TWO MILITARY WAR PORTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 11 June 1945, Page 5

TWO MILITARY WAR PORTS

WEST COAST OF SCOTLAND CLOSELY-KEPT SECRET REVEALED London. June 8 Yet another closely-kept war secret now revealed is the building ot two military ports on the west coast of Scotland. After the German occupation of France and the Low Countries in 1940 and the consequent virtual closing ot England ’s east and south coast ports to large ocean-going ships, it became essentia! to build additional deepwater berths. Existing facilities on the west coast could not possibly cope with additional military traffic and it was decided in August, 1940. to proceed with the building of military ports which wo.'ld provide 12 berths with all facilities to meet military requirements Two sites were selected. one in Gare Loch of the Clyde Estuary and the other at Cijirnryan Loch Ryal. Wigtownshire, south-west Scotland. The deep-water berths, six of 500 feet in length at No. 1 Military Port in Gare Loch and five of 500 leet at No. 2 Military Port at Cairnryan, provide berths with 33 feet of depth at low water The berths are rail-served and fully equipped with cranes. 20 of which were transferred from Southampton. Because the ports were being built for the war nly the features normally adopted to give long life were excluded. The labouu was provided by the Royal Engineers and Pioneer Corps. Some times these men who numbered 5000, worked m most adverse weather conditions for ery long hours. Each port covers more than a mile and a-ha’.f of waterfront. The work began at the end of 1940 and the first ship was berthed in July 1942. The Royal Navy have made use of the ports. Several battleships were berthed and H.M.S Malaya was fitted out with new guns From No 1 Mr Churchill commenced his voyage on the Queen Mary to attend one of his historic conferences and the King and Queen sailed f’bm Loch Ryan to visit Northern Ireland. These ports have also played a very important part in connection with the handling of military traffic to and from Europe. ______________