Treligga/HMS Vulture 2

[EGDGZTCW]

This was found toward the coastal side of the Treligga area. Would this have been fired from a land based weapon or from an aircrafts ?

[John Anderson]

Would have been ejected from aircraft firing from the Delabole (inland) direction towards targets on the cliff top between Start (pronounced Stert by locals) Point in the north and Tregonnick Tail to the south. I live in the area and my kids used to make a few bob by collecting them for scrap well into the 1990's. No doubt still loads of cartridge cases in the undergrowth, after all the range was in use for about 15 years.

[mawganmad]

...after all the range was in use for about 15 years.

Yes I've seen accounts of Shackletons from Mawgan and Sea Furies from St Merryn using the range.
Was also told that there was a location just of the coast there which was used for RP parctice, would you know where that was?

[PNK]

An RP range was proposed for the north end, extending the exisiting range but I don't know if this was ever built (why do records seem to stop at key points!!!)
The air to ground range also included a Decauville track for target maintenance. In the early Shackleton's I suspect for turret practice the aircraft flew parallel to the target line (did they ever have rear turrets with guns?) and each turret assigned a different target. The later marks had depressable cannons, I believe, so would they have been treated as fixed guns for target practice? At least they didn't have to dive.
Late thought - were the later Shackletons too late for Treligga? The practical side is proving quite interesting but Man flu and a persistant cough that kicks in every ten minutes until I feel dizzy is making me too lazy to check.

[John Anderson]

There are certainly the remains of a heavily used RP target area about 100 metres north of the markers shelter. A rough gorse covered cratered area with several discarded RP's lying around. The targets were apparently made up of sections of rail line in pairs standing vertically in the ground with a canvas sheet strung in between. The rail lines now bent are still there.

From talking to an ex Shackleton aircrew a few years ago, understand the the aircraft were flown parallel to the target line banking towards the targets to allow the dorsal turret to be used! Also think by that time surplus tanks with some sort of automatic scoring system were being used. The odd Comet wheel and bit of tank track still lie around. My wife's uncle recalled Sunderlands using nose guns (fixed and turrets), must have been quite a sight!

[mitrovitchp]

There are two buildings - surrounded by walls and protected with earth mounds (one now demolished) in a field just outside Delabole. If you go along Treligga Downs Road, from West Downs to the Poldark Inn, the field is on the right and the buildings are just inside the gate. Apparently they were staffed by WRENs and had something to do with HMS Vulture 2. Does anyone know what they were used for? I will try and find some photos.

[Carnaby]

Is this it ?
http://goo.gl/maps/talK

[mitrovitchp]

Yes - that's it, or what's left of it - you can just see them behind the gate.

[PNK]

Looking at an early post war shot of Treligga there does appear to be an RP target between the coast and the zig zag path at 50°38'15.86"N, 4°45'58.17"W. The tell tale is a single "L" from one of the corner makers of the rectanguler target area and of course the strike marks.

[mawganmad]

My parents always dragged me out for walks up that way when I was a kid, and I remember them pointing at some rocks by the cliff edge and saying that they were marked as targets for RP practice, but I couldn't say exactly where it is now.

Agree with John, it must have really been something to have seen Shacks and Sunderlands conducting low-level firing excercises.
The mere mention of Gannets loosing of RPs is making me weak at the knees!