Forth Defences, Middle, Inchcolm, 4.7-inch Battery
Coastal Battery (First World War)
Site Name Forth Defences, Middle, Inchcolm, 4.7-inch Battery
Classification Coastal Battery (First World War)
Alternative Name(s) Forth Defences; Firth Of Forth; World War 1
Canmore ID 84245
Site Number NT18SE 22.04
NGR NT 18805 82404
NGR Description 18785 82398, 18805 82404, 18825 82411, 18841 82423
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/84245
- Council Fife
- Parish Aberdour (Dunfermline)
- Former Region Fife
- Former District Dunfermline
- Former County Fife
In the initial armament of the island a battery of two 12-pdr guns (of a total of eight on the island) were emplaced on the west part of the island (see NT18SE 22.02). Their location is shown on a map of 1915 (The National Archives WO 78/4417), along with a shelter, ammunition store and ‘earth closet’. In 1916, when the defences of Inchcolm were strengthened, a battery of four 4.7-inch guns was established here. The emplacements survive. The guns were transferred from Dalmeny and Downing Point Batteries, to which they had been sent from Kinghorn in October 1914. The guns were ready for action between January and July 1917, but a lack of accommodation for their crews on the island meant that they were not immediately brought into service (The National Archives WO 192/108). In 1916 the guns were known as Group “H” (the same as their 12-pdr predecessors).
Information from HS/RCAHMS World War One Audit Project (GJB) 16 August 2013.
NT18SE 22.04 18785 82398, 18805 82404, 18825 82411 and 18841 82423
This World War One battery is situated on the SW of the island and is constructed of concrete. It mounted four 4.7-inch MkIII guns which were installed in 1917 from the Dalmeny(NT17NW 177) and Downing Point Batteries (NT18SE 24). The guns were removed in October 1931.
J Guy 1994; NMRS MS 810/3; PRO WO/192/254
The four emplacements are shown as four curved features on the current OS 1:2500 scale digital map. The gun-emplacements are also visible on RAF WW II oblique air photographs (S309, 6962-6965, flown 2 October 1941).
Information from RCAHMS (DE), March 2005
Project (March 2013 - September 2013)
A project to characterise the quantity and quality of the Scottish resource of known surviving remains of the First World War. Carried out in partnership between Historic Scotland and RCAHMS.
