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World War One Audit of Surviving Remains

Date 1 August 2013

Event ID 962993

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type World War One Audit of Surviving Remains

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/962993

The Invergordon naval base took advantage of the the large sheltered roadstead provided by the Cromarty Firth. It began operating in 1913, with extensive dockside facilities, a vast complex of 41 fuel-oil storage tanks, and accommodation and other facilities for the many naval and civilian personnel. There was a large naval hospital. While most of the personnel lived it large hutments, 132 houses were built for dockyard personnel. The dockyard officers were provided with six substantial detached bungalows on the shore, while 126 semi-detached, single-story cottages were built for other staff - probably married senior craftsmen or married servicemen.

The design of defence of the base was put in hand in the same year. Three 9.2-inch guns (to tackle large enemy warships) and six 4-inch Quick Firing guns (to deal with smaller, faster-moving vessels) were emplaced on the headlands at the entrance to the Firth, the North and South Sutor (see NH86NW 9 and 11). The batteries were equipped with defence electric lights (powerful searchlights to illuminate targets for the guns at night). The mouth of the Firth was also obstructed by an anti-submarine boom, but its precise location is not known.

The naval base and the North and South Sutor batteries were defended from attack by land by complexes of firing trenches and barbed wire entanglements (see NH77SW 79).

There were large Army encampments nearby, mainly for training troops, but also to provide a defensive garrison for the base.

The dockyard was run down after the First World War and, although it continued in use through the Second World War as an oiling base, it never became as important a base again.

Information from HS/RCAHMS World War One Audit Project (GJB) 1 August 2013.

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