▁it ▁existed ▁until ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁merged ▁with ▁the ▁Admir alty ▁G unn ery ▁Est ab lish ment ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁Admir alty ▁Sur face ▁We ap ons ▁Est ab lish ment ▁its ▁headquarters ▁were ▁located ▁in ▁Has lem ere , ▁Sur rey , ▁England . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁Admir alty ▁Sign al ▁and ▁Rad ar ▁Est ab lish ment ▁began ▁as ▁the ▁Admir alty ▁Ex perimental ▁Department ▁that ▁was ▁set ▁up ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁at ▁H M ▁Sign al ▁School , ▁Port sm outh ▁, ▁to ▁coordinate ▁research ▁work ▁undert aken ▁since ▁ 1 8 9 6 ▁on ▁the ▁Tor ped o ▁School ▁ships ▁HMS ▁Def iance ▁and ▁HMS ▁Vern on . ▁Conc ern ▁had ▁already ▁ar isen ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁as ▁regards ▁the ▁vulner ability ▁of ▁the ▁Sign al ▁School ▁to ▁Luft wa ffe ▁bomb ing , ▁but ▁a ▁ra id ▁in ▁the ▁aut umn ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁brought ▁matters ▁to ▁a ▁head , ▁and ▁the ▁move ▁was ▁initi ated . ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁the ▁Ex perimental ▁Department ▁was ▁renamed ▁the ▁Admir alty ▁Sign al ▁Est ab lish ment ▁( ASE ) ▁which , ▁like ▁its ▁prede cess ors , ▁was ▁primarily ▁focused ▁on ▁communic ations . ▁Prem ises ▁were ▁found ▁in ▁Ly the ▁Hill ▁House , ▁Has lem ere , ▁and ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁the ▁A SE ▁became ▁a ▁separate ▁establishment . ▁Bas il ▁Wille tt ▁was