Page 1
Postage to a UK address is free
1
HISTORY OF THE NORTH FORELAND LOOK OUT POST 1915-19
About Christmas 1915 the Admiralty, who were then responsible for the air defence of these Islands, decided that Look Out Posts should be established round the South East Coast to act as "eyes" for Anti Aircraft Defences, London.
Captain Stansfeld R.N.Officer Commanding the London AA Defences offered Mr. E. S. Oak-Rhind charge of one of these Look Out Posts to be established at North Foreland.
This offer Mr. Oak-Rhind accepted & enrolled as crew two other local men both of whom possessed useful sea knowledge.
The initial crew were enrolled in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, AA Corps & were rated as follows;-
E. S. Oak-Rhind. Chief Petty Officer in charge.
S. Boucher. Able seaman.
W. N. Haggard. Able seaman.
watch being kept from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset - so little did the authorities anticipate attack after dark.
The first day's watch commenced in the compound of The North Foreland W/T, on the 3rd January 1915 & under the most depressing conditions.
Later in the day the Look Out Post was transferred to H. M. Coastguard Station, Ramsgate where proper facilities were to be found for such Look Out.
The initial decision to place the Look Out at North Foreland was correct as it at once became the landfall for attacking craft & it was not for some long time that Mr. Oak-Rhind could pursuade the authorities to make the obvious provision for the Look Out to be once more at North Foreland.
Late in April 1915 the authorities had come to the conclusion that watch must be kept day & night & for this purpose Mr. Oak-Rhind enrolled M. B. Hughes to form the fourth member of his little crew.
From the 29th April 1915 until early in 1919 a continuous watch was kept by this Look Out Post.
From H. M. Coastguard Station Ramsgate watch was kept from the public promenade with such privacy as could be obtained in such a place. At best it was a poor position as the engines of trains, trams, motors & the like were audible from many directions & made the certain detection of aircraft engines the more difficult.
A great advantage however accrued from being attached to such a Station as the Watch Room of the Station was in effect a telephone exchange for all naval signals-which embraced all air signals relative to the waters.
This information was of the greatest assistance to The Look Out-& when in addition the Watch Room was in direct telephonic communication with the North Goodwin Light Vessel from which much advance information came its advantages outweighed its disadvantages.
Whilst stationed at H. M. Coastguard Station Ramsgate the Look Out Post was in direct telephonic communication with AA Admiralty London & early in 1916, when the Army took over the air defence of the country from, the Admiralty, with Home Forces, London.
Shortly after an additional direct telephone was attached to The Westgate Seaplane Base.
The handling of our signals by the AA Admiralty staff was excellent but it took some considerable while before Westgate could train an efficient staff.
Upon the Army taking over defence early in 1916 the question arose as to whom the Look Out Post should be attached-the Army or Westgate Seaplane Base?
Finally it was decided that we should be attached to Westgate & so came under the Command of The Commander in Chief, The Nore & locally under the command of Wing Commander Peel Ross, Officer Commanding H. M. Seaplane Base, Westgate.
Commander Ross most wisely moved the Look Out Post to The North Foreland Lighthouse from the gallery of which a commanding look out was obtained. The telephonic conditions were excellent-hostile reporting being especially efficient.
|