Fantastci NEW? site for raf airfields and their exploration…

Thanks indeed for than Jonathan. Wonderful bit of social history there and well down for taking the trouble to record such memories. Often we leave such stories unrecorded until it’s too late, but thankfully not in this case!

I just dug this out. It was posted on uk.rec.subterrenea a couple of years ago, but may be of interest to some.

Jonathan

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Hi,
My Grandparents farmed Merrion farm from the late 1940’s until the late
1980’s. The St. Twynnells site was build on their land. My Grandmother
recently jotted down what she remembers about the site. I have just
finished typing it up. If anyone has any questions for her I will be
happy to pass them on. If you want to send me anything, send it to:

Jonathan
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A wartime radar or radio station was on the east side of the fence of
the 1950’s radar station. This wartime building had a wooden tower with
scanner , and nissen huts etc.
The St. Twynnels social hall was one of the RAF buildings on this site.
There is a concrete block in the ground near the social hall with an
iron ring. This was where a barrage baloon was tethered.
My parents had two RAF wireless opperators billeted with us at East
Orielton Farm. Orielton Manor, was a field center housing most of the
staff and the WAFF came from Pembroke Dock. The officer commanding the
site was Squadron Leader McCay (Not sure about the Spelling). This
wartime site I understand was working in conjunction with another at
Kiton Hills near what is now an MOD observation tower at Warren. There
were several dugouts that seemed to be operational underground.

In the early 1950’s the present concrete building was built. Main
contractors were R. M. Douglas, Swansea. Engineer in charge was Mr Ray
Milnes, Swansea who later became a director of R. M. Douglas.
About a third of this building was underground. The walls were heavily
reiforced with steel rods, and built to withstand a nuclear attack,
massive air fans, water filters, generators etc.
Water, electricity and telephone lines came from three different
directions in case one was disabled by attack. My best memory is that
becca equipment was installed but became obselete before is became
opperational, this was replaced by marconi equipment this too was
obselete soon after. My husband remebers seeing teleprinters operating
in communication with the regions. The radar station was guarded by
alsation dogs and tight security was observed. RAF personal were
stationed at Pembroke Dock.

To the north on the other side of the road from the concrete building a
new building and a new scanner were built. This had a metal tower (I do
not remember if this was errected at the same period as the new building
or if it had been there before).
We were told that the 200′ high tower was one of the very early radar
masts and that some old films and news reals show them being attacked by
the Germans. I went to see this mast being demolished by experts. It did
not go to plan, and after several attempts it toppled into our field.
This site is now a private home :- Landfall, North lanes, St. Twynnells.
After the site was closed I understood the staff operating were
transfered to east blockhouse, Angle.

I dont think so, but I can check. I know my Gran has some pictures of aircraft that used what is now Castle Martin AFC range for a summer camp some time between the wars. I shall try and get a copy.

Jonathan

Jonathan,

Thanks, it’s not useless at all, but very interesting. I don’t suppose you or yoru grandparents have any photos of the Rotor period station during the 1950s or, even better, of the wartime CHL which was very close by? I know it’s a bit of a long shot, but I’d be very interested in any such images.

Incidentally, I have a copy of the Occurrence Book from March 1953 to April 1954. There are too many pages to reproduce them here, but one incident caught my eye: on the night of 24/25 July 1953 22 feet of 3-core cable, weighing 22 cwt, went missing. The loss was reported by Mr Strong of Marconi, one of the contractors working on site. None of your grandparent’s neighbours happen to have a lot of cable lying around do they? 😉

Hi all,
A bit of useless trivia, but this ROTOR site was on my Grandparents farm. Yet somehow I have never been inside :(.

http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/sites/s/st_twynells/

Jonathan

Turned out they were part of the Chain Low radar system!

Well … yes and no. Dunnet Head was originally built for the Admiralty and was the naval equivalent of CHL, known as CDU or Coast Defence U-boat, and was primarily intended to watch for U-boats attempting to break out the North Sea. The station remained in naval hands until 1943 when it was handed over to the RAF. This photo was taken in, I think, 1965 and shows one of the naval Sub-Lieutenants who commanded the station standing next to one of the original brick huts for the radar. For further details, watch our for my forthcoming book. 😉

I found it a while ago when I was trying to find out the use of an cluster of WW11 vintage buildings at Dunnet Head. Turned out they were part of the Chain Low radar system! It is a very nice place to visit if you find yourself in that part of the world, great views over to Orkney.

There’s a lot more there than just airfields. The Sub Brit site includes various elements of the command and control organisation, civil defence, etc.