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Old 17th Apr 2017, 07:08
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ORAC
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
 
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Later discovered that the mis-identification Army/RAF was a deliberate ploy.
IIRC this was in part to ensure the safety of those serving at CRP Bushops Court. The IRA saw the enemy as the army and left them alone. It was eventually mortared in 1989 but, it was rumoured, the local IRA phoned and apologised claiming it was a mistake; however the risk was seen to have increased and it closed shortly after.

The CRP reported to CRC Boulder where I was serving at the time. We went one morning and couldn't get an answer on any of the landlines or by BT, so reported it to HQ11Gp who said they'd investigate. They called back shortly after to say it had closed the previous night. Speaking to those who where there at the time the closure was kept secret to ensure the safety of those leaving. Numbers were gradually reduced and equipment moved out and, at the end of the last shift, they padlocked the doors and gates and just drove away without telling anyone else in the AD system.

SACEUR and his staff were reportedly less than impressed. As part of the NATO AD chain the U.K. was required to monitor the approaches to the perimeter and initially claimed that that the civil radar feeds now being fed in provided a replacement - until it was pointed out those in NI/Eire were SSR only. At which point the U.K. was pointedly told to fulfill its responsibility - at which stage 144 SU stood up at Ty Croes in Anglesey in 91 as a replacement with a mobile radar until the politics were sorted out.
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