Irvine, Bogside Race Course, Possible Dummy Anti Aircraft Battery
Anti Aircraft Battery (Second World War)(Possible), Anti Glider Ditches (Second World War), Decoy Site (Second World War)(Possible)
Site Name Irvine, Bogside Race Course, Possible Dummy Anti Aircraft Battery
Classification Anti Aircraft Battery (Second World War)(Possible), Anti Glider Ditches (Second World War), Decoy Site (Second World War)(Possible)
Alternative Name(s) Clyde Aa Defences; Bogside Racecourse
Canmore ID 144889
Site Number NS33NW 64
NGR NS 3065 3953
NGR Description Centred NS c. 3065 3953
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/144889
- Council North Ayrshire
- Parish Irvine
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Cunninghame
- Former County Ayrshire
NS33NW 64 centred c. 3065 3953
An anti-aircraft battery has been identified from wartime vertical aerial photographs (RAF CAM 12880, flown 1943) within Bogside racecourse. Consisting of four emplacements with a command position and accommodation camp. The position is set amongst many anti-glider trenches.
Information from RCAHMS (DE), May 1999
Research in the National Archives (former Public Record Office), would suggest that this anti aircaft battery may have been a dummy/decoy site. There is no record of an active heavy anti aircraft battery being located at Bogside Racecourse (PRO: WO 166/7309; WO 166/11169) and it is not noted in lists of heavy anti aircraft batteries of Scotland. However, the vertical air photograph taken in 1943 clearly shows an arc of four gun emplacements with command position and at least 27 huts set amongst anti landing ditches. The huts are in regular rows to the S and SE of the emplacements. No Gl-mat for radar is visible on the photograph.
Intrestingly, no decoy site is recorded near this location, but at least three bomb craters are seen on the air photograph.
It is not known whether this battery was ever intended for active use or built deliberately as a decoy/dummy site.
Information from RCAHMS (DE), December 2008.
