Radio Caroline South Key Dates 3

** January 1967	It emerged that Radio Caroline was operating a 'payola' system for playing records outside its Top 50 chart.
** January 1967	Radio Caroline staff took over the Roughs Tower Fort off Felixstowe, and created a helicopter landing pad on the Fort's platform. The station intended using the Fort as a supply and accommodation base for servicing the Caroline South ship, without directly contravening the Marine etc. Broadcasting (Offences) Act.
** April 1967	Roy Bates (former owner of Radio Essex/BBMS) took total possession of Roughs Tower while the Radio Caroline men had to go ashore for one of them to receive medical treatment.
** May 1967	An office was opened in Holland, managed by South African Basil van Rensberg, to act as a new headquarters for Radio Caroline after the Marine etc. Broadcasting (Offences) Act had come into effect.
27th June 1967	Radio Caroline sent a boarding party to reclaim possession of Roughs Tower, but were unsuccessful. Essex Police took no action because Roughs Tower was outside British territorial limits.
14th July 1967	The Marine etc. Broadcasting (Offences) Act received the Royal Assent and Postmaster General Edward Short announced that it would come into effect one month later, on 15th August 1967.
8th August 1967	Caroline House in London closed and the station's operational headquarters transferred to the Amsterdam office which had been opened in May
15th August 1967	Both Radio Caroline stations remain on the air, defying the new British legislation, now using the call sign Radio Caroline International
26th September 1967	Radio Caroline South reduced its transmission hours from 24 hours a day to 5.30am-2.00am, due to staff shortages and severe difficulties in maintaining regular lines of supply.

2nd March 1968	Radio Caroline South closed as normal at midnight following Johnnie Walker's programme.
3rd March 1968	Radio Caroline South opened transmissions of as usual at 5.00am, but, at 5.20am the Mi Amigo was boarded by Dutch seamen from the tug Titan and the station was abruptly put off the air. The Mi Amigo's anchor was raised and the radio ship was taken in tow by the Titan.
4th March 1968	The Mi Amigo arrived in Amsterdam and was docked "for normal repairs" . Staff were paid off, given tickets to fly back to Britain and told to await instructions to return - instructions which never came.
** March 1968	Ronan O'Rahilly, together with a group of trusted ex-Caroline DJs, put together a package for re-launching the station from the former Radio 270 vessel Oceaan VII on Easter Sunday (14th April)1968. However,untimely press reports put an end to this plan.

27th January 1967

A fire erupts during a launch pad test, killing US astronauts Gus Grissom, Edward Higgins White and Roger Chaffee.

21st April 1966

In Greece a coup led by Colonel George Papapoulos takes power. Papadopoulos appoints himself prime minister and regent to the crown.

21st June 1967

Tens of thousands of young people head to San Francisco for what will be called a "summer of love."

1st August 1967 Israel acts on a threat made to Jordan at the beginning of the Six-Day War. Because Jordan did not stay out of the war, Israel takes control of the entire city of Jerusalem.

7th August 1967 China agrees to give North Vietnam aid in the form of a grant.

24th February 1968 US Marines occupy the Imperial Palace in the heart of the Vietnam city of Hue.

16th March 1968 Robert F. Kennedy, now a US Senator from New York, announces his candidacy for the US presidency.

‘Caroline continues’, midnight on August 14th 1967, Johnnie Walker