South Walls, Hackness, Newhouse
Anti Aircraft Battery (20th Century)
Site Name South Walls, Hackness, Newhouse
Classification Anti Aircraft Battery (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) H1; South Walls; Scarton; South Waas
Canmore ID 81781
Site Number ND39SW 45
NGR ND 33611 90480
NGR Description Centred ND 33611 90480
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/81781
- Council Orkney Islands
- Parish Walls And Flotta
- Former Region Orkney Islands Area
- Former District Orkney
- Former County Orkney
ND39SW 45.00 centred 33611 90480
ND39SW 45.01 centred ND 33499 90346 Military camp
ND39SW 45.02 ND 33655 90361 Radar site
ND39SW 45.03 c.ND 3349 9040 Decoy site
An almost complete anti-aircraft battery situated S of Newhouse farmstead. The battery straddles a boundary fence and incorporates ammunition lockers, buildings and at least one machine gun post. 100m SSE at ND 3366 9036 there is a radar ramp (ND39SW 45.02), forming part of the Gl-mat, with associated poles for 'chicken' wire, some still with wire attached.
The military camp to accommodate the personnel (ND39SW 45.01) lies 150m SW and straddles the B9047 road.
Visited by RCAHMS (DE) May 1996.
The emplacements with ready-use ammunition lockers and crew shelters have been built using breeze blocks. Some of the ammunition lockesr retain the wooden racking for the shells. Holdfasts survive under grass in the centre of at least three emplacements.
Carved in the concrete on top of one ammunition lockers of the third emplacement (ND 33612 90483) is an incription ' France 1939-40; 277 (or 27H) AA Battery'.
The heavy anti-aircraft battery was armed in 1942 with four static 4.5-inch guns and provided with a GL Mk II radar set.
It was manned by 59 Brigade (PRO WO 166/7270).
Visited by RCAHMS (DE, GS, SW), August 1997
