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Bressay, Hill Of Setter, Anti-aircraft Battery
Anti Aircraft Battery (20th Century)
Site Name Bressay, Hill Of Setter, Anti-aircraft Battery
Classification Anti Aircraft Battery (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) L3; Setter
Canmore ID 115422
Site Number HU54SW 29
NGR HU 50440 42182
NGR Description Centred on HU 50440 42182
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/115422
- Council Shetland Islands
- Parish Bressay
- Former Region Shetland Islands Area
- Former District Shetland
- Former County Shetland
HU54SW 29.00 Centered HU 50440 42182
HU54SW 29.01 centred HU 5025 4220 Military Camp
HU54SW 29.02 c.HU 5048 4129 Military Camp
Setter anti-aircraft battery is situated on the summit of the Hill of Setter, SW of the Loch of Aith. The battery was supplied with four 3.7-inch guns, a command post, many hut bases and some light anti-aircraft positions. All are constructed from concrete blocks and form part of the anti-aircraft defences of Lerwick.
J Guy 1995; NMRS Ms 810/4, 106-110
A heavy anti-aircraft battery is situated on the SW-facing slope of Hill of Setter sloping ground. Consisting of an arc four concrete gun-emplacements (HU 50421 42204, HU 50451 42205, HU 50464 42182 and HU 50454 42157), each with three breeze block ready-use ammunition lockers surrounding the central holdfast. Each gun-emplacement retains the vestigies of the earth banks that once enclosed each position. The centrally positioned holdfast is square in plan and a cable trench leading from the command post has been cut into the concrete emplacements. Ten large bolts with nuts are still extant on the holdfast.
Positioned slightly SW, but centrally within the arc of emplacements is the command post set within an earth bank.
Immediately SW of the command post are the remains and concrete bases for at least six huts (HU50436 42181, HU 50430 42174, HU 50421 42175, HU 50413 42173, HU 50385 42165), these are likely to have been for storage, crew shelter and ammunition.. The platform and remains at HU 50399 42152, were probably the electricity generator house.
The accommodation camp (HU54SW 29.01) was centred at HU 50259 42092 with another group of hut bases were noted at c. HU 5048 4129 (HU54SW 29.02).
The battery is visible on vertical air photographs (OS/64/221, 033-034, flown 25 September 1964), which show that there also possible light anti-aircraft emplacements and small trenches nearby.
The battery was designated L3 by the War Office and documents in the Public Recod Office (PRO) state that in 1942 it was supplied with two pre-war 3-inch guns and that no radar unit was installed. Manning was by 58 Brigade (WO 166/7270).
Visited by RCAHMS (DE, AL), 8 October 1998
