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. New technologies like Radar were also deployed.
First World War (1914-1918) There were over forty seven coastal defence locations in Scotland during the First World War.
Ayrshire
Ardeer Battery, Ardeer, North Ayrshire
Clyde Defences
Cloch Point To Dunoon Anti-submarine Boom, Firth of Clyde Ardhallow Battery, Dunoon, Cowal peninsula, Argyll and Bute Dunoon Battery, Castle gardens Portkil Battery, Kilcreggan, Roseneath peninsula Cloch Point Battery, Gourock, Inverclyde Fort Matilda Battery, Greenock, Inverclyde
Dee Defences
Torry Battery, Aberdeen
Forth Defences
Firth of Forth Anti-submarine Booms, Firth of Forth Charles Hill Battery, Dalgety Bay, Fife Hound Point Battery, South Queensferry, West Lothian Leith Docks Battery, Leith, City of Edinburgh Braefoot Battery, Dalgety Bay, Fife Cramond Island Battery, Cramond Island, Firth of Forth Downing Point Battery, Dalgety Bay, Fife Inchcolm Battery, Inchcolm Island, Firth of Forth Inchmickery Battery, Inchmickery Island, Firth of Forth Kinghorn Battery, Kinghorn, Fife Pettycur Battery, Kinghorn, Fife
Highland
Easter Ross
Cromarty Firth Anti-submarine Boom, Cromarty Firth North Sutor Battery, Cromarty Firth South Sutor Battery, Cromarty Firth
Orkney
Scapa Flow Anti-submarine Booms, Scapa Flow Ness Battery, Stromness, Scapa Flow Innan Neb Battery, Flotta Island
Shetland
Score Hill Battery, Bressay Island The Knab Battery, Lerwick
Tay Defences
Broughty Castle Battery, Broughty Ferry
Second World War (1939-1945)
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
Toward Battery, Toward, Cowal peninsula, Argyll and Bute
Fife
Tentsmuir coastal defences, Tayport Roseisle WWII defences, Roseisle Beach, Kinghorn
Highland
Wester Ross
Cove Battery, Loch Ewe
Orkney
Churchhill Barriers The Buchanan Battery, Flotta Island Gate battery, Flotta Island Neb Battery, Flotta Island Golta Z Battery, Roan Head, Flotta Island Balfour Battery, South Ronaldsay
Shetland
Hill of Setter Battery, Bressay Island Ness of Sound Battery, Yell Island
Tay Defences
Stannergate Battery, Dundee
Chain Home Low
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.
Aberdeenshire
St Cyrus Station (CHL), St Cyrus, Aberdeenshire Rosehearty Station (CHL), Rosehearty
Highlands
Leirinbeg Station (CHL), Leirinmore, Highland Wick Station (CHL), Wick
Wester Ross
Point Of Stoer Station (CHL), Assynt, Wester Ross
Easter Ross
Cromarty Station (CHL), South Sutor, Cromarty, Easter Ross
Fife
Anstruther Station (CHL), Anstruther, Fife
Orkney Islands
Crustan Station (CHL), Orkney Islands Deerness Station (CHL), Deerness South Ronaldsay Station (CHL), South Ronaldsay Sanday Station (CHL), Sanday
Scottish Borders
Lamberton Station (CHL), Lamberton, Scottish Borders Coldingham Station (CHL), Coldingham Cockburnspath Station (CHL), Cockburnspath
Shetland Islands
Skaw Station (CHL), Unst, Shetland Islands Noss Hill Station (CHL), Shetland Islands Wats Ness Station (CHL), Shetland Islands Compass Head, Grutness Station (CHL), Sumburgh, Shetland Islands Ward Hill Station (CHL), Fair Isle
West Coast Islands
Tiree Station (CHL), Tiree Islay Station (CHL), Islay Harris Station (CHL), Harris Barra Station (CHL), Barra Eorodale, Lewis (CHL), Lewis Islibhig, Lewis (CHL), Lewis Skye Station (CHL), Skye
Coastal Defence U-Boat
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.
Ward Hill, Radar Station (CDU), Fair Isle, Fair Isle Dunnet Head, Radar Station (CDU), Dunnet Head, Wick, Highland Ward Hill, Radar Station (CDU), South Ronaldsay, South Ronaldsay, Orkney Islands Saxa Vord Radar Station (CDU), Unst, Shetland Islands Sumburgh, Radar Station (CDU), Sumburgh, Shetland Islands
See also
References
External links