Michael Historyman Sculthorp-Wright 6th July 2013. RAF Chapel Carn Brae. It is a year since this project began. I had found as much as I could about RAF Carn Brae as I could but had not visited the site until today. A very hot July day (24C).Parking on the National Trust car park at the foot of the hill. We began our climb. Fortunately for me, my disabled scoot was more than capable of carrying me to the top. The track from the car park to the summit is very well metaled with small stone consistent with war time construction. A little over half way up on the left are the remains of two hut bases and concrete evidence to the right. This side of the hill is the Eastern side and would be hidden from the sea direction. I understand from local knowledge that generators were sited on what is now the car park and cables ran to the site above. The summit opens to a flat plateau which has a lantern (fire) tower and a mounted plaque with pointer directions. To either side of the plaque are two concrete pads consistent with the cables used to hold down the radar cabins in such an open aspect with winter gales. This point of the plateau gives unobstructed view from the Lizard Point and North towards St Ives. Also I found the remains of another brick built building 20-30 yards to the rear of the scanner location. Perhaps a control room or the like.This site K169 established in 1943 was equipped with the highly secret metric radar (K) nicknamed Katy. This radar formed the Extra Low aspect of Chain Home Extra Low (CHEL). As the radar was able to detect shipping some thirty miles to seaward and required reporting to Admiralty. Three WRNS operators were to share the site with the WAAF operators. All where billeted in the WAAF Block, at Sennen Cove. It is known that the Radar dish (3-4 ft in diameter) was still on the Carn having been taken down and played with by local children in the early 1950’s, remains may still be among the gorse. The two huts to the left of the path were also still in existence in the early 50’s. I will be visiting the site with an eye witness. James found some very thick glass with lens circles ground into it’s surface. The lens is consistent with that of a searchlight lens or a signal lamp, type similar to the ones used on RN ships. The latter is possible given the WRNS employed here or the comments that a searchlight was located here to direct lost aircraft (Flaging) to nearby airfields
Posted on: Mon, 08 Jul 2013 15:06:28 +0000
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