Conwy Morfa - Mulberry Harbour

Mulberry Harbour

During World War II, the Allies realized that if they were at some point to invade Northern Europe, and oust the Nazis, then harbours would be essential. They could not assume access to or the operation of the existing facilities, and they needed something quick and easy to assemble under enemy fire and that would survive the Atlantic storms. There is a debate as to who came up with the design for the Mulberry Harbour, but what is known is that a North Walian civil engineer Hugh Iorys Hughes was given the task of proving one of the competing designs - the one he had most input to. The prototypes were constructed at the Morfa, with the area transformed into a huge construction site and over 1000 labourers were drafted in. These included Oleg Kerensky, son of former Russian Prime Minister Alexander Kerensky, who supervised the construction process. Hughes constructed three 'Hippo' caissons were towed from the Morfa to the test site Rigg Bay, Solway Firth near Garlieston, Scotland. When full production started, the main location was on a site behind what is now the second green, before being launched into the River Conwy estuary for their journey south and ultimately to play a key role in the D-Day landings