OK Ian,

Let's set the scene. All through to 70's and 80's Caroline was supported by overseas income and goods, Radio Mi Amigo, then Monique, then Radio 819 supplied the bulk diesel, water and food and money. In the 70's at least the money went to Simor Establishments of Lichtenstein. Couriers were sent to turn that money in to cash and smuggle it back to Ronan.
In Aug 1989, aside from what was happening on the Ross, in Holland after many arrests, Radio 819 and World Mission Radio ceased to exist. No more goods or money, ever.
In the UK, reaction to the raid produced income. I put to Ronan a plan that as Ross Revenge was at that point no longer a radio ship we could/should stock her up with fuel and water and non perishable food to the point of being able to cope with a blockade and then go back on air. He said that this was just the thing to do, but offered no funds for the purpose. The Dutch authorities stated that they had no further interest in Caroline so long as there was no Dutch involvement.
I thought it unlikely that the Brits would raid again, but hired the lawyer Christopher Chalker to start even a token legal case against the UK Government so as to discourage them further. Ronan ridiculed this lawyer.
Also he told Chicago to get on air asap so as to 1. protect what he thought was ' his ' 558 frequency and 2. to restart income from Lotto 649 and the American religion. This happened before I could stock the ship openly, but the Galexy did run with fuel maybe three times and then we were left just with random small craft such as Phygela, Abris, Heltborg and for a time the splendidly named Dreamboat Annie. And Mick Dundee's twin engined Zodiac. None of these craft could carry bulk fuel or water. We filled Abris with 50 gallon barrels in each cabin and that fuel was passed across by a bucket chain.

But everything was on a downward spiral, we could not keep up and soon there was little money left. There was plenty of money in the supporters legal fund and Ronan hired the best lawyers he could find and spunked all the money away to achieve nothing. Eventually the fuel ran out. Dundee did find a modest generator that could keep the ship functioning while off air and the ships we used to call The Whitstable Navy delivered this and Dundee installed it.
So I fully admit that we failed but not from want of trying everything we could think of. Finally we had just Dave Turner and Fairwinds.

The DTI tried to stop him as Ross was now fully able to send a signal and had done so. Ronan was off seeking his ' Third World Licence '. I undertook not to break the new 1990 Broadcast Act since if he found his licence we would not be in breach. Dave Turner was able to continue.

When the situation became intolerable and dangerous I begged Ronan to let me bring the ship in especially if he could use his family influence to get her to Greenore. He refused this suggestion. I did not know at that time that there was a debt of $650.000 outstanding on the ship to MRK Marine Finance of Switzerland. He was afraid that a Writ would be put on the ship.

Then came the Goodwins.

A company had long existed Radio Caroline Ltd, dormant and awaiting the opportunity to operate. To this the unusual Chris England added Radio Caroline UK Ltd. Ronan had no claim to the name and never had done so. It was DJ Tony Kirk who saw this danger and thus managed to fund the first RSL local broadcast. Advertising was taken, goods and tours were sold and this honest trading enabled Tony to obtain a UK trade mark. This only passed to me when Tony lost interest in Caroline.

So that is the actual sequence of events.

In the mind of Neil, Radio Caroline was in profit until the day it went off air but that I deliberately withheld fuel so as to silence the broadcasts. He says that was a part of a wider plan to take over Caroline and that the station was ' stolen ' from Ronan. He has to maintain this stance so as to continue his 30 year campaign of bitterness. If he admits he is wrong he will have no focus for his hatred.

PM