The Hidden Glasgow Forums

Hi To All

First post of many i hope!!

Im looking for info about the Army barracks on Blantyre Farm Road,Blantyre. It may come under a different name but someone told me its "Whit Barracks"? Does anyone know its real name?

Any info or links would be appreciated

Thanks
John

There's a mention on Secret Scotland.

http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/m-1129683712/

Thanks

I found this on Secret Scotland

http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/index. ... ntyreferme

Hope to find more places like this

John

JohnDuffy35 wrote:Hi To All

First post of many i hope!!

Im looking for info about the Army barracks on Blantyre Farm Road,Blantyre. It may come under a different name but someone told me its "Whit Barracks"? Does anyone know its real name?

Any info or links would be appreciated

Thanks
John

Hg walk this saturday coming.
The AA area is on the hill, to the left as you walk down to the fish farm

I don't really have much to add to this. Just to say that I live along the road from this. The nearby quarry has been tidied up. They have built a new walkway around it and constructed a little bridge over the overflow stream that I think leads down to the Calder. I think work was to be carried out at the barracks too but that hasn't started yet. It was to become a sort of heritage area. I'll try and find out some more.

Edit: There's a wee bit here that mentions the barracks. http://www.hamiltonadvertiser.co.uk/news/local-news/hamilton-news/2010/02/25/redlees-quarry-due-for-300-000-makeover-51525-25907646/

Yes, the quarry has been tarted up, and will feature on the walk this Saturday, as well as the barracks/gunsite.

It's actually an Anti-Aircraft gunsite, and although it did have an attached barracks, those have long since disappeared under an embankment. The gun positions and associated magazines are all still intact to some degree.

Not much I can add that isn't in the Secret Scotland site - the architects in charge of tidying up the gunsite recently posted on there looking for info too.

Been wandering around there since I was a youngster, although I'm from Westburn/Halfway myself, not Blantyre. I believe an alternative name for the area is The Whins, although it's more commonly referred to as Blantyreferme AA Gunsite.

Edited to add: There's a wee bit about it on here in this 6 year old thread:

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=13

And you'll also find references to it in the Caldervale/Fin Me Oot thread here:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1936

Hi all ,
Was down that neck of the woods today.
Took a few pics. Of the now landscaped
Barracks. Hope you enjoy.







Sorry if quality isn't that good as I used my
Phone. If you would want more let me know
And I Will bring my better camera.

Mu cousin (still living) was born there 1949 when the army vacated the site and squatters moved in. Birth cert says "Hut 36, Blantyreferme Camp".

I've heard from someone too that lived there after the war. Squatters also moved into the AA Battery site at Hallhill near present day Easterhouse.

Brilliant pictures, thank you !

Here's an fly over of the site taken in what i believe to be around 1942 or so.

Date on film is 6th June 1941. ie 6/6/41. The camera type "F". These usually have a time and height as part of the numbers on the film roll. Some of these photos were for training purposes. However around this time concern's were raised of how visible these gun sites were to the enemy. Ideas were being considered regarding camouflage. I don't see a radar mat in this photo.

Correction the GL radar mat is to the right hand side in the photo. Miles of chicken wire on poles about 1 meter above the ground.

It's hard to tell from the photographs but when on the ground, you cannot see past the general perimeter of the gun site in any direction.This is due to it lying in it's own little valley though the terrain has been changed since the war. The many trees that exist now heighten this effect.