Ness Of Sound, Coast Battery
Coastal Battery (Second World War)
Site Name Ness Of Sound, Coast Battery
Classification Coastal Battery (Second World War)
Alternative Name(s) Munger Skerries
Canmore ID 114939
Site Number HU43NE 14
NGR HU 4714 3903
NGR Description Centred HU 4714 3903
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/114939
- Council Shetland Islands
- Parish Lerwick
- Former Region Shetland Islands Area
- Former District Shetland
- Former County Shetland
HU43NE 14.00 Centred 4714 3903
HU43NE 14 .01 HU 47145 39032 and 47154 39053 Gun-emplacements
HU43NE 14.02 HU 47073 39039 Engine House
HU43NE 14.03 HU 47102 38939, 47160 38992 and 47174 39125 Searchlight Battery
HU43NE 14.04 HU 47132 39029 Observation Post
The surviving remains of this battery consist of two gun emplacements, magazine, engine room, battery observation post and three searchlight emplacements.
In June 1940 two 4-inch guns were emplaced, being replaced in July 1940 by two 6-inch guns. The two 4-inch guns were moved to Calback battery at Sullom Voe (HU37NE 10).
Shetland Islands Council have now purchased the site.
J Guy 1995 NMRS MS 810/4, 24-6, 28-30, 33-4
Ness of Sound coast battery is situated at the end of a track leading S from the farmsteading of the same name. The battery overlooks the Munger Skerries and an inlet annotated on Ordnance Survey maps as 'Malcolm's Ship'.
The buildings are constructed of brick, concrete and reinforced concrete. There are two gun-emplacements set imemdiately E of the Battery Observation Post (BOP), three searchlight emplacements, engine room and an interlinking sub-surface corridor system similar to that found at Caldbeck Battery (HU37NE 10) at Sullom Voe.
The accommodation area was about 66m to the N and NW of the gun-emplacements and several htu platforms can be seen in this area.
The battery is visible on vertical air photographs (106G/Scot/UK 97, 4045-4046, flown 18 May 1946), which clearly show the acccommodation huts, but the gun-emplacements, BOP and interlinking corridors are less visible as they have been camouflaged.
The battery is noted in 1940 Public Record Office documents (PRO WO 192/271) as having been armed with two 6-inch Naval guns, which had been removed by 1943. In addition the records show that a 4.5-inch howitzer pit and a single 2-inch Unrotating Projectile (UP) launcher were supplied. No evidence for the UP mounting or the howitzer pit was found on the day of visit. There is a plan in the PRO showing the disposition of the buildings relating to the battery including the semi-underground passageways.
Visited by RCAHMS (DE, AL), October 1998
