Print

MHG24481 - Aird Battery - Aultbea

Summary

No summary available.

Type and Period (2)

Protected Status

Full Description

A heavy anti-aircraft battery is depicted on the 1968 edition of the OS map (OS 1:10560, 1968) to the N of Aird Point at Aultbea. Two disused camp sites are also depicted thay are probably the accommodation camps for the gun battery.
Information from RCAHMS (DE) February 1997

This heavy anti-aircraft battery is situated on the NW part of Aird Point. Only one concrete gun-emplacement survives (out of four), and part of the site is now a car park. Some hut bases can be seen in the adjacent field to the E of the road. The battery was armed with 4 x 3.7-inch guns. <1>

The remaining concrete gun-emplacement is situated at the N end of Aird Point immediately N of of the present Maclennan Park football pitch. The emplacement is set in what is now a picnic area. The holdfast for the gun is still in place and there are the standard ammuntion lockers and crew shelter space. The four gun-emplacements, command post and hutted camp are all visible on RAF vertical air photographs (CPE/Scot/UK182, 1316-1317, flown 8 October 1946) which show that the battery was not supplied with a range finding radar set. Part of the accommodation camp was to the N of the road and is visible on the air photographs as large wooden huts and what were possibly the bases for Nissen huts. Some of the hut bases can still be seen in the field on the N side of the road. Another group of huts are visible on the air photographs about 155m to the SE of the battery. They are arranged in a circle and it is not known whether these were associated with the AA site or the Military camp at the southern part of Aird Point at Aultbea (NG88NE 26.01). Records show that this battery was unarmed by June 1942 (PRO WO 166/11169) and was never provided with a radar unit.
Visited by RCAHMS (DE, GS, SW), August 2000

Part of the site is now a car park. Only one gun emplacement remains. All of the battery has been demolished except for one gun emplacement. The Code for this battery was E2. The armament was 4 x 3.7 inch guns. Photos in J A Guy, 20th Century Defences, (report nos. 1, 8 & 11)
A M Fox, Highland Council, 09.10.01.

One surviving but well-preserved anti-aircraft gun placement, the others apparently removed to provide a car park for the adjacent playing field.
Wester Ross Project - Cathy Dagg, 23/3/04

Thumbnail Photo of gun emplacement.

Sources/Archives (1)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NG 8653 8935 (278m by 543m)
Map sheet	NG88NE
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	GAIRLOCH

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Investigations/Events (0)

External Links (1)