Scanned image of view of water tank next to Observation post.

Description Scanned image of view of water tank next to Observation post.

Date 26/5/1996

Catalogue Number SC 673943

Category On-line Digital Images

Copy of C 66984 CN

Scope and Content World War II water tank, 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 is a Braithwaite water tank which, throughout Britain in World War II, was a common feature on military and civilian sites where special or additional water supplies were required. It was made up, as here, with prefabricated pressed steel sections bearing a characteristic saltire-shaped pattern, the sections being bolted together to an appropriate size, in this case square with double panels on each side. 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/673943

File Format (TIF) Tagged Image File Format bitmap