Thanks for a great video which brought back memories. In the 1960's I was an Aircraft Radar Engineer stationed at RAF St Mawgan. About 3.30 am one October morning in 1962 the Shackleton aircraft were put on standby and all essential aircraft engineers, including myself, were dragged from our beds and transported in lorries to RAF Trerew. This was of course the Cuban Missile Crisis, when nuclear war was thought to be imminent. The idea was that if the base was destroyed, when the Shackletons returned there would be staff to service them, though if the base was nuked I don't know how they would be able to land anyway! At Trerew, being underground we would hopefully survive any attack. There must have been a lot of preparation beforehand as when we arrived there were bunk beds and cooking facilities already in place. We were issued with anti radiation suits and geiger counters but luckily they were not needed. I am not sure exactly how long we were there but it was several days and nights. I just remember it being very cold, very damp, very smelly and very boring being cooped up in a small underground space.
Wow - great memory. Thanks for sharing. Most people have the sense that the Cuba Missile Crisis happened in some far off place, perhaps due to films like 13 Days, but its reach was global and its impact felt on military bases in Cornwall. I've heard of another Cornish guy who was recalled and holed up in Mount Wise for the duration. Glad you survived intact and glad you enjoyed my video.
My Uncle used to lease the farm the Radar station was on ...His name was Tom Pascoe..I used to go rabbiting there as a young boy with his terrier dogs.This was mid 1960s. I can remember going into the radar setup which was under the mount it was open then and still had alot of old radar equipment in there anyway the last time i visited the site in about 1968 The cows had got in there and there was cow shit every where and the place really stunk.
My father had some sort of connection with Trerew.. He was a GPO man and had a lot to do with Teleprinters which may be relevant. He tried to get me to climb one of the "Eiffel Tower" type structures with him which resulted in me having no head for heights ever since! Unfortunately he never talked about his work much although he was very proud of being in charge of the Newquay telephone exchange in Hillgrove Road before moving to Truro as a GPO Inspector.. I used to cut the grass there (and at the Perranporth exchange)!
Thanks for sharing the memories. Back then, commitments like signing the Official Secrets Act were honoured and you "kept mum". Was your father's work at Trerew during WW2 when it was a radar station or in the Cold War when it was a ROTOR site?
@@PhilsTeleTime Probably only the latter when it was a ROTOR site. What dad was up to during the war is subject to some speculation! He was in a reserved occupation and seemed to spend a lot of time at St Mawgan, St Eval and St Merryn.
Am here in a roundabout way - 1964 (aged 6) I went on Holiday to Pleasure Haven (now Rose Cliston camp site). Original accommodation huts utilised. A spur-moment Google that I ended up here after my searches. 1st I found an old Ad for Pleasure Haven 'as was' Also a listing noting the sale of the WAAF Trerew site in 1961 to Pleasure Haven. I Googled WAAF Trerew and found link to a BING sat image of site & then cross-ref'd Google Maps. I then used identifiable features from the AD to ID camp site!
The building across the main road was a transmitter block the transmitter aerials were also over that side of the road the block plan shown was the main receiver building and the secondary receiver block was to its left towards Newquay and on the corner near the Farm where we used to get our milk for tea and coffee , We had a civilian technician who lived in the next village , his name was Mr Henshaw Dan I was working as a radar mechanic there from late 1955 until February 1957. I have a photo of a Parade in the domestic site which I will forward when I can find it........SAC P.D Reed.
Quote from the land owners son: "I should knock you out" Keep in mind although its no crime to trespass, the land owners will act violent towards you. Especially if you make it clear you wont listen to them. I would reccomend printing and laminated some legal documents explaining your rights, to hand to them to avoid violence. Real shame the land owners wont provide easy access, signpost, provide contact numbers or anything of the sort. Just wait to ambush you with loose threats. Great bit of history here, will say I wish scum wouldnt fill these places with empty beer cans and junk. PM if interested in updated photos.
Sadly in this day and age landowners fear being sued if someone should injure themselves so it's easier to be hostile and keep everyone off. I find a gentle approach, a polite manner, an explanation of what I'd like to do, working on the basis I take nothing but photographs & I leave nothing but footprints, gets me into most places. Some farmers have shown a real interest in the history on their land and I've enjoyed tea & cake in the kitchen at several places! Others, because of the mess created as you indicate, are scared of setting a precedent and raising interest levels that they don't have the time nor the desire to police. Respecting their wishes and using a zoom lens from the many public footpaths that often give a suitable vantage point has been my solution in those kind of places. Photographing the domestic site in this video from the road is just one example. For the record, trespass in England & Wales is a civil offence not a criminal one but is still an offence.
@@PhilsTeleTime understandable Phil and thanks for the advice. Occupiers Liability Act is a bitch but the landowner hasnt signposted at all. Your land cant be dangerous but neither should you! Unfortunately I would only sue for assualt, not the fact I cut my leg whilst on their land, the the hostility actually near pushed the landowner to commit a crime. You could clarify some points for me. Althouth tresspass is an offence the only course of action would be court orders and myself and my friend are straight up leaving if asked to. They could sue, if they make a case that we have financially benefitted from their loss, right? My fear about asking permission to cross a field is if denied, my access becomes an easier civil case to lose, one might ever make an arguemnt for aggravated tresspass if I do it. If I travel 50 miles to see what should be a well preserved bit of british history I am going to damn well see it, no matter what some red-faced, inheritance-tax loathing, tory boy threatens me with.
I once came across a farmer who took several of his workers and had a picnic on the front lawn of the person who kept trespassing on his land. They got the point after that! If there are no public rights of way then you have no right to be there without permission - history or not.
I was stationed in trerew in 1954 a great experience and made many friends
We used to play in there all the time as kids
Thanks for a great video which brought back memories.
In the 1960's I was an Aircraft Radar Engineer stationed at RAF St Mawgan.
About 3.30 am one October morning in 1962 the Shackleton aircraft were put on standby and all essential aircraft engineers, including myself, were dragged from our beds and transported in lorries to RAF Trerew.
This was of course the Cuban Missile Crisis, when nuclear war was thought to be imminent.
The idea was that if the base was destroyed, when the Shackletons returned there would be staff to service them, though if the base was nuked I don't know how they would be able to land anyway! At Trerew, being underground we would hopefully survive any attack.
There must have been a lot of preparation beforehand as when we arrived there were bunk beds and cooking facilities already in place.
We were issued with anti radiation suits and geiger counters but luckily they were not needed.
I am not sure exactly how long we were there but it was several days and nights. I just remember it being very cold, very damp, very smelly and very boring being cooped up in a small underground space.
Wow - great memory. Thanks for sharing. Most people have the sense that the Cuba Missile Crisis happened in some far off place, perhaps due to films like 13 Days, but its reach was global and its impact felt on military bases in Cornwall. I've heard of another Cornish guy who was recalled and holed up in Mount Wise for the duration. Glad you survived intact and glad you enjoyed my video.
My Uncle used to lease the farm the Radar station was on ...His name was Tom Pascoe..I used to go rabbiting there as a young boy with his terrier dogs.This was mid 1960s. I can remember going into the radar setup which was under the mount it was open then and still had alot of old radar equipment in there anyway the last time i visited the site in about 1968 The cows had got in there and there was cow shit every where and the place really stunk.
My father had some sort of connection with Trerew.. He was a GPO man and had a lot to do with Teleprinters which may be relevant. He tried to get me to climb one of the "Eiffel Tower" type structures with him which resulted in me having no head for heights ever since! Unfortunately he never talked about his work much although he was very proud of being in charge of the Newquay telephone exchange in Hillgrove Road before moving to Truro as a GPO Inspector.. I used to cut the grass there (and at the Perranporth exchange)!
Thanks for sharing the memories. Back then, commitments like signing the Official Secrets Act were honoured and you "kept mum". Was your father's work at Trerew during WW2 when it was a radar station or in the Cold War when it was a ROTOR site?
@@PhilsTeleTime Probably only the latter when it was a ROTOR site. What dad was up to during the war is subject to some speculation! He was in a reserved occupation and seemed to spend a lot of time at St Mawgan, St Eval and St Merryn.
Intriguing.
Thanks Phil, another goody.
What a truely fantastic video thanks for sharing.
Am here in a roundabout way - 1964 (aged 6) I went on Holiday to Pleasure Haven (now Rose Cliston camp site). Original accommodation huts utilised. A spur-moment Google that I ended up here after my searches. 1st I found an old Ad for Pleasure Haven 'as was' Also a listing noting the sale of the WAAF Trerew site in 1961 to Pleasure Haven. I Googled WAAF Trerew and found link to a BING sat image of site & then cross-ref'd Google Maps. I then used identifiable features from the AD to ID camp site!
The building across the main road was a transmitter block the transmitter aerials were also over that side of the road the block plan shown was the main receiver building and the secondary receiver block was to its left towards Newquay and on the corner near the Farm where we used to get our milk for tea and coffee , We had a civilian technician who lived in the next village , his name was Mr Henshaw Dan I was working as a radar mechanic there from late 1955 until February 1957. I have a photo of a Parade in the domestic site which I will forward when I can find it........SAC P.D Reed.
+Phillip Reed Many thanks for sharing your memories and giving the details on what's what. I hope you can find the photo - would be great to see it.
+Phillip Reed How does one post a picture to you I have found the Picture from the domestic site in Trerew outside the armoury.
+Phillip Reed Send it to philhad_uk @ yahoo. co. uk without the spaces.
great vid, did you visit the large third bunker over the road?
11.23 powerhouse
Quote from the land owners son:
"I should knock you out"
Keep in mind although its no crime to trespass, the land owners will act violent towards you. Especially if you make it clear you wont listen to them. I would reccomend printing and laminated some legal documents explaining your rights, to hand to them to avoid violence.
Real shame the land owners wont provide easy access, signpost, provide contact numbers or anything of the sort. Just wait to ambush you with loose threats. Great bit of history here, will say I wish scum wouldnt fill these places with empty beer cans and junk.
PM if interested in updated photos.
Sadly in this day and age landowners fear being sued if someone should injure themselves so it's easier to be hostile and keep everyone off. I find a gentle approach, a polite manner, an explanation of what I'd like to do, working on the basis I take nothing but photographs & I leave nothing but footprints, gets me into most places. Some farmers have shown a real interest in the history on their land and I've enjoyed tea & cake in the kitchen at several places! Others, because of the mess created as you indicate, are scared of setting a precedent and raising interest levels that they don't have the time nor the desire to police. Respecting their wishes and using a zoom lens from the many public footpaths that often give a suitable vantage point has been my solution in those kind of places. Photographing the domestic site in this video from the road is just one example.
For the record, trespass in England & Wales is a civil offence not a criminal one but is still an offence.
@@PhilsTeleTime understandable Phil and thanks for the advice. Occupiers Liability Act is a bitch but the landowner hasnt signposted at all. Your land cant be dangerous but neither should you! Unfortunately I would only sue for assualt, not the fact I cut my leg whilst on their land, the the hostility actually near pushed the landowner to commit a crime.
You could clarify some points for me. Althouth tresspass is an offence the only course of action would be court orders and myself and my friend are straight up leaving if asked to. They could sue, if they make a case that we have financially benefitted from their loss, right?
My fear about asking permission to cross a field is if denied, my access becomes an easier civil case to lose, one might ever make an arguemnt for aggravated tresspass if I do it. If I travel 50 miles to see what should be a well preserved bit of british history I am going to damn well see it, no matter what some red-faced, inheritance-tax loathing, tory boy threatens me with.
I once came across a farmer who took several of his workers and had a picnic on the front lawn of the person who kept trespassing on his land. They got the point after that!
If there are no public rights of way then you have no right to be there without permission - history or not.