Photo: Hans Peters/Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Radio Caroline is to broadcast two special shows this weekend as a tribute to the Dutch pirate stations, marking the 50th anniversary of their closure.
When the Marine Offences Act closed UK offshore pirates in August 1967, apart from Radio Caroline, some listeners turned to Dutch pirate station Radio Veronica, which wasn’t affected by the law.
Radio Veronica was a pioneer, broadcasting responsibly with modest power, and was tolerated by the Dutch authorities for many years. However, the early 1970s saw an influx of new stations, including Radio North Sea together with Radio Caroline, which joined Veronica in broadcasting with high power.
More stations began broadcasting off the Dutch coast causing intense competition and as tensions escalated, an incident occurred where an incendiary device set the RNI ship ablaze.
By 1974, the Dutch government took action and despite Veronica’s efforts to gain public support, they too, along with other stations such as Radio Del Mare and Atlantis were forced to cease operations on 31st August that year. Once again, Radio Caroline defied the odds and continued to broadcast.
To commemorate this moment in broadcasting history, this Saturday at 4pm on Radio Caroline’s album channel, Andre Van Os will be playing classic tracks from Dutch bands of the era, accompanied by original jingles, commercials, and airchecks from Radio Veronica, Atlantis and Radio North Sea.
The show will also feature the final moments of these stations, aired exactly 50 years to the day from when they fell silent.
Then, on Sunday 1st September on Caroline’s Flashback service at 10 am, Ray Clark will play a selection of relevant songs and read excerpts from listener emails, reflecting on the legacy of the Dutch offshore pirates.