Scanned image of view of battery observation post and water tank from West

Description Scanned image of view of battery observation post and water tank from West

Date 26/5/1996

Catalogue Number SC 673942

Category On-line Digital Images

Copy of C 66982 CN

Scope and Content World War II Battery Observation Post, 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 World War II Battery Observation Post (BOP) which is set at the rear of the site, behind the guns and with a commanding view of the surrounding seas. The BOP was a small but vitally important building from which the two main six-inch guns of the battery were controlled and directed, a wide area of visibility being provided by the framed windows at the front and sides. The remains of a typical Braithwaite water tank, made up of pressed steel sections, has been placed next to the BOP. 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.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/673942

File Format (TIF) Tagged Image File Format bitmap