The Orkney Image Library
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. C.1900
Picture added on 15 September 2009 at 17:53
Hi Neil, that picture is just below the TA Centre long before the coastguard station existed..!! I will stand corrected if Craig Taylor could get in touch with Alan Taylor who is an expert in these things..!!
Added by Stewart Walls on 18 September 2009
Roll out the barrel! This is one of a number of post-1900 photos on OIL involving ancient cannons which could have played no part in 20th century warfare. Good muscle-strength-building I suppose.
Added by Ian Hourston on 20 June 2011
Most likely 32-pounder smoothbores converted to 64-pounder rifled guns, with which all the Volunteer batteries in Orkney were eventually equipped, except the Birsay Battery which was lucky to get a purpose-built 64-pounder RML gun. Some of these were still being manned as late as c. 1908 when replaced by 4.7-inch QF guns.
Even these 4.7s were regarded as obsolete at the outbreak of WWI and indeed many accounts describe the existing defences as 'negligible' or even 'non-existent'.
Later marks of 4.7 were used in coast batteries in WWII.
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Even these 4.7s were regarded as obsolete at the outbreak of WWI and indeed many accounts describe the existing defences as 'negligible' or even 'non-existent'.
Later marks of 4.7 were used in coast batteries in WWII.
Added by Andrew Hollinrake on 29 July 2012
Kirkwall
