2019

SH4460 : Operation Sandcastle slipway and assembly area (1)

taken 5 years ago, 3 km from Llanfaglan, Gwynedd, Wales

Operation Sandcastle slipway and assembly area (1)
Operation Sandcastle slipway and assembly area (1)
The remains of the slipway opposite Fort Belan Dock that enabled the loading of chemical weapons bombs onto landing craft during the mid-1950s. The concrete filled oil drums are presumed to have been the tying-up points for landing craft. In the far distance to the left of the furthest brick structure was the concrete hard standing that was the assembly area for the bombs prior to their loading.

"Operation Sandcastle" was a military operation in the mid-1950s to dispose of captured German chemical weapons bombs that had been stored at RAF Llandwrog since 1946. By the mid-1950s stored bombs on the airfield containing the lethal nerve agent Tabun began leaking, prompting the authorities to act by implementing Operation Sandcastle, a military operation to dispose of the chemical munitions. A concrete slipway and assembly area was constructed opposite Fort Belan Dock, and a service road was built to connect the site with the airfield storage area at RAF Llandwrog. Landing craft at the slipway were loaded with the bombs that were transported up to Scotland and transferred to a number of obsolete vessels. These old ships were then sailed out to the north west of Ireland where they were scuttled by Royal Navy personnel, sending bombs and ships to the bottom of very deep water.

SH4460 : Operation Sandcastle slipway and assembly area (2)

Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Mike Searle and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Geographical Context: Coastal Historic sites and artefacts Construction, Development Docks, Harbours Defence, Military other tags: Operation Sandcastle Click a tag, to view other nearby images.
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
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SH4460, 43 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Mike Searle   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Tuesday, 18 June, 2019   (more nearby)
Submitted
Sunday, 7 July, 2019
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SH 44374 60653 [1m precision]
WGS84: 53:7.2166N 4:19.6192W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SH 4437 6065
View Direction
WEST (about 270 degrees)
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Image Type (about): geograph 
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