in silencer. It was designed to be very quiet for secret missions by special forces and resistance fighters.
• Sleeve gun – This was a clever device that could hide a small gun under a long coat sleeve. When needed, the gun would slide out so the user could grab it and fire.
• Welgun – A basic submachine gun that was designed to be simple to make and not too expensive.
• Normgun – This was an earlier idea for the Welgun, but it was too costly to make many of them.
• Welbike – A very small, single-seat motorcycle. It was designed to be dropped from planes with paratroopers, so they could move quickly on the ground.
• Motorised Submersible Canoe – This was an open, small underwater boat for one person. It allowed a single frogman (underwater diver) to go on secret missions to gather information or carry out sabotage.
• Welman submarine – A tiny British midget submarine for one person. It was designed to attack enemy ships.
• Welfreighter – Another midget submarine, but this one was used to secretly drop off agents and supplies behind enemy lines.
• Welbum – This was a device to help parachutists who landed in water. It was a streamlined metal container with an electric motor and battery inside. It strapped to a swimmer's back and could travel silently for 2 miles underwater.

See also

• Directorate of Miscellaneous Weapons Development
• MD1