View of remains of World War I gun emplacement

Description View of remains of World War I gun emplacement

Date 26/5/1996

Catalogue Number C 73040

Category Photographs and Off-line Digital Images

Copies SC 673982

Scope and Content World War I six-inch gun emplacement, Hoxa Battery, Hoxa Head, South Ronaldsay, Orkney Islands In both World Wars coast batteries were built to protect the channels into Scapa Flow and Kirkwall Bay, where there was an important contraband control. The greatest concentrations of firepower were at the main north-western and southern entrances to the Flow, the latter covered by the coast batteries on Stanger Head on Flotta and here on Hoxa Head on South Ronaldsay. This view shows the partly buried remains of one of the two six-inch gun emplacements which made up the main armament of Hoxa Battery in World War I. The low front wall or parapet terminates on each flank with a ready ammunition locker, each originally secured with a door. This wall, which is curved on plan, defines the emplacement or barbette in which the gun was centrally emplaced, open to the skies. Behind the right flank of the World War I barbette is a building which served as the crew shelter for the World War II gun, emplaced in front of the canopied gun house visible on the left. At the heart of the Orkney archipelago, Scapa Flow was the main fleet anchorage for the Royal Navy during both World Wars. Its vital importance led to the creation of one of the most concentrated defence networks in Britain. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

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