Gibraltar Caving Group

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Gibraltar Caving Group
Type Non-governmental organisation
Purposeheritage and environment
Location
Parent organization
 Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society
Website Gibraltar Caving Group

The Gibraltar Caving Group is an organisation based in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. It forms the Caves and Cliffs Section of the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society. The group of skilled cavers and climbers has multiple roles, engaging in cave exploration and research, avian rescue, and rare plant discovery. It performs surveys and clears areas with limited access. However, it is perhaps most well known for the discovery that four of its members made in December 1996. While exploring tunnels in the southern portion of the Rock of Gibraltar, they found the entrance to Operation Tracer, also known colloquially as Stay Behind Cave. Rumours of a covert World War II observation post had circulated in Gibraltar for decades. The Gibraltar Caving Group continued its exploration and evaluation of the facility under the auspices of the Gibraltar Museum.

Contents

History

Operation Tracer, Stay Behind Cave, entrance (left) with brickwork partially removed. Operation Tracer entrance.png
Operation Tracer, Stay Behind Cave, entrance (left) with brickwork partially removed.

The Gibraltar Caving Group is based in Gibraltar, the British Overseas Territory at the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula. [1] [2] It forms the Caves and Cliffs Section (also known as the Caving and Climbing Section) of the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society (GONHS), which was established in 1976. That section of the society is composed of members with substantial caving and climbing experience. [3] [4] [5] Until recently, the organisation represented the only caving club in Gibraltar. However, the Gibraltar Museum Caving Unit has since been founded; the unit collaborates with the Gibraltar Caving Group. [6] [7] [8] The Gibraltar Caving Group's role in Gibraltar includes cave exploration, avian rescue, rare plant discovery, and cave research. They are also instrumental in clearing regions that would otherwise be difficult to access. [3] [9] The group should be distinguished from the Gibraltar Cave Science Unit. While the second organisation is also a division of the GONHS and is composed of skilled cavers and climbers, the primary mission of the Cave Science Unit is the oversight of monitoring and sampling projects in the caves. The two divisions have some members in common. [5]

The Gibraltar Caving Group discovered the location of the long-sought-after Operation Tracer in December 1996. It had become known locally as Stay Behind Cave, as the official name was a mystery at the time. [10] [11] [12] The group that made the discovery comprised Richard Durrell, Jean Paul Latin, Mark Ainsworth, and Ian Bramble. They had heard rumours of a secret military complex in Gibraltar since they were children. The group had analysed the possible locations and realised that in order for the World War II observation post to monitor both the Mediterranean Sea and the Bay of Gibraltar, the chamber would have to be positioned very high up in the Upper Rock. [11] [12] One day while exploring tunnels, the men experienced an unexpected gust of wind. It induced them to closely examine the tunnel walls. Carefully breaking down a portion of the corrugated galvanised iron wall, they discovered the doorway to a passage, which led to a chamber. [10] [12] [13] Examining the interior of the room and its associated passages, they found that the west side observation post over the bay was a slit that was concealed with a concrete wedge. The east side observation post had a larger opening through which someone could climb onto a narrow ledge and still be concealed. The group also found the remains of a bicycle that had been used to generate electricity and power a ventilation system. [10] [12] In addition, there was a water tank with a capacity of 10,000 imperial gallons (45,000 l). While sludge initially came out of the tank's tap, the water soon ran clear. The group exploring the chambers quickly realised that they had discovered Stay Behind Cave. Although a survival manual for Operation Tracer was compiled, the Gibraltar Caving Group has not yet been able to access it. [11] [12] Under the auspices of the Gibraltar Museum, the group performed a survey of the complex in conjunction with the Spanish organisation GIEX, a Speleological Research Group from Jerez de la Frontera. After detailed measurements, member Mark Ainsworth used a computer to generate drawings of the complex. In addition, 3-dimensional images were created utilising a survey technique by GIEX member J. Aguilera. [10] [12] [14]

In October 2002, the Gibraltar Caving Group conducted an urgent environmental survey of Little Bay Cliff after the allocation of the bid for the planned cliff stabilisation project, but before the work commenced. The survey was done on behalf of the Government of Gibraltar and included visual inspection and photography of the site. [4] In 2004, members of the caving group collaborated with the Royal Holloway University of London's Department of Earth Sciences on a project to determine the reaction of speleothems to weather and seasons. New St. Michael's Cave in Gibraltar was utilised as an on-site laboratory. [3]

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Clive Finlayson zoologist

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Gibraltar National Museum National museum in Bomb House Lane, Gibraltar

The Gibraltar National Museum is a national museum of the history, culture and natural historyof Gibraltar located within the city centre of the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. Founded in 1930 by the then Governor of Gibraltar, General Sir Alexander Godley, the museum houses an array of displays portraying The Rock's millennia-old history and the unique culture of its people. The museum also incorporates the remains of a 14th-century Moorish bathhouse. Its director since 1991 is Prof. Clive Finlayson.

Nuns Well, Gibraltar underground water reservoir in Gibraltar

Nun's Well is an ancient underground water reservoir in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. It is located at Europa Point, and is thought to be of the Moorish period. It represents some of the earliest evidence of an artificial water supply in Gibraltar. The name of the cistern is thought to be derived from the nuns associated with the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe. In the eighteenth century, Nun's Well supplied the military with water. In the early nineteenth century, it provided water for the brewery that was built next door. In 1988, the Royal Engineers constructed what is now the main building, which has a castle-like appearance. Nun's Well became the focus of controversy during the 2010-2011 restoration of the site.

Lord Aireys Battery

Lord Airey's Battery is an artillery battery in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. It is located near the southern end of the Upper Rock Nature Reserve, just north of O'Hara's Battery. It was named after the Governor of Gibraltar, General Sir Richard Airey. Construction of the battery was completed in 1891. The first gun mounted on the battery was a 6-inch breech loading gun, which was replaced with a 9.2-inch Mark X BL gun by 1900. The gun at the battery was last fired in the 1970s. In 1997, it was discovered that Lord Airey's Shelter, adjacent to Lord Airey's Battery, was the site chosen for a covert World War II operation that entailed construction of a cave complex in the Rock of Gibraltar, to serve as an observation post. The battery is listed with the Gibraltar Heritage Trust.

Operation Tracer secret Second World War military operation in Gibraltar

Operation Tracer was a secret Second World War military operation in Gibraltar, a British colony and military base. The impetus for the plan was the 1940 scheme by Germany to capture Gibraltar, code-named Operation Felix. Operation Tracer was the brainchild of Rear Admiral John Henry Godfrey, the Director of the Naval Intelligence Division of the Admiralty.

Rock Gun Battery A battery high on the Rock of Gibraltar

Rock Gun Battery is an artillery battery in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. It is located on the North Face of the Rock of Gibraltar at the northern end of the Upper Rock Nature Reserve, above Green's Lodge Battery. The emplacement on Middle Hill is at the northern summit of the Rock. It was constructed during the Great Siege of Gibraltar, due to its advantageous position and the success of the gun at Green's Lodge Battery. It was used effectively during the Great Siege and was rebuilt during the Second World War. During the mid-twentieth century, the Ministry of Defence began to use the site as an aerial farm, which was then refurbished in 1958. The Rock Gun Battery and the Middle Hill Battery were closed to the public for decades. In 2005, the radio farm was closed and the Ministry of Defence withdrew from most of the area, transferring it to the Government of Gibraltar. However, the summit, the site of the Rock Gun Battery, continues to be under MOD authority.

Middle Hill (Gibraltar)

Middle Hill is a hill in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. It is located at the northern end of the Upper Rock Nature Reserve. It figured prominently in the early history of the 1704 siege of Gibraltar by the Spanish and French. The artillery battery at Middle Hill had been constructed by 1727 and was active for more than two centuries. In the mid twentieth century, Middle Hill transitioned to use as an aerial farm for the Ministry of Defence. The radio farm was refurbished in 1958. About 1970, the Princess Caroline's Battery Group of Barbary macaques were moved to Middle Hill, where they were provisioned at a group of derelict buildings that were part of the battery complex. In 2005, much of Middle Hill was transferred from the Ministry of Defence to the Government of Gibraltar, and is now managed by the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society.

Middle Hill Battery

Middle Hill Battery is an artillery battery in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. It is located on Middle Hill, at the northeastern end of the Upper Rock Nature Reserve, just south of Green's Lodge Battery and Rock Gun Battery. The emplacement dates to 1727, when a single gun was mounted. By the turn of the twentieth century, six 10-inch rifled muzzle-loading guns were present at Middle Hill Battery. Other buildings documented at that time as part of the battery complex included the Nursery Hut and the Middle Hill Group, the latter a cluster of buildings which perched on the cliff edge. An anti-aircraft Bofors gun had been installed at the battery by the Second World War. After the war, the area transitioned to use as a Ministry of Defence aerial farm. In 2005, the battery and surrounding area were transferred to the Government of Gibraltar. The site is now managed by the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society.

Richard Gambier-Parry British military officer

Brigadier Sir Richard Gambier-Parry, was a British military officer who served in both the army and the air force during World War I. He remained in military service post-war, but then entered into civilian life for more than a decade. In 1938, he was recruited by the head of the Secret Intelligence Service. Gambier-Parry led the Communications Section of the SIS during World War II, and assembled a clandestine wireless network that connected the United Kingdom with SIS agents in many countries, as well as helping to create the SIS resistance network in Britain. During the war, he was also recruited by the Director of British Naval Intelligence to serve as the radio consultant for Operation Tracer in Gibraltar. Post-war, he ran a network of secret listening stations.

Bruce Cooper British naval surgaon

Surgeon Lieutenant-Commander Bruce Cooper was a native of Castle Eden, England. He obtained his medical degree from Durham University. Early in his career, he tended to coalminers and joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. The physician served with distinction in the early period of the Second World War and was mentioned in despatches. In 1941, he was recruited for a highly classified mission, Operation Tracer. In the event that Gibraltar was taken by the Axis powers, he was to be sealed into a secret chamber in the Rock of Gibraltar with five other men for about a year and report the movements of enemy vessels. Over a period of two years, the secret complex was completed and the team assembled and trained. However, the mission was never activated. Cooper returned to England and served in both civilian and military capacities. The location of the secret chamber remained a mystery for decades, but was finally discovered in 1997. However, many questions remained, including the identity of the team members. Upon Cooper's return to Gibraltar in 2008, he confirmed that the cave in question was that which had been destined for himself and his five colleagues. Dr Cooper was the last surviving team member of Operation Tracer in Gibraltar.

Lord Aireys Shelter

Lord Airey's Shelter is a subterranean military shelter in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. It is located near the southern end of the Upper Rock Nature Reserve, adjacent to Lord Airey's Battery. It was named after the Governor of Gibraltar, General Sir Richard Airey. The tunnel system for the shelter was chosen as the site for the highly classified, Second World War military operation known as Operation Tracer.

Coptic Cave

Coptic Cave is a sea cave in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. The cave was intended to be used as a decoy to protect Operation Tracer. This was a plan to leave behind spies should the British lose control of the Rock of Gibraltar in World War II.

Beefsteak Cave is a cave in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. It is located in the south of the Rock, between Europa Point and Windmill Hill.

Levant Cave is a cave in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. Together with Tina's Fissure and George's Bottom Cave, Levant Cave is part of a close group of three caves at the southern end of the Upper Rock Nature Reserve.

References

  1. ↑ "List of Crown Dependencies & Overseas Territories". fco.gov.uk. Foreign and Commonwealth Office . Retrieved 11 November 2012.
  2. ↑ Roach, John (10 October 2006). "Neandertals' Last Stand was in Gibraltar, Study Suggests". National Geographic News. National Geographic Society . Retrieved 11 November 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 "GONHS Caves and Cliffs Section". gibcaving.net. The Gibraltar Caving Group. Archived from the original on 22 February 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  4. 1 2 "Little Bay Cliff" (PDF). gonhs.org. Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society . Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  5. 1 2 "Cave Science Unit/GONHS". eswww.rhul.ac.uk. Cave Science Unit/GONHS. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
  6. ↑ "2005 Trip". yucpc.org.uk. York University Cave & Pothole Club. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  7. ↑ "Welcome to Underground Gibraltar". underground-gibraltar.com. Gibraltar Museum Caving Unit. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
  8. ↑ "Volunteers descend on history of Gibraltar's 200 caves!". Gibraltar news from Panorama. 7 August 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
  9. ↑ "Experience Nature for Yourself". gonhs.org. The Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History Society. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Stay Behind Cave - The Unique Finding of a Forgotten Story". georeme.co.uk. Gibraltar Heritage - The Magazine of the Gibraltar Government Heritage Division. 2002. Archived from the original on 10 January 2012. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
  11. 1 2 3 "Operation Tracer - Stay Behind Cave". aboutourrock.com. About Our Rock. Archived from the original on 19 May 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Operation Tracer - 'Stay Behind Cave'". youtube.com. Tom Finlayson. 7 April 2012. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
  13. ↑ "Envisioning Spain's Border". pages.vassar.edu. Vassar College International Studies. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
  14. ↑ "Forum GIEX - Speleological Research Group of Jerez". translate.google.com. GIEX. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
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