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World War One Audit of Surviving Remains
Date 14 August 2013
Event ID 963270
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type World War One Audit of Surviving Remains
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/963270
According to the history of the defences of the Forth during the First World War (on Fort Record Book for Inchcolm (The National Archives WO 192/108) approval had been given 'some considerable time before the war' for the construction of a battery of 9.2-inch guns (a large-calibre gun intended to tackle the largest enemy ships likely to attack the British coast) at Braefoot. Approval was given in July 1914 for the guns, carriages and other equipment to be ordered, and the pedestals for the guns arrived at Aberdour Station in January 1915. They did not reach the battery until April and May. The two guns were mounted on 28 May and 6 July 1915. When the defences of the Forth were restructured it was advocated that the guns be removed to an new battery at Kinghorn, but permission for this was not given. It was ordered, however, in October 1917 that the guns be dismounted and stored ready for despatch - one gun was sent to Portsmouth in December.
The coast guns were such an important part of the defence of the country that considerable efforts were made to protect them from landings of enemy troops that might put them out of action. Not only are there blockhouses within the battery, but a map of 1916 (The National Archives WO 78/4396) shows a ring of six blockhouses inland and along the shore.
Information from HS/RCAHMS World War One Audit Project (GJB) 13 August 2013.
