Scotland Pillboxes and Anti-Invasion Defences




	Scotland In 1940 the major fear was a cross channel invasion as the Allies had only recently lost the Battle of Norway, and there were significant German forces still positioned there. It was not inconceivable that the Nazis could launch raids on the Scottish mainland from Norwegian bases, or even worse, launch a two-pronged invasion of the country. That while the bulk of the British Army was engaged against cross-channel invaders, German forces could land on the weakly defended east coast of Scotland and sweep down. This would not only cut Britain off from the major naval base in Orkney and several vital ports, but would have completely circumvented the British plans for defence. As such, the decision was taken to build up the defences on the east Coast. The Polish Army in Exile were given the job of defending eastern Scotland and took up their posts from the borders to the northern coasts. Defences were mainly built on the the more directly threatened eastern coastline which was 453 miles long. Further stoplines were built inland and approached the scale and extent of defences seen in eastern England. Use the menu on the left to view the pictures from each county.