Derelict defences

During the second world war Britain fortified its coasts in anticipation of an invasion by Nazi Germany. The beaches at Newburgh were protected by concrete anti-tank blocks, land mines, barbed wire, concrete pill boxes and walls made of steel scaffolding poles. The mouth of the River Ythan was defended by a concrete emplacement with heavy guns situated high up in the dunes.

The gun emplacement is still there, although without its guns, but many of the supporting ammunition stores and other associated structures were blown up at the end of the war. These two large lumps of concrete and brick are a reminder of those explosive events. Apart from being blown asunder the concrete is still in excellent condition, clearly they poured good concrete 75 years ago!