Flotta, Roan Head, Light Anti-aircraft Battery
Gun Emplacement (20th Century)
Site Name Flotta, Roan Head, Light Anti-aircraft Battery
Classification Gun Emplacement (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Lf 3; Golta Peninsula
Canmore ID 104479
Site Number ND39NE 3
NGR ND 3752 9579
NGR Description ND c. 3752 9579
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/104479
- Council Orkney Islands
- Parish Walls And Flotta
- Former Region Orkney Islands Area
- Former District Orkney
- Former County Orkney
ND39NE 3 c. 3752 9579
A light anti-aircraft battery position situated 60m S of the track which leads to Roan Head at a point where a small side road diverges in a SSE direction. The position is visible on a vertical air photograph (RAF LEU/UK 4 7057).
Visited by RCAHMS (GS) June 1996.
This light anti-aicraft gun-emplacement is recorded in the Public Record Office papers (WO 166/7270) which show that it was armed with one 40mm MkI 'bofors' gun. Manning is noted as being by 58 Regiment.
Information from RCAHMS (DE), November 2004
Field Visit (August 1997)
This area contains extensive structural remains associated with WWI and II military operations centred on the military camp at Golta and the coastal batteries at Roan Head. The main concentrations of these remains, which include an anti-aircraft rocket and dummy camp (ND39NE 2), three light anti-aircraft batteries (ND39NE 3, ND39NE 6 and ND39NE 7), a barrage balloon mooring position (ND39NE 4) and a large shed of pre-WWI date (ND39NE 5), lie outwith the area of this survey. Within the coastal zone lie the remains of a metalled trackway lined with concrete bollards and numerous small earthworks and concrete footings. Only the most substantial remains are described here:
i) (ND 3729 9590) A concrete shed, possibly a telegraphy station, is located on the beach. It measures 3m by 3m and stands to 3m high. It has a single door and window, both of which face inland.
ii) (ND 3686 9584) A rusted metal pipe, supported on a series of concrete pillars, issues from the coastal section and extends into the sea.
iii) (ND 3645 9581) The concrete footings of a building lie 15m from the coast edge. Aligned E-W, it measures 5m by 4m and has a set of two steps to its W end.
Moore and Wilson, 1997
Coastal Zone Assessment Survey
