West Bay ECD Battery, Dorset.
Dorset · England · United Kingdom
West Bay Emergency Coastal Battery
West Bay was sealed off from the outside world by a long barbed wire entanglement, there were road blocks and the locals needed passes to get in and out. There was a row of anti-tank obstacles on the west side where it is now holiday flats. The east beach had anti-tank obstacles along the shingle and on the west side up on the cliff, an Emergency Coastal Battery of 5.5inh BL guns dated from 1940 to 1946.
West Bay Battery
2 x 5.5 inch Guns
239 Independent Coast Battery.
West Bay Emergency Coastal Battery
West Bay Emergency Coastal Battery
A pair of 5.5 guns and their ancillary structures – Battery observation post, searchlights, generators and a magazine – was complete by April 1941. The object of the Battery was to guard the approach channel to West Bay and the beaches. A trawler SS Sunlight was bought to West Bay to act as a block ship, it was moored inside the harbour the plan being to place it at the entrance if an invasion was likely.
(From The War years in West Bay 1939-1945).
06 June 2025
West Bay Emergency Coastal Battery
The fire control post can just be seen with the pointed roof.
06 June 2025
West Bay Emergency Coastal Battery
A better view of the windows that run around the upper structure. The roof was added to make it look like one of the houses. It would still have had its concrete hardened roof underneath it.
06 June 2025
West Bay Emergency Coastal Battery
About 1947 showing the two casemates A & B and the fire control post. The local houses were used as barracks for the men stationed here.
1947
West Bay Emergency Coastal Battery
British BL 5" gun, Skansin (Faroe Islands). How the guns may have looked.
British BL 5" gun
West Bay Emergency Coastal Battery
The front of the fire control post.
06 June 2025
West Bay Emergency Coastal Battery
Where I am stood is roughly where the B casemate was and behind a small ammunition room.
06 June 2025
Bay Emergency Coastal Battery
Fort Nepean, Victoria, Australia. This is s BL 16" casemate, very like the one that was here.
Wiki
West Bay Emergency Coastal Battery
Another view of the remaining ammunition room.
06 June 2025
West Bay Emergency Coastal Battery
Emergency Coastal Battery, Rubha nan Sasan (Cove), Loch Ewe, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland.
This is a 6inch Mk.VII guns on naval mounts from HMS Iron Duke installed July 1941.
2024
West Bay Emergency Coastal Battery
The east cliff.
06 June 2025 eDoB
West Bay Emergency Coastal Battery
eDoB Id e07343 this is a massive data base of most of the defences in Great Britain.
eDoB.
The plan shows the defence of West Bay, there does not seem to be any pillboxes though?
West Bay Emergency Coastal Battery
The War years in West Bay 1939-1945.
06 June 2025
Emergency Coastal Battery
A trawler SS Sunlight was brought to West Bay to act as a block ship, it was moored inside the harbour the plan being to place it at the entrance if an invasion was likely. The picture is a Manx trawler, probably like the Sunlight.
Manx trawler
West Bay Emergency Coastal Battery
Emergency Coastal Battery, Rubha nan Sasan (Cove), Loch Ewe, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland.
Loch Ewe 2024