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TAMAR DOWSERS

On Sunday 23rd September 2007 approximately 15 members of the Tamar Dowsers led by Nigel Twinn came to Knightstone Tearooms ( the old Watch Office ) for a visit to the site of R.A.F. Harrowbeer at 14.00 hours, they were to dowse various areas of the old airfield and explore the possibilities of aircraft crashes/incidents, the position and direction of a Somerfeld Track road and to establish whether the PBX (Private Branch Exchange – telephone) was above or below ground, where the entrance was and the positioning of telephone cables.

Somerfeld Track.
Nigel wanted to locate the Somerfeld track, so with the aid of a map of the airfield we set off to an area halfway between Knightstone and Whistley Cottage west of the airfield round the perimeter road.
From here we walked with the rods to find the near edge and then the far edge of runway No.2 ( the runways were taken up during the 1960’s ).
Readings were noted halfway across the runway showing that the edge was there, but this could be due to the fact that the runways having been torn up, some of the edging kerbstones were deposited there.
When the far edge was found ( definitely ) a search was made for the edge of the Somerfeld tracking by walking parallel to the runway. This was easily found and confirmed by residue pieces of metal still in the ground. It was established that the track was three sections wide, each width being ten feet. The track was traced in a west to east direction and followed until it met with runway No 1.

Map showing Somerfeld Track, Runway layout and possible aircraft
crash / incident sites ( shown by dotted circles ) with the PBX  position in
 the top left corner.
In the vicinity of this junction but halfway into the runway signs were recorded showing an incident between a small lorry and an aircraft. The position of the vehicle was found and the rods showed that there were three fatalities but not on site (later). The position of the accident is correct from the story told to me by an eye witness. The record book shows that four people died in the vehicle!!
The aircraft carried on flying, the record book tells us that the aircraft lost its undercarriage, flew on and belly landed on the airfield.

The PBX.
Two members were taken by David Steer (a gentleman who had previously dowsed the area) to locate the PBX and find out what they could regarding its position.
It was confirmed that it was essentially an underground building with the roof being 3 to 4 feet below ground level, the height of the room internally between 6 and 8 feet and the entrance furthest away from the bomb store to the south.  There was a difference of opinion as to whether the building was still intact or had been demolished. Apparently the PBX was manned 24 hours a day by 2 operatives, 5 men employed there working in shifts 2 at a time!! They sat facing the entrance, slightly staggered, not quite side by side, see X’s on the map.

A customer of the Tearooms told me that the PBX was an underground building as he had worked there in 1948. So this fact confirmed the findings.

The dowsers also found traces of cable ducts on the outside , west of the building, in an east/west direction. Also to the north of the rear of the building was a possible air raid shelter and another cable duct in a south-west/north-easterly direction.

PBX  ( Private Branch Telephone Exchange ) at R.A.F. Harrowbeer

 Aircraft Crashes /Incidents.
A third group led by Neville Cole headed off to the end of runway No.2 in the vicinity of the Rock.
The group split into two sections, one explored the end of runway No.2 and west of the perimeter track. The readings they found showed the ‘point of contact’ of an aircraft and led to the east side of the perimeter track. They thought the aircraft type was either a Lancaster or a Blenheim and it had four engines, (the Blenheim only has two engines). The group also had traces of a Spitfire aircraft on the east side of the perimeter track.
The second group concentrated on the end of runway No.2 but on the east side of the perimeter track. They also had readings of a contact point of either a Blenheim or  Lancaster which crashed into a Spitfire or a single engine aircraft resulting in a fire and the loss of life.
It is possible that an aircraft on landing heavily may have bounced over the perimeter track, therefore giving two point of contact !
An incident written in the Station O.R.B. states that on 10/11/1942 a Lancaster in distress came in to land at Harrowbeer, but on landing it over-ran the runway and caused some damage to the aircraft. There were no casualties.

Neville’s group then moved a little way north east along the perimeter track towards the next dispersal pen. Just south of the pen signs were noted of two bombers crashing in the area to the rear of the pen. There were indications of the loss of an engine.
The Station O.R.B. shows that a Halifax aircraft landed in this area with engine trouble. The aircraft over-ran the runway and went through the perimeter fence, across the Plymouth / Tavistock road were it came to a standstill after hitting a boulder which tore out one of the engines.

The group then continued northwards along the perimeter track when some of them read signs that a plane while landing on runway No.1 caught fire near the edge of the north arm of the third dispersal pen.

About a third of the way along runway No.1 some of the group had indications of a water course under the surface, running in a north west to south east direction. Close to the water course on the perimeter track verge is a twisted growing tree which they said can be caused by such a feature.

Halfway along runway No.1 a husband and wife located an aircraft crash site. the aircraft was said to be a Mustang and the date possibly late 1944 but more probably early 1945. Some one died but not the Pilot, he walked away from the crash.
On checking the O.R.B. there was a Mustang that crashed on landing on 12th May 1945. The pilot is not mentioned but the accident resulted in the death of a Leading Aircraftman.

Close to the last dispersal pen heading north east readings were found indicating a railway tunnel under the end of runways No.1 and No.3. This needs further investigation as the direction of travel is different to that of the O.S. map of the area.
(A difference of 90 degrees).

Some of Neville’s group explored the ends and intersection of runways No.1 and No.3 for any aircraft incidents / crashes. They came up with a multi engine aircraft travelling along runway No.1 and a Spitfire or single engine aircraft landing on runway No.3. There was a possible collision within the airfield boundary which resulted in the loss of seven lives.