and Seehund and a small surface vessel Linsen that
carried two explosive motorboats. The Luftwaffe operated
with Junker 88 bombers to lay mines in the convoy
channel. The battle which developed dragged on till
the end of the war.
Ground Control Interception
To counter this threat, RAF 85 Group, 2nd Tactical Air
Force set up mobile radar stations along the Belgian
coast. The first, 15081 GCI, arrived by mid September
at De Haan. The letters 'GCI' stand for: Ground Control
Interception or detecting aircraft from the ground and
direct own interception aircraft to the target with the
aim to destroy the enemy aircraft. The radar unit was
equipped with four radars: a height finder, a general
search radar, one for ship watching, and another one
set on the German radar frequency. The ship watching
radar was ideal for tracking of German E-boats. All
were set up in the dunes at De Haan with a general
range of 50 - 60 miles.
Radar equipment as mentioned above needed high
ground to get adequate cover. However, the only
natural heights in the low-lying country of the Scheldt
are dunes besides artificial heights such as church
towers, water towers and lighthouses. Other problems
faced were the radar sets, which were bulky and there
fore unsuitable to set up on high buildings, and besides,
they had to be transported by truck making it impossible
to deploy them on flooded Walcheren. The solution to
the problem would be a mobile and portable radar
and which was found in aircraft interception radar
normally installed in night fighter aircraft.
The idea to use this type of radar for surface watching
was first projected early September by 85 Group. 15081
GCI was also part of this Group. The first trials were
carried out near Le Havre and proved successful where
after the radar set received further modifications. At
the end of September it was moved to Blankenberghe
where it was set up on top of the Casino. The experi
mental radar received the code-name 'Nelly' and was
operated by personnel of 15081 GCI. The results achieved
at Blankenberge were considered by the Royal Navy to
be very valuable and in at least one case plots passed
from this equipment led to Naval action in which E-boats
were sunk. One of the members of the radar crew, LAC
Cyril Gooding, radar operator, recalls the site very well.
'As there were still German troops at Zeebrugge, who
every now and then lobbed a shell in our direction, I
had to cross the flat roof, bent low, to keep out of their
sight.'
As soon as the Scheldt Estuary was made safe for
shipping after the clearance of Walcheren, it became
necessary to provide some radar cover over the
Estuary from Walcheren. The urgency and need for
such cover is already presented on November 1 when
F/L Cliff Chellew, technical officer of 15081 GCI, landed
at Westkapelle with orders to determine if Westkapelle
lighthouse could be used as a radar site.
The lighthouse has a height of 54 metres and is
therefore an ideal location to set up radar. Inside the
tower are several floors, which can only be reached via
a stone spiral staircase. On top of the lighthouse is a
platform, within the centre a steel cylindrical tower of
several floors with on top the light.
Once the Germans occupants have surrendered at
the lighthouse, F/L Chellew moved in and took all the
details, the width of the stairs, number of stairs and if
the radar could be taken to the top. After his return in
De Haan he reported that the tower was suitable.
Another two recconaissance trips followed by staff
officers of the RAF and at the end of November offi
cers of the Royal Navy joined them. The object is to
find a location for 'Nelly'. The Navy was most interes
ted in the Westkapelle site.
Equipping the Westkapelle lighthouse
Meanwhile in the 85 Group headquarters in Ghent
preparations for the operation had started. Around mid-
November Cpl Mervyn Stanton, wireless mechanic of
5215H MSU received orders to report at 85 Group Head
quarters where he was told he was to provide a VHF
radio link with Knocke airfield during a secret radar
operation in Holland. All necessary equipment was to
be specially prepared and sent from England and would
arrive at Ghent. During the period he was awaiting the
arrival of the equipment it became clear to him that
the whole thing was still being thought out and syste
matically developed. Before committing radar personnel
to occupy the place, the Group Signals Officer and the
Medical Officer of 85 Group had flown over the area
to examine the conditions at Westkapelle lighthouse.
The Medical Officer first pronounced the flooded site
as a health risk, not suitable for a stay of more than two
days, or at most a week. By the time the operation was
started he had changed his opinion to, 'no personnel
must stay longer than two weeks in any one visit'.
20 Zeeuws Tijdschrift 2004/6-7
