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​Barrage Balloon Sites of Orkney & Shetland 

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​Balloon Barrage sites played a vital role in the defence of Scapa Flow and many sites were set up around both Orkney & Shetland to help deter low flying aircraft from attacking military installations and shipping.
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​Barrage Balloon being prepared on Fara.
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​Barrage Balloon of Fara.



​These balloon sites will be documented and photographed to form part of the A.R.G.O.S collective archive.
 
 
 
 
 
A book came out recently with lots of interesting info written by one of the Balloon squadron women Ginny Schroder it is called `Bloody Orkney` and is available from Bellavista Publications, 3 Sabiston Crescent,Kirkwall, KW15 1YT.
 
 
Below is a brief extract found on the internet at: 
 
 
 http://www.bbrclub.org/orkney_balloon_barrage.htm
 
 
E-mail:  bellavistabb@yahoo.co.uk website: www.geocities.com/bellavistabb)
 
 
"In early January 1940 the advance party of about 20 men arrived in Orkney to reconnoitre and establish Headquarters Camp at Ore Hill, Lyness. This was known as RAF Lyness. The  plan was for 12 Balloon sites along the east coast of Hoy, 4 sites  on the north coast of Flotta, 4 on Fara and 8 waterborne on the east side of the Fleet anchorage. Waterborne balloons were flown from trawlers manned by naval personnel with balloon crews of 4 airmen.    A camp of wooden huts was constructed hastily in preparation for the arrival of the rest of the squadron which followed on 2nd February".  
 
 
  " In the summer of 1943….The number of balloons was increased - Hoy 19, Flotta 19, Cava  2, Waterbourne  26, South Walls 6   Fara 6, Rysa Little 1.  This made it the biggest Balloon Barrage in Britain.  The increased number and the consequent increase in casualties through weather damage by wind and lightening meant that a large hangar had to be built at Lyness for the repair of balloons.  The winter of 43/44 was severe and, in a period of just three months, over 350 balloons were lost or badly damaged".

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Above:  A barrage balloon anchored to a boat in Scapa Flow, photographed on 8.9.43 from a US Navy carrier USS Ranger . Photo: Courtesy Air Group 4 at:   http://www.airgroup4.com/crochet.htm
​

These balloons proved not only a threat to the enemy
​
​Above:  One of the pitfalls of flying near these Balloon Barrages. Defiant DR933 of 771 Squadron, RNAS Twatt, made a crash   after hitting a balloon cable over Scapa Flow  on 8th April 1943, the pilot was OK. Aircraft was DR933 coded `T8-M`.    (Photo: Hamilton - Gregor Lamb Collection)




(c)  Copyright 2020. Aviation Research Group of Orkney & Shetland.
 
 
All rights reserved. Due to the immense amount of research that enabled us to build this site we would like to point out that all material on this website is owned by A.R.G.O.S  though photos are credited to their respective owners. Anyone wishing to use material for their own website or any other purpose are requested to contact us first expressing their wishes. Permission will usually be granted to none profit making ventures, i.e. websites for educational and/or historical purposes, though a link to this website and acknowledgement to the original owners of any photographs will usually be requested.     
 ​
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  • Home
  • About Us
  • ORKNEY
    • UNDERWATER SITES >
      • Wildcat JV751 Scapa Flow
      • Avenger JZ159 Scapa Flow
      • Vickers Warwick BV417
      • Fairey Barracuda II DP983
      • Airspeed Oxford BG555
      • MYSTERY AIRCRAFT IN SCAPA FLOW
      • Buccaneer XW540
      • The mystery of Wellesley K7734
      • Kirkwall Spitfire BL253
      • Kirkwall Wildcat JV526
      • Kirkwall Tarpon (Avenger) FN899
      • ORKNEY LOST AT SEA
      • ORKNEY INLAND WATER SITES
    • ORKNEY PROJECTS >
      • Seafire's MB362 & MB369
      • Martlets FN284 & FN288
      • Spitfire X4108
      • Spitfire TB914
      • Miles Martinet MS617?
      • B 24H Liberator 42-50331
    • EARLY HISTORY
    • HISTORY OF CIVIL AVIATION
    • ORKNEY LAND SITES
    • ORKNEY HIGH GROUND
    • ORKNEY AIRFIELDS
    • CALDALE CAMP & AIRSHIPS
    • THE BLACK BUILDING
    • BARRAGE BALLOON SITES
    • COASTAL DEFENCE BATTERIES & SEARCHLIGHTS
    • FALCOETTE TARGET DRONE
  • SHETLAND
    • SHETLAND HIGH GROUND SITES
    • Shetland Underwater Aircraft Crash Sites
    • SHETLAND LAND CRASH SITES
  • FAIR ISLE
    • Radar and Anti Aircraft defences on Fair Isle
  • ORKNEY & SHETLAND AVIATION MEMORIALS & MONUMENTS
  • BOOKS
  • LINKS