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Rattray Head Anti-Tank Line
Rattray Head anti-tank line. An anti-tank stop line which ran south from St Combs to Annachie Bridge, along the north east coast of Scotland. There were two main sections of the anti-tank ditch, one beginning at Starnakeppie, on the south east corner of Loch of Strathbeg, and running south to Annachie Bridge, and a second running running from the north end of the loch, to St Combs. The southern part of the ditch runs for approximately 6.5 kilometres, inland of the dune system, to Annachie Bridge. Postwar RAF aerial photographs (1946) show the ditch was generally provided with a pillbox at each vertex, and that these were surrounded by barbed wire enclosures. After the war, a number of ditch sections were incorporated into farm drainage systems.
The following summary attempts to concentrate some thirty pages of reports and locations, and present the information in pictorial form on the map at the foot of the page, with links to the data source for anyone seeking further information. The locations plotted are as given in the reports, and it should be noted that lines shown to indicate features are only representative of the path between the point, and do not attempt to depict the true ground course of any given feature.
Rattray Head
- Rattray Head Anti-Tank Line RCAHMS NK15NW 1.00
- Photographs RCAHMS photographs
⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6086964 lon=-1.8288687 link='Pillbox 1.01' :)
Well preserved pillbox at NK1032557646, 55 m south east of Rattray Head Shore Station, Lighthouse Shore Station. RCAHMS NK15NW 1.01⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6117013 lon=-1.8324529 link='Pillbox 1.02' :)
Well preserved pillbox at NK10115798, at Seatown. Rattray Head Lighthouse Shore Station. RCAHMS NK15NW 1.02⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6051815 lon=-1.8335371 link='Pillbox 1.03' :)
Well preserved pillbox at NK1004757254, 780 m east north east of Middleton of Rattray. Rattray Head Lighthouse Shore Station. RCAHMS NK15NW 1.03⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6002953 lon=-1.8336765 link='Pillbox 1.04' :)
Pillbox at NK10045671. RCAHMS NK15NW 1.04⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.5963993 lon=-1.8354676 link='Pillbox 1.05' :)
Well preserved pillbox at NK0993456276, 650 m east of Rattray House. RCAHMS NK15NW 1.05⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.5927551 lon=-1.8375583 link='Pillbox 1.06' :)
Well preserved pillbox at NK09815587, 585 m south east of Rattray House. RCAHMS NK15NW 1.06⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.5900845 lon=-1.8353622 link='Pillbox 1.07' :)
Well preserved pillbox at NK0994255573, 855 m south east of Rattray House. RCAHMS NK15NW 1.07⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6123205 lon=-1.8254206 link='Anti-Tank Blocks 1.08' :)
Two rows of four and one row of three anti-tank blocks or pimples at NK10535805, about 30 m long, east of ditch. RCAHMS NK15NW 1.08⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.5852512 lon=-1.8347987 link='Pillbox 1.09' :)
Well preserved pillbox at NK0997755035, 1.15 km south south east of Rattray Home Farm. RCAHMS NK15NW 1.09⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.5915428 lon=-1.8377644 link='Pillbox 1.10' :)
Well preserved pillbox at NK0979855735, 640 m south east of Rattray House. RCAHMS NK15NW 1.10⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6119078 lon=-1.8542097 link='Pillbox Starnakeppie' :)
Type 24 pillbox at NK08815800 on the north edge of Castle Hill. Castle Hill. Starnakeppie.RCAHMS NK05NE 24⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.5683078 lon=-1.8261325 link='Annachie Bridge' :)
Annachie Bridge, NK10505315.⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6575249 lon=-1.9146251 link='St Combs' :)
. St Combs.
Tillyduff Hill
To the south of St Combs, a short, straight section of ditch was cut through Tillyduff Hill, possibly linking with a drain/ditch cut to drain Loch of Strathbeg. This drain/ditch may also have been used to protect the area north of Loch of Strathbeg. Two short lengths of anti-tank blocks, (10.02A) and (10.02B), and one pillbox (10.01) within a barbed-wire enclosure can be seen on RAF aerial photographs (1946). The pillbox stands on a narrow trench running from NK06016259 to NK05976285, and merges into a second line of anti-tank blocks (10.02B).
- Rattray Head Anti-Tank Line. Tillyduff Hill. Anti-Tank Ditch RCAHMS NK06SE 10.00
⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6537563 lon=-1.9004896 link='Pillbox 10.01' :)
Pillbox at NK0603862654, Tillyduff Hill; Trench. RCAHMS NK06SE 10.01⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6526428 lon=-1.9007942 link='Anti-Tank Blocks 10.02A' :)
and⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6559670 lon=-1.9017906 link='Anti-Tank Blocks 10.02B' :)
Anti-Tank Blocks at NK06026253 and NK05966290, Tillyduff Hill. RCAHMS NK06SE 10.02⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6586649 lon=-1.9059729 link='Pillbox 10.03' :)
Possible Type 27 pillbox at NK05716320, 50 m north east of St Columba's Church. St Combs, St Comb's Haven. RCAHMS NK06SE 10.03⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6613633 lon=-1.9111613 link='Pillbox 10.04' :)
Possible Type 27 pillbox at NK05406350, 100 m north east of Charleston, St Combs. RCAHMS NK06SE 10.04⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6555178 lon=-1.9016242 link='Trench near pillbox 10.01 North' :)
,⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6531818 lon=-1.9009603 link='Trench near pillbox (10.01) South' :)
Trench between NK06016259 and NK05976285, near pillbox (10.01).
⚠ (:gma-line id=3 lat=57.6531818 lon=-1.9009603 text='NK06016259' :)
⚠ (:gma-line id=3 lat=57.6555178 lon=-1.9016242 text='NK05976285' :)
⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6517446 lon=-1.9007967 link='Tank Line/Ditch North' :)
,⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6487792 lon=-1.8992969 link='Tank Line/Ditch South' :)
Tank Line/Ditch between NK06116210 and NK06026243.
⚠ (:gma-line id=2 lat=57.6487792 lon=-1.8992969 text='NK06116210' :)
⚠ (:gma-line id=2 lat=57.6517446 lon=-1.9007967 text='NK06026243' :)
Rattray/Crimond airfield
A line of coastal defence pillboxes protected the approach to Crimond airfield, and formed part of the anti-tank stop line that ran along the north east coast. A canal/ditch runs north from the Loch of Strathbeg to Gallow Hill (NK06176185) and may be part of the same line. See RCAHMS NK06SE, Loch of Strathbeg canal.
- Rattray Head Anti-Tank Line. Rattray Airfield RCAHMS NK05NE 17.00
- Photographs RCAHMS pictures
⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6147735 lon=-1.8468335 link='Pillbox 17.01' :)
Well preserved pillbox at NK09255832, 675 m east north east of Old Rattray, Coastguard Lookout. RCAHMS NK05NE 17.01⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6142279 lon=-1.8414797 link='Pillbox 17.02' :)
Well preserved pillbox at NK09575826, 875 m east north east of Old Rattray. RCAHMS NK05NE 17.02⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6137757 lon=-1.8389710 link='Pillbox 17.03' :)
Well preserved pillbox at NK09725821, 460 m west north west of Seatown. RCAHMS NK05NE 17.03⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6495872 lon=-1.8987921 link='Canal North' :)
,⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6276653 lon=-1.8926576 link='Canal S' :)
Canal between NK06515975 and NK06146219.
⚠ (:gma-line id=4 lat=57.6276653 lon=-1.8926576 text='NK06515975' :)
⚠ (:gma-line id=4 lat=57.6495872 lon=-1.8987921 text='NK06146219' :)
⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6147735 lon=-1.8468335 link='Tank Line North' :)
,⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6137757 lon=-1.8389710 link='Tank Line South' :)
Tank Line between NK09255832 and NK09725821.
⚠ (:gma-line id=1 lat=57.6147735 lon=-1.8468335 text='NK09255832' :)
⚠ (:gma-line id=1 lat=57.6137757 lon=-1.8389710 text='NK09725821' :)
⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6465328 lon=-1.8982980 link='Gallow Hill NK06176185' :)
Gallow Hill, NK06176185.
Pillboxes are also noted by Grampian Regional Council (GRC) at the following locations, however it is unclear whether any of these duplicate those recorded by RCAHMS NK05NE 17.00).
⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6110588 lon=-1.9062629 link='Pillbox GRC1' :)
at NK057579.⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6136966 lon=-1.8476749 link='Pillbox GRC2' :)
at NK092582.⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6136905 lon=-1.8426537 link='Pillbox GRC3' :)
at NK095582.⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6127880 lon=-1.8393101 link='Pillbox GRC4' :)
at NK097581.⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6064939 lon=-1.8343176 link='Pillbox GRC5' :)
at NK100574.⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6117010 lon=-1.8322856 link='Pillbox GRC6' :)
at NK10125798.⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.6089121 lon=-1.8289513 link='Pillbox GRC7' :)
at NK10325767.
North Blackwater
A major section of the anti-tank stop line is described between NK10025500 and NK10555315, and comprises an anti-tank ditch running north south, inland of the dunes. Between this ditch, and west of the high water line, there is a further series of anti-tank landing ditches in the dunes, running east west. Gaps in this system were protected by short lengths of anti-tank blocks, with a short section of approximately 150 m lying on the north side of the Annachie burn outflow (NK15SW 6.05). Pillboxes were located to the west of the ditch, one of which (pillbox 6.01) appear to have been provided with circular platforms, protected by a barbed wire enclosure, which could have served light anti-aircraft guns, or a searchlight battery.
- Anti-Tank Ditch. North Blackwater. Annachie Bridge RCAHMS NK15SW 6.00
⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.5813696 lon=-1.8338463 link='Pillbox 6.01' :)
Well preserved pillbox at NK1003554603 1.55 km south south east of Rattray Home Farm. Also has a barbed-wire enclosure to its west, with two small circular banked platforms which may have been used for light anti-aircraft guns or searchlights. North Blackwater. Trenches. RCAHMS NK15SW 6.01⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.5758869 lon=-1.8312797 link='Pillbox 6.02' :)
Pillbox at NK1019053993. North Blackwater. RCAHMS NK15SW 6.02⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.5833113 lon=-1.8282351 link='Anti-tank Blocks 6.03A' :)
and⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.5806157 lon=-1.8275789 link='Anti-tank Blocks 6.03B' :)
Anti-Tank Blocks at NK10375482 and NK10415452. North Blackwater. RCAHMS NK15SW 6.03⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.5775599 lon=-1.8262557 link='Anti-tank Blocks 6.04A' :)
and⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.5763014 lon=-1.8255928 link='Anti-tank Blocks 6.04B' :)
Anti-Tank Blocks at NK10495418 and NK10535404. North Blackwater. RCAHMS NK15SW 6.04⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.5708173 lon=-1.8221083 link='Anti-tank Blocks 6.05' :)
Anti-Tank Blocks at NK10745343. Annachie Burn. Annachie Bridge. RCAHMS NK15SW 6.05⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.5522183 lon=-1.8062414 link='Pillbox 6.06' :)
Possible five sided pillbox/structure at NK1169551362. St Fergus Links. RCAHMS NK15SW 6.06⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.5677494 lon=-1.8250319 link='Pillbox 6.07' :)
Possible six sided pillbox at NK1056653088 about 130 m east of Annachie Bridge. St Fergus Links, Annachie Bridge. Annachie Burn. RCAHMS NK15SW 6.07⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.5849359 lon=-1.8340810 link='Ditch North' :)
,⚠ (:gma-point lat=57.5683066 lon=-1.8252967 link='Ditch South' :)
Ditch between NK10025500 and NK10555315.
⚠ (:gma-line id=5 lat=57.5849359 lon=-1.8340810 text='NK10025500' :)
⚠ (:gma-line id=5 lat=57.5683066 lon=-1.8252967 text='NK10555315' :)
External links
Where available, individual links are provided after each item listed above.
- Nearby Canmore or ScotlandsPlaces items
The links above all centre on the airfield.
Aerial views
- Old OS maps
- Nearby geocaches
- Bing Maps
- OS Get-a-map™
- Fly to in Google Earth
- SABRE - Maps (has many options) WiP - Needs lat/lon edit!
- Flash Earth
- EarthTools - disabled
- Coming
The views above all centre on the airfield.
Map
⚠ (:gma-map :)
⚠ [[!World War II]]
⚠ [[!Pillbox]]
⚠ [[!Defence]]
⚠ (:WPCategoriesList:)
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⚠ (:tracetrails:)