Buchanan Battery

Buchanan Battery was named after Lt Col Fred Buchanan, Commander of the Orkney Royal Garrison Artillery, a Kirkwall lawyer who served in both World Wars.  Buchanan was manned by 166 Coast Battery and its purpose as a coastal defence battery was to protect the boom that ran from Buchanan to Hoxa, guarding the main entrance to Scapa Flow. 

The Director Tower was where officers would be stationed to direct the guns where to fire. The lower observation post directed the fixed beam 90 cm searchlights to illuminate the area in front of the twin six-pounder quick firing gun.

The boom was anchored on the left side of the bay and you can still see the remains of chains there.

The battery was bombed twice before it became operational, but the craters were filled in so that land could be cultivated again.

Holdfast for the gun – bolts for holding the gun pedestal in position.  Rails carried the ammunition trolley.  The openings on the gun emplacement are to let the smoke clear from the gun area.  The canopy protected the gun crew from air attack.  The Battery Observation Post alongside would be used in an emergency if the director tower was out of action.

Original equipment consisted of two twelve-pounder guns, one of which was erected in March 1940 and the second one in April 1940.  At that time there was no living or messing accommodation in the Fort and all the personnel were billeted at Stanger Camp.

In December 1940 the twin six-pounder armament was erected and in February 1941 one 12 pounder was removed and the second in June 1941.

It was December 1941 before barrack accommodation commenced and was completed and occupied on 18 February 1942.  The erection of the gun house, director tower, CASL emplacements and engine rooms was commenced in May 1941 and completed about June 1942.

Construction of the war shelter and gun store commenced in July 1942 and was completed by Sept 1942.

All searchlights and loose stores were removed to a central store at Hatston Camp (Kirkwall) in April 1946.  The six pounder equipment and all engines remained in situ but were placed in long term ‘care and preservation’ until finally returned to RAOC (Royal Army Ordnance Corps) in July 1950.

Information gleaned from the Fort Record Book for Buchanan Battery:

Concrete structures – gun house, magazine, director tower, gun store, watch shelter, No 1 & No 2 Engine room, mag slip engine house, emergency BOP, CASL emplacements.

Corrugated iron structures (Nissen type) – training hut, 5 barrack rooms, ablutions, ration store, and general store.  The UP Projector magazine consisted of an Andersonshelter.

Wooden structures (Jane type) – battery office, cookhouse and dining hall, officers’ and Sergeants’ mess, canteen, quiet room and Jnr NCO’s room.

Five huts containing 52 iron beds and 14 wooden beds for ORs.

Ablutions – lavatories and wash-houses were combined and consisted of 6 lavatories and 6 cold water taps and one hot water tap, on a double wash stand.  Metal portable basins were used for washing.  Bathing accommodation consisted of two open showers in the other end of the ablution hut.  Leaking or dripping taps were to be reported immediately.

Officers’ and Sergeants’ mess for 2 officers, 1 WO and 4 sergeants.  All huts removed in 1947 except this one, used as a caretaker’s quarter.

Medical treatment was given at Stanger.

“All ranks reporting sick will parade outside the battery office at 0750 hrs so as to be able to meet the Stanger utility van conveying the sick to the CRS Stanger.”  (Van like a 5 cwt pick up truck with a canvas back.)

All sanitary arrangements were flushed direct from the water supply and the drainage throughout the camp had a direct outlet to the sea.

Various forms of communication – telephone, radio/telephone, Aldis signalling lamp, speaking tube, loudspeaker, bell.

No 1 Engine Room – 3 x 22 KW Lister Diesel Engines with compression ignition

No 2 Engine Room – 2 x 22 KW Lister Diesel Engines

Leave – “… allowed at the ratio of 14 days (including travelling days) once every 14 weeks, the 14 weeks being dated from the date of arrival back in unit to the date of departure.  Leave will commence and finish at Thurso Station.”  Ferries left for Lyness more or less every hour and from there you could catch a ferry to Scrabster, either the Tjalder or the Ninian, then a troop train, the Jellicoe, that went to King’s Cross.

“Orcadian personnel can be granted 36 hours leave every 12 days according to operational requirements, but this leave will not be granted over and above the usual privilege leave.  Orcadian personnel may choose which particular type of leave they wish to take but on no account will BOTH types of leave be given, and they will decide on either the usual ‘Privilege Leave’ or the periodical 36 hour leave.”

“The bounds of Buchanan Camp are:

The quadruple Dannert fence which encloses the camp on three sides, the fourth being bounded by Hoxa Sound at high tide.  The following are out of bounds to all other ranks not on duty:

Officers’ mess and adjoining buildings

Hospital compound and sisters or nurses quarters

All stores and offices

Cookhouse

The Naval camp, quarters and establishment

Catchment area and reservoir at Stanger

Headquarters offices

The rifle range

The inner perimeter to all those not on duty

Sergeants messes are out of bounds to all below the rank off L/Sgt.”

“The parade ground for 166 coast battery RA is situated in rear of the fort.”

There were fire plans and an evacuation plan, showing how equipment would be disabled before evacuating to Stanger Head.

“No animals or livestock without permission of the CO.

No cameras are permitted to be held by any rank.

Officers and soldiers are forbidden to accept presents in money from public bodies or private individuals in recognition of services rendered in the performance of their duty.

Gambling is forbidden.

Warrant officers and NCOs are forbidden to borrow money from private soldiers.

Any soldier believing himself to be suffering from VD will report sick immediately.  Concealment of this disease is a military offence.”