and even created a fishing rod, with which they tried in
vain to fill their rations. In accordance with the health
warning declared by the Group Medical Officer, the radar
personnel was replaced after two weeks time. However
for Cpl Stanton, who did not belong to the radar unit,
there was no relief and he was to stay in the lighthouse
up to January 8, 1945. Among the new crew were Cpl
Geoffrey Coucke, radar mechanic and LAC Cyril Gooding.
Both were members of 15081 GCI and had been involved
in the set up of'Nelly' at Blankenberghe.
On December 16 the last German offensive in the
west begun which is known as the 'Battle of the Bulge'
with the final objective being Antwerp. In connection
with this offensive Cpl Stanton recalls that instead of
the BBC the only news they could receive at Westkapelle
were the German propaganda broadcasts in which it
was announced that 'German troops were near the
Belgian coast at Knocker'. From records it appears
that the Royal Navy was very satisfied with the results
achieved by 'Nelly' at Westkapelle and it was decided
to give her the permanent status of'coast watching
station'. Not long after this assessment, around mid
January 1945, the technicians of 15081 GCI were relieved
by 55053 Mobile Signals Unit which unit would operate
'Nelly' till the end of the war.
About a month later another portable radar arrived
on Walcheren which was set up in the dunes at
Oostkapelle code-named 'Paddy'. The purpose of this
radar was to extend the aircraft cover to the north or
the northern approaches to the Scheldt. This would
extend the range of the Mosquito night fighter control
and enable Coastal Command aircraft, operating from
Knokke airfield, to be controlled on their patrols north
of Walcheren. 'Paddy' was in touch with 15081 GCI at
De Haan by wireless and through a landline with
'Nelly' at Westkapelle lighthouse. At the time 'Paddy'
was set up Royal Navy radar, which had been on top of
Blankenberghe Casino, was taken over by AMES 66001
(Air Ministry Experimental Station) another radar unit
of 85 Group. This radar had been operational as of
January 1945. These radar units, 15081 GCI, 'Nelly',
'Paddy' and AMES 66001 together were responsible
for the radar cover of the Scheldt Estuary, a task they
would perform up to the end of the war.
Protecting the Scheldt River
Unfortunately there are no logs or other war diaries
available of these radar units through the Public Record
Office in London. However reports of 85 Group relating
to the radar cover contain sufficient details to get a good
impression of the radar defence of the mouth of the
Scheldt River. In one such report the interception of
German E-boats at Oostende is described which
happened on December 22, 1944. These E-boats were
en route to the convoy route but were picked up by the
coast watcher radar of 15081 GCI and tracked. Radar
plots passed resulted in the sinking of three of the
enemy craft.
Six Mosquito night fighter squadrons were based
in northern France and were operating under the GCI
stations deployed in Belgium and southern Holland,
with the purpose to direct them to any targets tracked.
Coastal Command had taken possession of Knokke
airfield as of December 14 where No. 119 Squadron
and No. 819 (FAA) Squadron were based. The first
mentioned flew the Albacore and the latter the
Swordfish, both biplanes. They operated under 15081
GCI. The Swordfish had an open cockpit which was
not the most pleasant place to stay for a very long
time. Especially during the cold winter of 1944/45.
S/Lt Murray Hayes, pilot in No. 819 (FAA) Squadron
recalls that he wore five layers of clothing, which was
completed, with a scarf of about three metres long,
which he wrapped around his head. Due to the low
speed of the Swordfish it was ideal for tracking midget
submarines and surface vessels like E-boats; although
these aircraft were already obsolete before the war
started, they were fitted with the latest radar equipment.
As soon as the enemy was detected they could attack
with depth charges or conventional bombs. A real
handicap was their primitive aiming method as a
result of which they achieved less against the E-boats.
Though the midget submarines were easier targets
and several of them were sunk. They were of greater
22 Zeeuws Tijdschrift 2004/6-7
