Mablethorpe Offshore Structure

[Trevor S]

Marine.jpg

Good morning all,

The above attachment would appear to solve the puzzle.

Again contacted the Editor of the Mablethorpe Leader and he advised that he had had numerous responses to my letter and had thought I had access to his newspaper. He sent me the above attachment.

If you check to the left of the youth and under his outstretched hand, you will observe what appears to be very dilapidated timber wall. I believe that is the remains of what would be the side walls of the structure and tallies with my recollections of "The upper structure is best described as a garden shed; flat roof and made of wood or metal although I would gamble on it being of a timber construction."

As to the youth and others being able to access the structure at low tide, my recollections are always of the structure being out at sea. This may be put down to the fact of never going north along the beach at low tide (unlikely) or, it was NNW/NW of our position on the beach; at the point where a wide and deep water channel flowed into the sea and prevented us going any further north. Although the coast line would have changed in 55 years, a check on Google will show a large size water channel crossing the beach some 5 kms north of the Golden Sands Caravan Park where we use to stay. The curvature of the coast line to the left (NW) at the point where the water channel crossed the beach would have given an impression of the structure being out at sea; particularly to a youngster with no knowledge of the geography of the land.

The photograph supplied by the reader of the Mablethorpe Leader further reinforces my theory that the structures shown in the photographs contained within the link -
http://WWW.raf-lincolnshire.info/the...ddlethorpe.htm are one and the same. I believe that I am correct in my presumption that the wooden superstructures were later replaced by the metal pyramids atop the support legs as per the above link.

I have photographs of myself as a youngster at Mablethorpe, including at the Golden Sands caravan park and, as most parents did in those days, they are dated on the rear. These photographs are dated from 1948 to 1956. It would therefore be safe to say that I was exploring the beach and viewing the structures some time in the mid 50s (54-56) and the wooden superstructures were at that stage somewhat more solid and intact than in the photograph in the Mablethorpe Leader.

I am happy that this is the answer and that my memory is still good. Thankyou to everybody who assisted me in this regard and if I ever get a response to my e-mails to the Lincolnshire Wildlife Society and the Seal Sanctuary; I will post the replies if they are of any relevance.

Thanks.

Trevor

Got another question regarding RAF Newton (USAF bombers and men in white coats in bunkers). Which thread for that one please??

[PETERTHEEATER]

Thanks for the update Trevor and glad that you have found an answer. I shall leave PNK to remark on the bombing target details and location.

Got another question regarding RAF Newton (USAF bombers and men in white coats in bunkers). Which thread for that one please??

The NEWTON topic is here:

http://www.airfieldinformationexchan...ghlight=newton

[Trevor S]

Thanks PETERTHEEATER. I guess PNK will have to start looking at his aerial photographs again.

[PNK]

I'm afraid I had difficulty reading the text of the article but form the photo it looks like a standard post war triangular pile target. The superstructure may have been a U-Boat or ship version rather than the pyramid. Only Aerial photos will confirm this I suspect.

The range markers, to my knowledge were a set of three pyramids arranged in an triangle with the longest sides pointing to the target. They were not targets themselves. Originally 10ft square pyramids, two yellow, one red, they were set on four piles and were only used for the RP or Gun firing. They were a late war addition and post-war the pyramids were made much larger and and all became yellow. Presumably the size increase matched the speed increase in aircraft. I have not found reference to these not being pyramids (yet?).

I must admit I did play around with a very unconvincing triangualr target in Google Sketchup to see how it might look from a distance but the drawing quality made this impossible.

Trevor, as you say, back to the aerial photos and with the date window it should make things easier. I have some free time next week so I might get around to overlaying various plans and plotting the area where your recollections put the structure.