But life for people in many areas were changed forever with the outbreak of WW2,
One place is around Loch Ewe in Wester Ross...
All seems scenic and quiet today but 70 years ago This Loch was the centre of the Atlantic Convoys to Russia which played an important role in helping to turn the War on the Eastern Front...
Today there still remains Nato Loch Ewe,
Now down scaled since the end of the Cold War it was a Submarine base, you can still see the remaining Ministry of Defence area today...
Ariel view, the Green Phone Boxes (dont have windows and are all metal) are Fire escape exits from the underground bunkers, wonder how big the buildings are?...
70 years ago the Loch was where the Atlantic Shipping Convoys would meet up and under Escort by the Navy...
HMS Nelson in Loch Ewe 1940...
It would then run the Gauntlet of the Atlantic's Artic Ice Packs and the deadly German U Boat Wolf Packs...
It is said you could nearly cross the Loch walking across the ships there were that many and all these navy men waiting onshore needed fed and watered, and entertained...
They came from all over to this remote Highland area,
The Loch and its precious ships and supplies had to be protected whilst at anchor and Anti Submarine Nets, and mines closed the entrance while 2 large 6" Guns covered the sea off shore...
Smaller guns and Anti Aircraft Battery's surrounded the Loch...
When i was an Apprentice i worked with a man who was a gunner on a Tanker on the Atlantic convoys, he would have sailed from here,
He talked of the bitter cold and darkness of winter, the ships icing up and the constant fear of being torpedoed and watching ships going down hearing the shouts and screams of men as they went into the water and the fear that you were next,
The convoy couldnt stop, it had to keep moving...
He said they did not wear life jackets as if you went into the water you were finished either by the tankers burning oil on the surface or the freezing water,
He was a lovely man but you could just tell he was hard as nails...and he was a survivor...many were not...
Memorial at Cove to the 3000+ Men that lost there lives on the Atlantic Convoys...
At Cove, one of the main defence sites, a walk around today shows the size of the task involved by the area of Loch Ewe to protect the shipping while here from attack from the sea and air,
surveillance Tower...
Looking down to a Searchlight post and an enterance into one of the two 6" Gun emplacements...
Where the gun was bolted down...
Ammunition Storage...
Searchlight post...
Generator rooms...
Anti Aircraft mountings...
Near Tornaig farm on the coast road was a Barrage Balloon site...
And an Anti Aircaft Battery...
Aye, it does indeed!...
Here is a Discovery documemtry film i found on Youtube of the Atlanitic battle of both sides...
There are lots of other WW2 sites around loch Ewe and a Naval trail with information signs lets you explore the area, there are some interesting stories,
click on pics to open to full screen...
More ace pics. I'll have to have a look around there next time I'm up that way.
ReplyDeleteThe gun emplacements have interesting scalloped roof's. I wonder if that is to help disguise them as 'rocks' to someone flying overhead? The entrance way (looking out) is also interesting, with a missing block on top of the wall by the door, allowing those inside to get a wider view of the sky, than from just the doorway. The loch would definitely have been an important target, and I'm sure the intrigue of any stranger that appeared in the area was under close scrutiny. Very interesting post!
ReplyDeleteLooks like the roofs also had turf on them to help hide them,
ReplyDeleteI bet there was a lot of black market trading with the locals with all those goods going onto ships!