Operation Sandcastle
Encyclopedia
Operation Sandcastle was a British Ministry of Defence
operation conducted in 1955-56 to dispose of chemical weapons at sea. It was the third of four 'phases' to dispose of unwanted chemical ordnance by the British government.
The British possessed almost 71,000 250 kg bombs filled with tabun
. These had been seized from German ammunition dump
s in the final months of World War II
. A total of 250,000 tons of chemical weapons had been uncovered, the majority were destroyed but stocks of tabun and sarin
were divided between Britain and the United States after discussion, with the Americans taking the sarin. The British transferred their 14,000 tons of ordnance in October 1945, via Hamburg
and Newport
, to temporary storage at the RAF strategic reserve ammunition store at Llanberis
. Longer term facilities were prepared at RAF Llandwrog
, the bombs were to be stored in stacks in the open on the runways of the disused airfield - any leaks would be carried out to sea by prevailing winds. The bombs were taken to Llandwrog
by truck from August 1946 to July 1947.
In July 1947 it was discovered that the bombs were fuze
d and that a number were leaking. At a rate of 500 bombs a week they were defuzed and individually coated in a waxy preservative to seal them. Seventy-two irreparable devices were neutralised on-site by being drained into individual pits filled with caustic soda crystals. Despite the preservative the bombs continued to suffer in the damp Welsh climate and in 1951 twenty-one 'Bellman' hangars were erected on the site to store the bombs. Finally in June 1954 it was decided to dispose of the entire stock as it was, by then, clearly of no military value.
and then a transfer to suitable hulks there for later sinking north-west of Ireland
beyond the continental shelf
. It was intended to process 16,000 bombs in the first attempt in mid-1955.
The work began with the construction of a road between Llandwrog and the nearby port of Fort Belan
where six LCTs were assembled. Loading trials in June indicated only 400 bombs could be loaded on each craft, less than hoped. It was then decided to remove the tail-fins from the bombs to reduce their length, and to pack them in new boxes. This work increased each LCT's load to 800 bombs and by mid-July all 16,000 devices had been safely carried to Cairnryan.
on the Firth of Clyde
preventing the departure of the ocean-going tugboat
Forester.
On 25 July 1955 the SS Empire Claire, SS Forester, and navy escorts Mull and Sir Walter Campbell left Cairnryan, the Empire Claire soon broke down and was taken under tow. They reached the scuttling point (56°30′00"N 12°00′00"W) in the early morning of 27 July but waited until 10.00 hrs for the arrival of an RAF photo-reconnaissance aircraft to observe the operation. The initial two scuttling charges blew and dramatically increased the vessel's starboard list, forcing the use of the emergency charge which opened her stern and caused a rapid sinking, bows up, to a depth of around 2,500 m.
The later sinking went without any problems. MV Vogtland was scuttled on 30 May 1956 at the same site, taking 28,737 bombs with her and on 21 July 1956 the SS Kotka was sunk (at 56°31′00"N 12°05′00"W) with 26,000 bombs, 330 tons of arsenic
and fifty cases of unidentified material.
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
operation conducted in 1955-56 to dispose of chemical weapons at sea. It was the third of four 'phases' to dispose of unwanted chemical ordnance by the British government.
The British possessed almost 71,000 250 kg bombs filled with tabun
Tabun (nerve agent)
Tabun or GA is an extremely toxic chemical substance. It is a clear, colorless, and tasteless liquid with a faint fruity odor. It is classified as a nerve agent because it fatally interferes with normal functioning of the mammalian nervous system...
. These had been seized from German ammunition dump
Ammunition dump
An ammunition dump, ammunition compound, ammunition depot, bomb dump, ammunition supply point or ammo dump, is a military storage facility for live ammunition and explosives....
s in the final months of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. A total of 250,000 tons of chemical weapons had been uncovered, the majority were destroyed but stocks of tabun and sarin
Sarin
Sarin, or GB, is an organophosphorus compound with the formula [2CHO]CH3PF. It is a colorless, odorless liquid, which is used as a chemical weapon. It has been classified as a weapon of mass destruction in UN Resolution 687...
were divided between Britain and the United States after discussion, with the Americans taking the sarin. The British transferred their 14,000 tons of ordnance in October 1945, via Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
and Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
, to temporary storage at the RAF strategic reserve ammunition store at Llanberis
Llanberis
Llanberis is a village in Gwynedd, North Wales, lying on the southern banks of Llyn Padarn in Snowdonia. It takes its name from Saint Peris, an early Welsh saint.According to the United Kingdom Census 2001, the population of Llanberis was 1,954...
. Longer term facilities were prepared at RAF Llandwrog
RAF Llandwrog
RAF Llandwrog was opened in January 1941 as a RAF Bomber Command airfield for training gunners, radio operators and navigators. It was located at Llandwrog, 4 nautical miles southwest of Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales, and it remains in civil operation today as Caernarfon Airport.-World War II:It was...
, the bombs were to be stored in stacks in the open on the runways of the disused airfield - any leaks would be carried out to sea by prevailing winds. The bombs were taken to Llandwrog
Llandwrog
Llandwrog is a village and community in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, most notable for the presence of the headquarters of Welsh record label Sain and the site of Caernarfon Airport...
by truck from August 1946 to July 1947.
In July 1947 it was discovered that the bombs were fuze
Fuze
Fuze Beverage, commercially referred to as just Fuze , is a manufacturer of teas and non-carbonated fruit drinks enriched with vitamins. Currently the brand consists of five vitamin-infused lines: Slenderize, Refresh, Tea, Defensify, and Vitalize...
d and that a number were leaking. At a rate of 500 bombs a week they were defuzed and individually coated in a waxy preservative to seal them. Seventy-two irreparable devices were neutralised on-site by being drained into individual pits filled with caustic soda crystals. Despite the preservative the bombs continued to suffer in the damp Welsh climate and in 1951 twenty-one 'Bellman' hangars were erected on the site to store the bombs. Finally in June 1954 it was decided to dispose of the entire stock as it was, by then, clearly of no military value.
Logistics
Operation Sandcastle was divided into two sections, a sea voyage to CairnryanCairnryan
Cairnryan is a small Scottish village in Dumfries and Galloway on the eastern shore of Loch Ryan. The village has been of vital importance in maritime history.-Ferry Port:...
and then a transfer to suitable hulks there for later sinking north-west of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
beyond the continental shelf
Continental shelf
The continental shelf is the extended perimeter of each continent and associated coastal plain. Much of the shelf was exposed during glacial periods, but is now submerged under relatively shallow seas and gulfs, and was similarly submerged during other interglacial periods. The continental margin,...
. It was intended to process 16,000 bombs in the first attempt in mid-1955.
The work began with the construction of a road between Llandwrog and the nearby port of Fort Belan
Fort Belan
Fort Belan is a coastal fortress in North Wales. It is located opposite Abermenai Point, at the south-western end of the Menai Strait, on the coast of Gwynedd, in the parish of Llanwnda...
where six LCTs were assembled. Loading trials in June indicated only 400 bombs could be loaded on each craft, less than hoped. It was then decided to remove the tail-fins from the bombs to reduce their length, and to pack them in new boxes. This work increased each LCT's load to 800 bombs and by mid-July all 16,000 devices had been safely carried to Cairnryan.
Disposal at sea
The was the first scuttling ship, her loading began in late June and by July 23 all 16,000 bombs were aboard, although an ill-considered loading plan had given her a noticeable list to starboard. The three scuttling charges of TNT were positioned to ensure her sinking would be steady and flat and the nine-man crew embarked. Departure was delayed by industrial actionIndustrial action
Industrial action or job action refers collectively to any measure taken by trade unions or other organised labour meant to reduce productivity in a workplace. Quite often it is used and interpreted as a euphemism for strike, but the scope is much wider...
on the Firth of Clyde
Firth of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, Scotland. The Kilbrannan Sound is a large arm of the Firth of Clyde, separating the Kintyre Peninsula from the Isle of Arran.At...
preventing the departure of the ocean-going tugboat
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
Forester.
On 25 July 1955 the SS Empire Claire, SS Forester, and navy escorts Mull and Sir Walter Campbell left Cairnryan, the Empire Claire soon broke down and was taken under tow. They reached the scuttling point (56°30′00"N 12°00′00"W) in the early morning of 27 July but waited until 10.00 hrs for the arrival of an RAF photo-reconnaissance aircraft to observe the operation. The initial two scuttling charges blew and dramatically increased the vessel's starboard list, forcing the use of the emergency charge which opened her stern and caused a rapid sinking, bows up, to a depth of around 2,500 m.
The later sinking went without any problems. MV Vogtland was scuttled on 30 May 1956 at the same site, taking 28,737 bombs with her and on 21 July 1956 the SS Kotka was sunk (at 56°31′00"N 12°05′00"W) with 26,000 bombs, 330 tons of arsenic
Arsenic
Arsenic is a chemical element with the symbol As, atomic number 33 and relative atomic mass 74.92. Arsenic occurs in many minerals, usually in conjunction with sulfur and metals, and also as a pure elemental crystal. It was first documented by Albertus Magnus in 1250.Arsenic is a metalloid...
and fifty cases of unidentified material.