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AA Battery Drumcross

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Larger magazine building, 2007, Fox
Larger magazine building

A World War II anti-aircraft battery was located approximately one mile west of Bishopton, the site of a major munitions factory, ROF Bishopton. Site number GSG7 (early), S7 (later). Part of the , the battery was known as Drumcross, or Shilton.

The battery was equipped with four emplacements, a command post, workshop and store, three magazines, a GL Radar mat to the west, and an accommodation camp to east, near the largest magazine. The battery is reported to have been armed with 4.5-inch guns, and the camp can be seen to have comprised some of some 40 huts and buildings in an RAF aerial photograph taken during construction in 1941.

Site visit 2007

A site visit carried out during 2007 found the four emplacements, command post, workshop and store, and the three magazines to remain largely intact within a heavily overgrown area strewn with rubbish. Attempts had been made to set fires within the buildings, but these had little effect on the concrete structures. A concrete support pillar remains intact within the instrument pit, and would have mounted an optical range or height finder. A steel support pillar remains mounted on the floor of the workshop, however its purpose is unknown.

No evidence was found of the associated accommodation camp, or the GL Radar mat.

Site visits 2010

A site visit was carried out during early 2010, after reports that the site had been subject to extensive works which had resulted in the loss of a number of the wartime building which had survived there, to the effect that that they were gone and largely covered by hardcore.

The site has been taken over by Killochries Highland Cattle, and although they have a section for conservation on their web site, this relates only to wildlife, not historic artefacts.⚠ [^Killochries Highland Cattle Retrieved April 28, 2012.^]

A further visit was carried out later in 2010 to find that two new large barn type buildings had been erected at the the eastern end of the site. Of the original buildings, the long magazine, one small magazine, the workshop and store, and two emplacements had been lost from the site. Still surviving on the the site at the time of the visit were two emplacements, the command post, and one small magazine.

New buildings as of 2010, Fox
New buildings as of 2010
Battery remains as of 2010, Fox
Battery remains as of 2010


New livestock sheds, 2011
New livestock sheds
© James T M Towill


Photographs

Instrument pit and support pillar, 2007, Fox
Instrument pit and support pillar
Gun emplacement, 2007, Fox
Gun emplacement
Workshop and store, 2007, Fox
Workshop and store


References

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External links

Related Canmore/RCAHMS and ScotlandsPlaces (SP) entries:-

 

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Aerial views


Map

⚠ (:gma-point lat=55.9066808 lon=-4.4780341 text='AA Battery Drumcross' :) ⚠ (:gma-map view=sat zoom=18:)

⚠ [[!World War II]] ⚠ [[!HAA Battery]] ⚠ [[!Clyde AA Defences]] ⚠ (:WPCategoriesList:)

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