Second World War pillboxes

Eighty years ago, in 1940/41 more than 30 anti-invasion concrete structures were built around the Kyle of Sutherland and the Dornoch firth. These were in the form of pillboxes, road blocks and gun emplacements.

By Gregor Laing


After the evacuation of Dunkirk in May 1940, a German invasion of Britain was expected daily. German troops overran Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and France in six weeks starting in May 1940. France signed an armistice in late June 1940, leaving Great Britain as the only country fighting Nazi Germany. As so many guns, tanks, vehicles, small arms and equipment had been left behind in France, it was impossible to field mobile forces. It was therefore necessary to construct linear defences along the possible invasion coasts and inland using rivers and other natural obstacles strengthened by concrete defence works and A/T obstacles. The majority of these were in the south and east coast of England, in all almost 30,000 pill-boxes were built in a very short timespan in 1940/41 in Britain and Northern Ireland.


It was thought that the Kyle of Sutherland and the Dornoch Firth would be the first natural barrier the German invading forces could encounter

In World War 2 Easter Ross was full of military installations: an airfield at Evanton, seaplane base at Alness, airfields to the north of Tain and Fearn, a camp at Nigg, substantial defences at the Sutors, and a Royal Navy refuelling base at Invergordon. With these installations well protected by armaments on both North and South Sutors from attack by sea it was felt that an attempt might be made to land on the north coast at Caithness and mobilise an attack from the north in which case the Kyle of Sutherland/Dornoch Firth would be the first natural barrier the invading forces would encounter. 


17 pill-boxes were built between Bonar Bridge to Creich and Culrain to Wester Fearn, and 3 around Lairg to cover all approach roads from the north to Rosehall, Invershin and Bonar Bridge. 5 roadblocks were built around Lairg, 2 west of Bonar Bridge, 1 at Creich, 1 at Wester Fearn, 1 between Ardgay and Bonar Bridge, 1 at Invercharron and 1 at Balinoe.