THE secret story of Fairlie's role in tackling the threat posed by German U-boats during the Second World War has been revealed at an event in Largs.

Author John Riddell, who has published a book based on his meticulous research into the subject, lifted the lid on Fairlie's wartime secrets in a talk to members of Largs Probus Club.

 

John described how during World War 2 the Royal Navy’s Anti-Submarine Experimental Establishment, at Portland in Dorset, was bombed in 1940.

It was decided to relocate the establishment to Fairlie, where it occupied the boatyard of yacht builder William Fife.

For the next six years the establishment carried out highly confidential research on the acoustic detection of submarines by ASDIC, later known as sonar, with some 250 people involved, comprising Royal Navy officers, civilian scientists, technical staff and many local men and women as support staff.

The main research activities were focussed on finding new ways of sinking German U-boats,  including the 'Fairlie Mortar' - a 'hedgehog' of several small bombs designed to explode on impact - and the very effective Squid, a triple barrel mortar whose missiles could be set at variable depths.

The latter had its prototype tested on HMS Ambuscade and was to have a 50 per cent success rate against enemy submarines.

John referred to those who worked at the establishment, including George Deacon, an expert on thermal climes, and Tom Bacon, whose work on developing fuel cells was subsequently used to get to the Moon.

He commented on the impact the establishment had on local people and their generally favourable relationship with the naval officers and scientists who came from England to work there.

He concluded by stating that the work done at Fairlie was recognised by Winston Churchill as critical to winning the Battle of the Atlantic and ultimately the war, and that the people of Fairlie should be proud that the destruction of some 200 U-boats was due to the work carried out there - even if they didn’t know it at the time.

Bernie Rafferty gave thanks to John for an excellent talk on a subject that must have been difficult to investigate as it was so secret.