Portishead Radio

From Calm Seas to the Eye of a Storm!

Portishead Radio, otherwise known as Burnham W/T, was the premier Post Office Radio Station in the UK if not in the world, from its establishment in 1927 until its closure on 30th April, 2000. The actual station was situation at Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, but it universally took its name from the location of the prominent radio masts situated on a hill at Portishead, Somerset. All long-distance telegrams and other communications to and from merchant ships passed through Portishead Radio, and consequently there was a stream of activity day and night.

Because in time of war the Admiralty would assume control of all British merchant ships, necessitating the control of all radio transmissions to and from the United Kingdom, a contingent of Naval wireless operators was maintained at the station under the command of a Lieutenant (RNVR), the senior rating being a Chief PO Telegraphist (RNR), supported by a number of telegraphists and leading telegraphists from the fleet.

There were, of course, no barracks, and the junior ratings were accommodated in civilian digs, paid for by the Navy, living as one of the family. These families volunteered to accommodate us, no mean commitment since watch-keeping duties meant that at times when on the overnight watch we would be asleep during the day.

For those of us who relished the operating part of a telegraphist's job it was a plum draft, and I was fortunate enough to be posted to Portishead Radio in 1956, a draft that was to have some consequences for my future career in the Navy.

Once familiarised with the receivers, the tuning controls (we could select the particular aerial(s) to give the best signal, and the administration system, we spent our time scanning our particular frequency band for ships trying to contact Portishead from the farthest corners of the world. Navy telegraphist and civilian wireless operators sent and received the signals without distinction and at was quite exciting to work the Queen Mary (call sign GBTT) or the Queen Elisabeth (call sign GBSS) whose powerful transmitters blasted their way through all interference. It was a privilege to send and receive telegrams from some of the most famous people, such as Winston Churchill, Prince Rainier of Monaco and Grace Kelly, his bride to be, when dignitaries tended to use the great liners when crossing the Atlantic. Some telegrams were in code.

Portishead Radio's principal call-sign was GKA, but a different call-sign was used for the different frequency bands, for example, (if my memory is correct) GKV (6 megacycles), GKN (8 megacycles), GKL (12 megacycles) as well as others whose particular call-sign and frequency band I cannot now recall. I used to spend a lot of my time during the day on GKV and on the higher frequencies during the night, when changes in the ionosphere demanded a higher frequency of transmission from ships in distant parts of the world. It was always a thrill to pick up a faint signal from the other side of the world... I was in my element! It was a period of doing what I loved doing without drill, divisions, mess-deck cleaning, or PO's... a period of relative tranquillity and calm throughout the summer months.

More information about Portishead Radio is to be found at this excellent website: http://www.gka.btinternet.co.uk/history.htm and also at http://coastradio.intco.biz/uk/long-range/27-war.htm although some of the links in the latter are not visible. There is also site showing the various Morse keys introduced at various times at http://www.morsemad.com/marine.htm

I stayed in the home of Mr & Mrs H Robbins, at 226 Burham Road, Burnham-on-Sea (pictured on the left) where also lived her daughter Pam and the sister of Mrs Robbins, whose name I am unable to remember. I shared a room with 'Bagsie' Baker (Peter J), who subsequently shared a draft with me to the Ark Royal. It was also at Portishead Radio that I first met my friend and spiritual mentor, Willie Brown, who was also subsequently drafted to the Ark.

	It was quite an idyllic spring and summer in 1956, with cycle rides in the Somerset countryside, dancing at the local dance hall, ice-creams at Forte's cafe over long conversations and cricket on the green just above the promenade. I tried to locate the green on which we played cricket, but have the feeling it may have been built upon, with a Somerfield store occupying the place. I may be wrong, but if not it is a shame. A picture of this favourite of our haunts, Forte's cafe, which is rather busier now than then, a picture of the beach at Burnham and the Somerfield car park where I think we used to play cricket are shown on the left.

"Causing division between government departments!"

On the 6th September, 1956, an article appeared on the front page of the local newspaper, The Burnham Gazette, reporting on s speech made at the Trades Union Congress in Brighton by the general secretary designate of the Union of Post Office Workers with reference to Burnham W/T, which was, of course a Post Office Radio Station. A transcript of the article is below with a link on the right to a not very good photocopy of a microfiche obtained from the library .

Naval Ratings at Burnham

T.U.C. Reference

Employment of Naval ratings on commercial work at the Post Office Radio Station, Burnham-on-Sea, was mentioned by Mr R. G. Smith, general secretary designate of the Union of Post Office Workers, speaking at the Trades Union Congress at Brighton. “It is bringing about a very difficult atmosphere in our radio service,” he said. “It is bitterly resented by the highly-skilled radio operators, on whom rests the safety of men and ships on the high seas. These men keep a continuous watch on ships’ radio and on them depends the speed with which assistance can be given to vessels in distress. It is essential to have in that service men and women who are conscious that their employers appreciate the importance of the task. The union had no objection to the training of Naval personnel at Burnham but objected to their employment on commercial traffic. We have had to reject any irresponsible approach,” said Mr. Smith, “because that could only be done at the risk of endangering ships at sea. We have therefore tried to be responsible but Ministers do not respond to that attitude.”

He asked the General Council to refer the question to the Parliamentary Labour Party for some idea of Labour policy towards employment of Service personnel on commercial duties. The General Council reported that the Minister of Labour had been approached in June at the request of the Union, and undertook to consult the Post Office and the Admiralty, but a reply was still awaited.

Well I don't know how the others felt but when I read the article it really p****d me off in the navy vernacular of the time! As a skilled radio operator myself (as was every one of the naval contingent hand-picked for Burnham W/T) the blatant political thrust of the comments as reported really annoyed me. So I decided to submit a response... a transcript is given below with a link to a similar microfiche copy on the right. My response appeared in the letters page in the September 13^th 1956 of The Burnham Gazette.

Naval Ratings at Burnham

I feel that this letter must be written in order that readers of your newspaper might not be misled by a report on Page One of September 6^th issue, under the heading “Naval Ratings at Burnham.” * The report was rather derogatory as to the efficiency of Naval Wireless Operators and I must respectfully point out that the standard set by the Royal Navy and the Postmaster General (for a first class certificate), is exactly the same. I should also like to point out to uninformed readers that a continuous watch on radio is also maintained in other parts of the world in the main sea areas, e.g., at Halifax in Nova Scotia, Colombo in Ceylon, Simonstown in South Africa, Singapore, and others, and these are manned entirely by Naval operators. I am sure that readers will realise that a vessel is just as likely to be in distress in areas other than those covered by Burnham Radio Station, and I am convinced that the Royal Navy lives up to its reputation regarding the speed at which assistance is given to such vessels. We do not hear of the highly skilled operators in distant climes, nor do we hear of any resentment from the ships about being worked by Naval Operators. Perhaps the real reasons for wishing Naval ratings away from Burnham are not those as stated by Mr. R. G. Smith. I have heard the whisper that we are supposedly doing civilian operators out of a job. This seems rather strange, as the Radio Station is short of civilian staff and has resorted to the employment of holders of the Postmaster General Second Class certificate which is of a lower standard, as regards operating, than that required by Naval Operators.

What then is the reason? I will leave readers to come to their own conclusion.

Finally, may I say that this letter was written for the benefit of readers only, in whose eyes the quality of Naval Operators might have been lowered.

James D Carr

Acting Leading Tel.

* The report to which our correspondent refers was of a discussion concerning Naval ratings at the Burnham Radio Station at the Trades Union Congress at Brighton. The matter was raised by Mr. R. G. Smith

All hell breaks loose... (as they say!)

I knew my letter would cause a bit of a rumpus but I was not prepared for the onslaught that followed its publication. The day after the publication of the Gazette (or it might have been the same morning), I arrived at the Radio Station and the first thing that caught my attention was a huddle of civilian wireless operators gathered at the control centre around a copy of the newspaper. I overheard someone saying: "Who is this Acting Leading Tel. Carr?" and I think I could sense that I was in for trouble.

In due course the Chief came into the operating room and told me to report to the Officer in Charge which I did and following the usual naval routine it was "off caps" but instead of a charge being read out the Officer in Charge was so beside himself with rage that he was turning the Queens Regulations and Admiralty Instructions back an forth on his desk and saying to me "I will find something to charge me with if it was the last thing I do!" I was "stood down" for the time being while the Officer in Charge and the Chief considered what to do. Clearly they were under pressure from the civilian manager of the Radio Station to take action against this young upstart... it was only shortly before my 21st birthday! As well as the prospect of the matter being brought to the attention of the Postmaster General by the Trade Union and perhaps the sensitive issue being discussed at government level, a number of very senior Naval Officers lived fairly near to Burnham including, I believe, C-in-C Plymouth who is thought to have lived at Brent Knowle and who read the Gazette. No wonder the Officer in Charge was beside himself and I have to say he had my sympathy.

In due course I was brought before the Officer in Charge "off caps" again and the formal charge was read that "contrary to Queen's Regulations and Admiralty Instructions you did unlawfully cause dissention between government departments..." for a moment I thought I was going to be sent to the tower! Again I was "stood down" so that he could consult with senior officers and I had to wait nervously for several days before being called to see him again.

I was called in to see him in due course, and although I again had to "off caps" the change in the atmosphere was remarkable to say the least. Gone was the anger and frustration, gone was the anxiety and a determination to punish me at all costs... instead there was an air of relaxation. The Officer in Charge first of all said to me that what was going to be said in that room was to remain within the four walls and I had not to divulge to anyone the outcome of the meeting (however after 52 years I think it will be ok!!). If any of the civilian staff or colleagues had to ask me I was to reply that I had been punished in accordance with Naval Regulations and that was to be that. He then went on to say that he had to "punish" me, but that I was to be given the lowest form of naval punishment in the book I was to be "admonished"... so there it was... "admonished, on caps". After I had put on my cap I was astonished to see both the Officer in Charge and the Chief grinning from ear to ear... he then went on to say that although I should not have done what I did, however "some people think you have done a b****y fine job!". Clearly I had expressed in my defence of the naval position what the Navy thought, but could not say for political reasons, but which had been approved at very senior level.

Postscript to the Storm

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