World War One Audit of Surviving Remains
Date 16 July 2013
Event ID 962486
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type World War One Audit of Surviving Remains
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/962486
The estuary of the River Tay was heavily defended from the early 20th century, through both First and Second World Wars. A battery of two Quick Firing 6-inch guns, intended to tackle medium-sized enemy ships, was built between 1903 and 1905 just to the east of Broughty Castle on Castle Green, at a cost of £8814 (about £738,000 at 2013 values) by a local contractor, Mr J B Hay of Monifeith.
Along with the 4.7-inch guns on Broughty Castle, the battery covered a controlled minefield laid across the river, which is about 1.4km across at this point. A War Office map suggests that the expected course of an enemy ship would have been about 650m from the battery.
The battery comprised a magazine and store building, the front of which was covered by a deep layer of soil and the roof of the magazine formed the working level of the battery. The two gun emplacements were built on top of heavy concrete foundations at either end of the magazine. The battery control post was positioned to the west of the western gun. A searchlight emplacement (Electric Light) was located in the SW corner.
The battery was disarmed in 1935 and temporarily rearmed with two 18-pdrs in November 1939, and with 6-inch guns in April 1940. The site was placed on a care-and-maintenance basis in April 1945.
Information from HS/RCAHMS World War One Audit Project (GJB) 16 July 2013; The National Archives WO 78/5193; WO 78/5195; WO 78/5196..
