Deep in a cavern along the Northern Defences in Gibraltar is an unassuming piece of graffiti. Written in pencil, and dated 1968, a soldier named McCULLOUGH left his name and regiment indelibly on the Gibraltar rock. The regiment was the Royal Ulster Rifles. The date is significant, because not long… Read More »A Ranger’s mark in Gibraltar
Boundary stones, not to be confused with Ordnance Survey datum points, are somewhat of an enigma. Historically they delineate boundaries of military sites, however, their use is not consistent – some sites have them, others do not, and as for design, there are many different styles. Their use appears to… Read More »Military Boundary Stones
Those of us with a passing interest in Northern Irish military history might be aware of the anti-landing poles along Murlough Beach, County Down. Now a shadow of their former selves, they would have likely been connected by wire entanglement, and an assortment of other irksome obstacles preventing or hindering… Read More »Anti-landing obstacles at Magilligan
The detention camp at Kokkinotrimithia, 2km west of the Cypriot capitol of Nicosia, was constructed by British Forces in 1955 for the internment of supporters of the armed struggle to liberate the country from British governance. The camp housed both those convicted of fighting for the EOKA (Ethniki Organosis Kyprion… Read More »Cypriot Internment of the 1950s
Situated on a rocky headland, Lenan Head Fort (sometimes spelt Leenan) is a British built coastal artillery battery from the late 19th Century. Standing isolated for over 120 years, the Victorian site was only in use for less than 40 years, but stood proudly on the cusp of the Atlantic… Read More »Lenan Head Fort
Rosscorr Viaduct in Fermanagh was constructed in 1922 out of precast concrete, but was blown up 50 years later, but not as a result of terrorist action. The damaged portion of the roadway was demolished by the Royal Engineers in the 1970s to prevent the route being used as an… Read More »Rosscorr Viaduct
Formed in 1853, the Antrim Artillery was a volunteer artillery unit based in Antrim, Northern Ireland. Despite being disbanded in 1919, they served in the Boer War and during the First World War manned the forts at Kilroot and Grey Point, defending Belfast Lough. I’ve been a collector of militaria… Read More »Collecting the Antrim Artillery
In the middle of 2022 I was contacted by a member of the Inverbrena Local History group in relation to my Guarding the Coast article. They were keen to use some of my research and images in their book on the history of the Strangford Division of the Coast Guard.… Read More »A history of Strangford Division of the Coast Guard
I purchased the DJI Mini 3 Pro in the autumn of 2022 and it has impressed me every time I take off. I managed to snap this shot of Grey Point Fort as the sun was setting on a cold, damp late December evening. The Fort itself has been closed… Read More »Grey Point Fort
Marked on a map of the Belfast Lough defences from the early 20th Century, Orlock Port War Signal Station (PWSS) would have acted as the gatekeeper for shipping wishing to enter the Lough and sail onward to Belfast. During peacetime the PWSS was staffed by men from the Coastguard, Donaghadee… Read More »Orlock Port War Signal Station