World War 11 Remains

The remains of a WW11 mine watchers post close to the Erskine bridge.

Quadrant Tower, Dunure

Quadrant Tower, Dunure. A relic from word war 11,its exact purpose is open to some debate,perhaps used for planes returning to nearby Turnberry airfield.

PS Waverley

During World War II, mine watchers posts were built along the banks of the Clyde from Greenock to Glasgow, many of them still remain in various states of repair.
The posts usually have the same deign, undressed brick with a concrete slab on the roof, a narrow aperture allowing a view of the river.
This particular post is at Steamboat Quay Port Glasgow.

World War 11 Port Glasgow

Mine watchers post at Port Glasgow.

A concrete beach was created at Wemyss Bay during World War II, to provide a durable area where amphibious vehicles and landing craft could transition between land and sea. This would have been part of the preparations made by Combined Operations.

The weight of military vehicles, particularly if loaded with supplies, troops, munitions or armour, and the repeated passage of heavily treaded tyres, or tracks, would soon destroy an unprotected soft or sandy beach with a loose surface, rendering it useless. By laying a reinforced concrete surface over the original beach, it was possible to stabilise such areas, and use them continuously.

Here is a short account of someone who lived in the area at the time.

The Wemyss Bay beach which we knew as the shore road did have the concrete facility as is mentioned and was used by landing craft that came from somewhere and went up some lochs somewhere but we never found out where, such was the way of the war, but the concrete landing area certainly made a good outdoor swimming pool if the weather was good and the tide was in.

I was living at this time in a caravan in Kelly Estate in the avenue, a short distance from McIntyre's Kelly Mains farm, having moved down from Glasgow after the Clydebank blitz. The caravans were all well spaced out under the trees, unlike the present day, and the rent paid to Mr Bill McIntyre was £5.00 a year.

It was not unusual to be awakened in the wee small hours by the sound of army tanks, bren carriers and army lorries coming up into the estate and stopping under the trees to avoid detection from the air, also not realising that the caravans were all occupied thinking they could perhaps get a good billet for the night.

One particular instance, where having disturbed us during the night, the young English officer in charge apologised the next morning and stated that they were now leaving and taking the bridge to Rothesay. We explained there was no bridge to Rothesay and it transpired that he was looking for the Kincardine Bridge as they were going to Rosyth!

George Sneddon, Cumbernauld.

Information courtesy of secret Scotland.

ASR-10

ASR-10 is an air-sea rescue craft built during World War II in 1942. It was constructed by Carrier Engineering and was one of a number of craft which were moored at strategic points off Britain’s east coast. Once in place these craft served as refuges for aircrews which ditched their aeroplanes into the sea. ASR-10 would have been fitted out with bunks, radio equipment, basic cooking facilities, dry clothes, food, and other essential provisions to ensure that the airmen remained as comfortable as possible before being picked up by a rescue vessel.

Old Kilpatrick /Erskine
Greenock
Port Glasgow

During World War II, a line of mine watcher posts were built along the banks of the Clyde from Greenock to Glasgow. Most of them have been demolished or fallen into the river due to bank erosion especially in the upper reaches of the Clyde, but a few still remain although in a poor condition and normally vandalised.

The posts mainly have the same design, being built in rough brick with a concrete roof and a 12 inch slit on the front facing the river, presumably they were manned by the homegaurd.

Cloch Point Searchlight Battery

The remains of a search light viewing platform that lies a few hundred yards from Cloch lighthouse.