Trevennel

Trevennel Gun Site

During the war Falmouth docks were crammed with naval vessels and ships of all types which had been damaged and were in the docks for repair. This made Falmouth a target for German bombers. Our defence against this was anti-aircraft posts on both sides of the river Fal. At Trevennel, half way between St Mawes and St Just down a lane to the right on the highest ground on the Roseland, several hundred army and ATS troops were based who operated 3.7 and 4.7 inch anti-aircraft guns. The buildings which housed the men and the ammunition had thick concrete roofs and were partly underground to protect the troops from bombs. When German planes came to attack the docks they used St Just Creek as a navigation point. When a plane was spotted a whistle was blown to warn the troops to take aim and for others to take cover. The guns and ammunition did not have much success but towards the end of the war radar was installed which made tracking incoming planes much more accurate.  There were similar batteries on the St Anthony and Pendennis Headlands.