Roger Day publicity photo

An early Radio England publicity photo, autographed.

Roger joined Swinging Radio England at its launch in May 1966. Although the programme schedule changed almost daily, he usually presented evening programmes which proved very popular.

click to hear audio Roger on the 6-11pm show from autumn 1966 - near the end of Radio England's brief existence (duration 2 minutes 47 seconds)
click to hear audio Roger reading a “Bannerline News” bulletin on Swinging Radio England (duration 3 minutes 2 seconds)
Radio England DJs in the studio

A publicity photo of the first Radio England team. Left to right: Ron O'Quinn, Brian Tylney, Colin Nicol, Larry Dean, Rick Randall, Johnnie Walker and Roger with Jerry Smithwick in the driving seat. Photo courtesy of Ron Vick and Grey Pierson.

By the time Radio England closed down in November 1966, Roger was the only surviving member of the original team.

click to hear audio Roger saying goodbye during the last hour of Swinging Radio England (duration 2 minutes 32 seconds)

After Radio England closed Roger worked in boxer Billy Walker's ‘Uppercut Club’ before returning to the air on Radio Caroline South.

click to hear audio Roger presenting the 9am-noon show on Caroline South in early August 1967 (duration 4 minutes 36 seconds)

Roger left the ship on 14th August 1967, just before the introduction of the Marine Offences Act, because he had to renew his passport. He returned soon afterwards.

Roger Day in the Radio England studio

In the Radio England studio. Photo © C.Richardson from ‘Offshore Echo's’ magazine

click to hear audio Roger presenting the American Hot 100 show on Radio Caroline International, one Sunday lunchtime in early 1968 (duration 2 minutes 17 seconds)

autographed photo of Roger Day

Autographed photo, courtesy of Raoul Verolleman.

One of the most fondly remembered features of Radio Caroline South's programmes was Frinton Flashing. Listeners on land would communicate with the disc-jockeys on the ship by flashing their car headlights:

click to hear audio Roger, out on deck, translates the messages from the flashing headlights while Andy Archer plays the music in the studio (duration 1 minute 31 seconds)

On Saturday 2nd March 1968 Roger announced that the station would be off the air on Monday. What he did not know was that by then the ship would be silent, having been hijacked by creditors.

click to hear audio Roger on his last Breakfast Show on Caroline South, 2nd March 1968 (duration 1 minute 31 seconds)

With Caroline silenced, Roger joined Radio Luxembourg.

click to hear audio A studio recording of Roger on Radio Luxembourg from September 1968 (duration 2 minutes 57 seconds)
click to hear audio Roger closing Radio Luxembourg for the night (duration 41 seconds)

In 1970 English-language offshore radio returned with the launch of Radio Northsea International, and Roger was there.

click to hear audio Roger opening Radio Northsea International on 28th February 1970 (duration 28 seconds)

Andy Archer, Edwin Bollier and Roger Day

On board RNI, left to right: Andy Archer, station boss Edwin Bollier and Roger. Photo courtesy of Duncan Johnson.

click to hear audio An FM recording of Roger Day on Radio Northsea International, unable to go on shore-leave because of bad weather, 18th March 1970 (duration 4 minutes 9 seconds)

In June 1970 RNI temporarily changed its name to Radio Caroline International.

click to hear audio Roger on Radio Caroline International on 13th June 1970, towards the end of his time with the station (duration 2 minutes 29 seconds)

Roger Day in the RNI studio

In the RNI studio, from the Northsea Souvenir Book, published by Hit-Publications, Switzerland

At the end of 1972 the old Radio Caroline South ship, mv Mi Amigo, returned to sea and, in June 1973, a familiar voice was heard.

click to hear audio Roger Day's first and only Breakfast Show on the new Radio Caroline International, 26th June 1973 (duration 3 minutes 20 seconds)

Roger's programme was pre-recorded on land. He was making plans to return to the ship but unfortunately that evening Caroline was silenced by generator failure. With commercial radio now launching on land and an offer of a job with Piccadilly Radio, it was to be the end of Roger's long and distinguished offshore career.


Recordings courtesy of RBL, Offshore Echo's, Azanorak, EAP, Albie Somerset, the Offshore Multimedia CD-ROM, The Offshore Radio Archive, Svenn Martinsen, Allan Krautwald, Robin Westhof and Lynne Sims with tapes from Martin Lynch's collection.
 
See also the Spotlight on Don Allen,
Spotlight on Tony Blackburn,
Spotlight on Kenny Everett,
Spotlight on Johnnie Walker
and Spotlight on Tony Windsor.

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