HMF Sunk Head Destroyed (1967)

Demolition of HMF Sunk Head in 1967 to prevent its use by pirate radio stations. His Majesty's Fort Sunk Head was a Maunsell Fort built during the Second World War and manned by the Royal Navy. Mounting QF 3.7-inch and QF 40mm AA guns, the forts were built to deter German aircraft. HMF Sunk Head was placed approximately 12 nautical miles off Harwich in June 1942. On 18th August 1967, the Royal Navy tug Collie took a team of twenty Royal Engineers to the tower to commence demolition work. The superstructure was cut away with oxyacetylene torches and explosive charges. Three days later, 21st August, 2220 lbs of explosives were set, and just after 16:00 the fuses set. At 16:15 a vivid crimson flash was seen, followed by a large cloud of smoke. Large chunks of concrete flew into the air, some landing over half a mile away. The heat and force of the blast was felt on Walton-on-the-Naze beach, some fourteen miles away. A team of 20 Royal Engineers had demolished the upper sections of Sunk Head, in front of a specially invited audience of television and press reporters, with a blast that could be seen both from the Radio Caroline ship and by Roy Bates on Roughs tower six miles away.