Finally the equipment of
Cpl Stanton arrived, packed
in four packing cases, two
of which were long and
narrow. These contained a
massive tall aerial mast in
tubular sections, which had
to be slotted together. After
erecting it, the whole thing
was to be kept upright by
guy-wires. How could this
be achieved in a flooded
area? Another problem was
the missing of an essential
item for the transmitter, a
plug-in crystal. This was
reported to the Group
Signals Officer. Within a
few days time the plug-in
crystal was on his desk and
safely locked in his safe.
There was no time left to
ask England for something more suitable for the aerial
mast, improvisation became the key word. The solution
was found in a wooden frame of another type of aerial
on which the metal parts had to be fixed. The aerial
itself had to be constructed from material found at the
site. For setting up 'Nelly' an appeal was made on
personnel of 15081 GCI, after all they had experience
with her at Blankenberghe.
On December 10th, the convoy departed from Ghent
for Middelburg and then to Flushing where the equip
ment was loaded in Buffaloes, an amphibious vehicle.
They then continued to Westkapelle. F/L Cliff Chellew
recalls their arrival, which was at low tide, making it
easy to unload the equipment because at high tide the
water reached almost up to the front door of the light
house. At the foot of the tower a small shed was build
in which the generator for the power supply was housed.
The next problem was to take the radar to the top
of the lighthouse. Luckily each floor was provided
with a double trapdoor and all were immediately
above each other. In the topmost room there was a
heavy pulley attached to a girder complete with a rope
and heavy metal hook. In this way 'Nelly' was hoisted
to the top room.
Soon the next problem manifested itself. After all
had arrived safely, the Buffalo convoy was preparing to
return. Around that time
Cpl Stanton asked the Group
Signals Officer if he could
get the plug-in crystal for
his transmitter. It turned out
that it was still in his safe
in Ghent but he promised
to deliver it by air the next
morning.
The VHF aerial for the
radio link with Knoklce air
field was composed by Cpl
Stanton of whip aerials he
had found in armoured
vehicles abandoned in the
streets of Westkapelle after
the November 1 landings.
These were cut into the
correct size, joined together
and then fitted on the
wooden frame which was
then fixed to the steel
cylindrical tower on top of the lighthouse, on a compass
bearing directed towards Knokke.
The radar personnel were also busy setting up 'Nelly'.
The top floor under the platform was designated as
Operations Room. On the platform itself the radar
aerial was set up, camouflaged by a wooden box,
which was put over it. The strict level of security sur
rounding all radar units was unbelievable and even
more so involving the 'Nelly' equipment, which was a
one-off modification. Cpl Stanton also experienced this,
as he was not allowed to enter the Operations Room.
Next morning a small aircraft of the Auster type
appeared with the Group Signals Officer hanging and
waving out of the open passengers door. The aircraft
circled the lighthouse and he then threw out a small
package containing the plug-in crystal. The package,
provided with a long red streamer fell in the water of
the flooded land but was quickly picked up by some
volunteers in a rubber dinghy. As soon as the crystal
was installed, contact with Knoklce airfield was achieved
which was duly toasted with a glass of rum.
Coast watching station
'Nelly' was now operational. The operators worked
shifts of two hours on/two hours off. During their off
duty time they paddled around in an inflatable dinghy
The Westkapelle lighthouse, on the platform the
camouflaged radar-antenna Nelly.
21 Zeeuws Tijdschrift 2004/6-7
