AA Battery Blantyreferme

Emplacement

A World War II anti-aircraft battery was sited at Blantyreferme, near Blantyre to the southeast of Glasgow, west side of Blantyre Farm Road. Site number GSG1 (early), S1 (later). Part of the Clyde AA Defences, the site was also known as Blantyre Ferme, Blantyre, or Uddingston.

The battery is described as having four emplacements armed with 4.5-inch guns (1942-43 then re-equipped with 3.7-inch guns (1945), command post, magazine, gun store, and other support buildings, with an accommodation camp located to the east. Records indicate the later addition of two further emplacements. A GL Radar mat lay to the northwest of the site, reported to operate Mk II radar in 1942-43.

No significant remains survive of the accommodation camp, and while much of the battery and its buildings can be found, the emplacements have been vandalised, some heavily, while others appear to have been lost in the undergrowth. Numerous small details remain scattered about the site, such as small shelters made of corrugated iron sheeting, and ground features which may be related to sewage handling, such as manhole covers.

Although a third magazine was known to have been reported on the site, possibly under a spoil heap, this was not confirmed until 2009, when it was found buried beneath the spoil during the winter, when the vegetation had died back, and photographs could be taken of the roof, entrance, and storage bays within.

Site visit 2006

The concrete posts of the perimeter fence still remain in place, although none of the fencing remains between them. The main gate still stands in the undergrowth at the north end of the site. Much of the site is heavily overgrown, with trees growing in some parts, but most of the main features can still be found. Almost hidden within the undergrowth are further small buildings and features, which may be sentry posts or shelters, but are too overgrown to be properly identified. Smaller items which may be manhole or access covers could also be seen, but were substantially obscured by heavy vegetation.

The most recognisable of the remaining emplacements can be found at the northern end of the site. Vandals have destroyed most of the ammunition stores, and even succeeding in hammering a hole through the steel reinforced concrete roof of one of the surviving stores. The holdfast can still be located beneath the overgrown central grassy area. Lost within bushes on the perimeter are passages leading to small shelters for the troops, arranged in short zig-zags to deny attackers the option of a straight shot at the occupants.

Located between the two central gun emplacements is a magazine, protected by an earth mound built around its perimeter. The picture was taken from one of the paths leading from the magazine to the emplacement pictured above. A central path led between the two main emplacements to the magazine, and was protected by sentry posts, now almost lost in the undergrowth. Although arranged internally as a magazine, with storage bays, this structure was heavily protected by earth banking and walls, suggesting it also served as the battery command post (BCP). This is further suggested by the presence of windows facing the access track leading to the partly buried building.

Located south of the emplacements and central magazine, was a second, larger magazine. Although the building is substantially complete, other than the bay numbering, little remains to be seen inside the magazine other than the individual storage bays.

The workshop and store building lies west of the emplacements. Although it appears relatively complete from a distance, the roof has collapsed into the interior, leaving only the walls standing.

A short distance east of the buildings, a round anti-tank block was found. These were simply made by pouring concrete into a cylindrical mould made from a sheet of corrugated iron, giving them their characteristic corrugated outline. Only one block was found, adjacent to a large piece of solid brickwork which may have been part of a demolished building.

Site visit 2008

A visit to the site in April 2008, reported the existence of additional access west of the Blantyre Farm Road into the area containing the battery's remains. At the time, there did not appear to be any indication as to their purpose, however they do give vehicular access to the north and south extents of the area.