Paddy Roy Bates - Before Sealand

Before Sealand

Bates was born in Ealing, London in 1921. He served in the British Army, rising to the rank of major, and being injured several times. Bates was at the Battle of Monte Cassino in the Italian campaign, and had been with the Eighth Army in North Africa. He then became a fisherman before moving into pirate radio.

In 1965, he ousted Radio City staff who had occupied Knock John Tower, a Maunsell Sea Fort (a World War II British naval defence platform). Using the military equipment that was left on the platform, Bates used an old United States Air Force radio beacon to broadcast his station. From Knock John Tower, he ran Radio Essex from 1965 to 1966 and succeeded in becoming the first pirate radio station to provide 24 hour entertainment. The station changed its name in October 1966 to Britain's Better Music Station (BBMS) after Bates had been convicted of violating Section One of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949. Bates was then fined £100 for his continued illegal broadcasting. Due to insufficient funds, BBMS went off the air on Christmas Day of 1966.