Coastal fortifications in Scotland played a vital role during the World Wars , protecting shipping as they mustered to convoy . New fortifications were built and old defences were also rebuilt or strengthened around the Scottish coast in case of invasion .[1] [2] New technologies like Radar were also deployed.[3]
First World War (1914-1918) [ edit ]
There were over forty seven coastal defence locations in Scotland during the First World War .[4]
Ayrshire [ edit ]
Clyde Defences [ edit ]
Cloch Point To Dunoon Anti-submarine Boom , Firth of Clyde [6]
Ardhallow Battery , Dunoon , Cowal peninsula , Argyll and Bute [7]
Dunoon Battery , Castle gardens[8]
Portkil Battery , Kilcreggan , Roseneath peninsula [4]
Cloch Point Battery , Gourock , Inverclyde [9]
Fort Matilda Battery , Greenock , Inverclyde [10]
Dee Defences [ edit ]
Torry Battery - geograph.org.uk - 840042
Forth Defences [ edit ]
Charles Hill Battery - geograph.org.uk - 42789
The spine of Inchmickery - geograph.org.uk - 2713491
Firth of Forth Anti-submarine Booms , Firth of Forth [12]
Charles Hill Battery , Dalgety Bay , Fife [13]
Hound Point Battery , South Queensferry , West Lothian [14]
Leith Docks Battery , Leith , City of Edinburgh[15]
Braefoot Battery , Dalgety Bay , Fife [16]
Cramond Island Battery , Cramond Island , Firth of Forth [17]
Downing Point Battery , Dalgety Bay , Fife [18]
Inchcolm Battery , Inchcolm Island , Firth of Forth [19]
Inchmickery Battery , Inchmickery Island , Firth of Forth [20]
Kinghorn Battery , Kinghorn , Fife [21]
Pettycur Battery , Kinghorn , Fife
Highland [ edit ]
North Sutor Battery - geograph.org.uk - 4094816
Easter Ross [ edit ]
Shetland [ edit ]
Tay Defences [ edit ]
Second World War (1939-1945) [ edit ]
Many of the First World War coastal fortifications were reused in the Second World War . These defences listed below, were newly built for the Second World War.
Clyde Defences [ edit ]
Constructing beach defences at Tentsmuir H5493
Highland [ edit ]
Wester Ross [ edit ]
Rocket Silos (geograph 2297457)
Flotta, Buchanan Battery - geograph.org.uk - 4714877
Shetland [ edit ]
Tay Defences [ edit ]
Chain Home Low [ edit ]
Chain Home Low (CHL), a new aircraft detection and tracking system, Radar , operated by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War . There were about thirty coastal stations around the coast of Scotland.[46]
Aberdeenshire [ edit ]
Highlands [ edit ]
Wester Ross [ edit ]
Easter Ross [ edit ]
Orkney Islands [ edit ]
Scottish Borders [ edit ]
Shetland Islands [ edit ]
West Coast Islands [ edit ]
World War II The old radar station, Tiree - geograph.org.uk - 1458870
Coastal Defence U-Boat [ edit ]
Dunnet Head - geograph.org.uk - 14728
Coastal Defence U-Boat (CDU). A new experimental system, Radar , for submarine detection and tracking. First introduced in the Second World War. There were six experimental stations, two located on Fair Isle.[73]
Ward Hill, Radar Station (CDU), Fair Isle , Fair Isle [65]
Dunnet Head, Radar Station (CDU) , Dunnet Head , Wick , Highland [74]
Ward Hill, Radar Station (CDU), South Ronaldsay , South Ronaldsay , Orkney Islands [56]
Saxa Vord Radar Station (CDU) , Unst , Shetland Islands [75]
Sumburgh, Radar Station (CDU) , Sumburgh , Shetland Islands [76]
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
^ "The Convoys That Helped Save Britain During The Second World War" . Imperial War Museums .
^ "Anti-invasion and Coastal Defences | Historic England" . historicengland.org.uk .
^ "How Radar Changed The Second World War" . Imperial War Museums .
^ a b "Portkil Battery, 6-inch gun battery and 4.7-inch Quick Firing Battery, excluding all later sheds and mobile homes, Fort Road, Kilcreggan (LB52486)" . portal.historicenvironment.scot .
^ "Ardeer, Ardeer Battery | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Clyde Defences, Cloch Point To Dunoon Anti-submarine Boom | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Ardhallow Battery and Defences (SM13683)" . portal.historicenvironment.scot .
^ "Clyde Defences, Dunoon, Castle Gardens, Dunoon Battery | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk . Retrieved 2024-02-08 .
^ "Cloch Lighthouse, coast battery 295m SSE of (SM12803)" . portal.historicenvironment.scot .
^ "Clyde Defences, Greenock, Fort Matilda | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Aberdeen, Torry Battery | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Forth Defences, Inner, Submarine Boom | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Charles Hill Battery | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Forth Defences, Inner, Hound Point Battery | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Forth Defences, Outer, Leith Docks Battery | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Forth Defences, Middle, Braefoot Point Battery | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Forth Defences, Middle, Cramond Island, Gun Battery | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Forth Defences,inner, Downing Point Battery | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Forth Defences, Middle, Inchcolm | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk . Retrieved 2023-10-29 .
^ "Forth Defences, Middle, Inchmickery Battery | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Forth Defences, Kinghorn And Pettycur Batteries | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Cromarty Defences, Nigg - Cromarty Anti-submarine Boom | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "North Sutor, Coast Battery | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "South Sutor, Coast Battery | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ a b c "Flotta, Innan Neb, Neb And Gate Batteries | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Ness Battery, coast defence battery, Stromness (SM8241)" . portal.historicenvironment.scot .
^ "Ness Battery | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Flotta, Neb Battery | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Bressay, Score Hill, Battery | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Lerwick, The Knab, Coastal Battery | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Tay Defences, Broughty Castle Battery | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Toward Battery | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Tentsmuir Coastal defences (SM9712)" . portal.historicenvironment.scot .
^ "Forest Heritage Scotland webpage - Roseisle WWII defences | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Rubha Nan Sasan, Cove Battery | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Churchill Barrier No. 1, Mainland To Lamb Holm | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Churchill Barrier No. 2, Lamb Holm To Glimps Holm | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Churchill Barrier No. 3, Glimps Holm To Burray | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Churchill Barrier No. 4, Burray To South Ronaldsay | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Flotta, Buchanan Battery | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Flotta, Golta, Roan Head, Z Battery | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "South Ronaldsay, Hoxa Head, Balfour Battery | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Bressay, Hill Of Setter, Anti-aircraft Battery | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Ness Of Sound, Coast Battery | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Dundee, Stannergate | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Map of wartime Chain Home Radar Stations in England, Scotland and Wales" . anti-aircraft.co.uk .
^ "St Cyrus, Scotston Of Kirkside, Chain Home Low Radar Station | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Rosehearty, Chain Home Low Station | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Leirinbeg, Sango Chain Home And Northern Type 7000 Radar Station | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Tannach, Thrumster, Chain Home Radar Station; Chain Home Low Radar Station | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Point Of Stoer, Meall An Sgriobain, Chain Home Low Radar Station | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Cromarty, South Sutor, Chain Home Low Radar Station | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Kingsmuir, Naval Chain Home Low Radar Station | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Knowe Of Crustan, Chain Home Low Radar Station | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Deerness, The Ward, Chain Home Low Radar Station | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ a b "South Ronaldsay, Ward Hill, Chain Home Low Radar Station | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Sanday, Whale Head Chain Home Radar Station | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Lamberton Moor, Type 31 And Type 52 Radar Station | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Drone Hill, Chain Home Radar Station | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Cockburnspath, Hawk's Heugh, Ground Control Intercept Centimetric Radar Station | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Skaw, radar station SM13097)" . portal.historicenvironment.scot .
^ "Noss Hill, Chain Home Radar Station | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Wats Ness, Chain Home Low Radar Station | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Compass Head, Grutness, Chain Home Low Radar Station | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ a b "Fair Isle, Ward Hill, Coast Defence (C.d.u.) Radar Stations | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Tiree, Beinn Hough, Chain Home Low Radar Station | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Islay, Kilchiaran, Chain Home Low Radar Station | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Harris, Rodelpark, Chain Home Low Radar Station | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Barra, Greian Head, Ghrein, Chain Home Low Radar Station | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Lewis, Eorodale, Chain Home Low Radar Station | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Lewis, Druim Grunavat, Islivig, Chain Home Low Radar Station | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Skye, Kendrom, Chain Home Low Radar Station | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Secret Scotland - Dunnet Head Radar Station" . www.secretscotland.org.uk .
^ "Dunnet Head, Chain Home Low Radar Station | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Unst, Saxa Vord, Royal Naval Chain Home Low Radar Station, | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
^ "Sumburgh, Chain Home Low Radar Station | Canmore" . canmore.org.uk .
External links [ edit ]
Links to related articles