Metz, France
601 Telecom Squadron

Memories of Microwave Sites

Comments by Bill Bates - V'Lessart was located just south of Martelange. It's begining to look like V'Lessart wasn't very close to Neufchateau after all. It would make more sense if it was in the area of the question mark (see the map below) or a bit south of it for a shoot to Rocroi. It would follow that St. Hubert MW shoots to Bertrix and V'Lessart, Bertrix to V'Lessart and Sedan, V'Lessart to Rocroi, Rocroi to Sedan, then Sedan to 1 Wing. This gives alternate routes should one site go down. 1 Wing would shoot to Arrey and Arrey to Air Division HQ in Metz. Now this all makes great sense till you look at the tower in St. Hubert which has 3 MW dishes on it. Oh well, eventually it will unfold. I spent 6 weeks at St. Hubert and now I have no idea of what was in the radio truck, and then theres still the Tierceulet site. I'll try to contact others to see what they might remember.

Comments by Gerry Lines - I was employed with the 601 Squadron "tower crew" during my tour at Metz. V'Lessart is the correct spelling of the microwave site which has been discussed. As I remember, the other leg of the repeater was to Rocroi. I don't remember the name of the nearest town. I was only there as part of the tower crew. Arrey was close to Metz. I remember going up there from Metz in the morning to change light bulbs on the tower and being back the same afternoon. There was a relay/junction (I can't really remember) site which I believe was called Sedan. The other one you may be thinking of is Rocroi. It was the deployment field for 1 Wing. It is also the site where Bob Kane broke his leg chasing a rabbit with the Unimog. I don't know what the official excuse was.