# Station IX > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Station_IX > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Station_IX.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Station_IX > Source revision: 1343749433 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|British military equipment factory}} {{for|Station IX of [Stations of the Cross](/source/Stations_of_the_Cross) in Jerusalem|Via Dolorosa}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} '''Station IX''' (formerly known as the '''Inter-Services Research Bureau''') was a secret British [Special Operations Executive](/source/Special_Operations_Executive) factory making special weapons and equipment during [World War II](/source/World_War_II). The small [Welbike](/source/Welbike) paratrooper's motorcycle and the [Welrod](/source/Welrod) assassination weapon were both products of the station. ==Overview== Station IX was responsible for the development and production of weapons for the SOE, which supported agents and cells of resistance throughout occupied Europe. It was one of [several similar workshops and laboratories](/source/List_of_SOE_establishments) throughout England. Under its commanding officer Lt. Colonel [John Dolphin](/source/John_Dolphin), and Chief of Scientific Research, Professor [D.M. Newitt](/source/Dudley_Maurice_Newitt), secret research included military vehicles and equipment, explosives and technical sabotage, [camouflage](/source/camouflage), [biological](/source/Biological_warfare) and [chemical warfare](/source/chemical_warfare). It was situated at a mansion called "[The Frythe](/source/The_Frythe)" about an hour's drive north from London near the village of [Welwyn](/source/Welwyn). This had been an exclusive hotel but was commandeered in August 1939 by the British [Directorate of Military Intelligence](/source/Directorate_of_Military_Intelligence_(United_Kingdom)). In the grounds, small cabins and barracks functioned as laboratories and workshops.{{cite web |url=http://www.timelapse.dk/soe.php |title=S.O.E. |website=Timelapse |access-date=2009-04-25}} Heavily guarded, the personnel included civilian scientists and craftsmen, (who like Dolphin received "war service" military rank) and military personnel from all three services, who all wore their own regimental badges and uniform.{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/14/a2096714.shtml |title=The War Years: Memories of Inter Services Research Bureau |date=1 December 2003 |website=BBC People's War |access-date=2009-04-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110211235543/http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/14/a2096714.shtml |archive-date=2011-02-11}} ==Inventions== All machines developed for the SOE by Station IX at Welwyn were given prefix "Wel-".{{cite web |url=http://home.earthlink.net/~flyboyken/id15.html |title=WWII Welbikes |website=Fly Boy Ken |access-date=2009-04-26 |archive-date=6 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170606032444/http://home.earthlink.net/~flyboyken/id15.html |url-status=dead}} Dolphin was responsible for the [Welbike](/source/Welbike) and [Welman submarine](/source/Welman_submarine) and led the development of the [Welfreighter](/source/Welfreighter). One of the most productive and creative engineers attached to Station IX was [Major H. Q. A. Reeves](/source/Hugh_Reeves) who invented both the [Welrod](/source/Welrod) and the Sleevegun. He was also, among others, behind the silencer for the [Sten gun](/source/Sten_gun), fluorescent night sights, the Welgun and the Welbum. This was made clear in a document that was produced at the end of the war to ensure that the correct people were credited for their inventions.{{cite book |last1=Boyce |first1=Fredric |last2=Everett |first2=Douglas |name-list-style=amp |date=2003 |title=SOE: The Scientific Secrets |publisher=[Sutton Publishing](/source/Sutton_Publishing) |isbn=978-0-75093-165-6}} * [Welrod](/source/Welrod) – a simplified pistol with a built-in [silencer](/source/suppressor), designed as an assassination weapon for use by [irregular](/source/Irregular_military) forces and [resistance](/source/Resistance_movement) groups.{{cite journal |last=Flutter |first=Mark Murray |title=The Welrod .32 silent pistol |journal=Arms & Armour |volume=19 |issue=1 |date=30 May 2022 |issn=1741-6124 |doi=10.1080/17416124.2022.2063625 |pages=92–115 |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17416124.2022.2063625 |access-date=5 February 2026|url-access=subscription }} * [Welwand sleeve gun](/source/Welwand_sleeve_gun) - a device attached to the forearm concealing a small firearm under a long-sleeved coat or jacket.{{cite journal |last=Flutter |first=Mark Murray |title=The Welrod .32 silent pistol |journal=Arms & Armour |volume=19 |issue=1 |date=30 May 2022 |issn=1741-6124 |doi=10.1080/17416124.2022.2063625 |pages=92–115 |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17416124.2022.2063625 |access-date=5 February 2026|url-access=subscription }} * [Welgun](/source/BSA_Welgun) – a basic [submachine gun](/source/submachine_gun) designed to be simple and cost-effective * Normgun – the predecessor of the Welgun, rejected as being too expensive for mass-production * [Welbike](/source/Welbike) – a small single-seat [motorcycle](/source/motorcycle) designed to be air-dropped for use by paratroops * [Motorised Submersible Canoe](/source/Motorised_Submersible_Canoe) - an open submersible enabling a single [frogman](/source/frogman) to carry out [clandestine](/source/Clandestine_operation) [reconnaissance](/source/reconnaissance) or [sabotage](/source/sabotage) missions * [Welman submarine](/source/Welman_submarine) – a one-man British [midget submarine](/source/midget_submarine) designed for [attacks](/source/Military_strike) against enemy vessels. * [Welfreighter](/source/Welfreighter) - a [midget submarine](/source/midget_submarine) developed for the purpose of landing and supplying agents behind enemy lines. * Welbum - a device to provide motive power for parachutists who were dropped into water. It consisted of a streamlined metal container with an electric motor and battery inside which was harnessed to the back of the swimmer. Driven by a screw, it would travel silently for 2 miles at 2 knots.{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/new_releases_feb2002_SOE_recs.pdf |title= Special Operations Executive Records Release |date=8 February 2002 |website=[The National Archives](/source/The_National_Archives_(United_Kingdom)) |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051025020900/http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/new_releases_feb2002_SOE_recs.pdf |archive-date=2005-10-25}} ==See also== * [Directorate of Miscellaneous Weapons Development](/source/Directorate_of_Miscellaneous_Weapons_Development) * [MD1](/source/MD1) ==References== {{Reflist}} == External links == * {{cite web |url=http://dudleynewitt.weebly.com |title=Biography of Professor Dudley Maurice Newitt, 1894-1980 |website=dudleynewitt.weebly.com}} Director of Scientific Research, SOE. {{Station IX devices}} {{coord|51|49|12|N|0|13|24|W|region:GB|display=title}} Category:Military history of Hertfordshire Category:Research institutes in Hertfordshire Category:Special Operations Executive --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Station IX](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Station_IX) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Station_IX?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.