Armed Forces Units Deployed to Hoy during WWII

Royal Oak survivors marching up Canteen Road, Lyness. The National Archives, ref. ADM116/5790

 

UNIT NAME TNA REFERENCE ARRIVED HOY DEPARTED HOY LOCATION
59 AA Brigade WO 166/2312
WO 166/7416
WO 166/11232
WO 166/14668
Formed on Hoy 20/06/1940 22/01/1945 Melsetter House
UNIT NAME TNA REFERENCE ARRIVED HOY DEPARTED HOY LOCATION
95 HAA Regiment WO 166/2385 20/06/1940 20/09/1940 Schoolhouse, Longhope
81 HAA Regiment WO 166/2372 20/09/1940 06/06/1941 Longhope
115 HAA Regiment WO 166/2405
WO 166/7483
16/05/1941 09/09/1942 Schoolhouse, Longhope
122 HAA Regiment N/A 09/09/1942 06/10/1943 Longhope
196 HAA Regiment N/A 06/10/1943 20/05/1944 Longhope
7 HAA Regiment N/A 14/05/1944 16/12/1944 Longhope
128 HAA Regiment N/A 16/12/1944 End of WWII Longhope
226 HAA Battery WO 166/2507 25/08/1939 26/09/1940 H5 & H6
204 HAA Battery N/A 29/12/1939 17/09/1940 H4 & H7
293 HAA Battery N/A 30/12/1939 20/09/1940 H1 & H3
255 HAA Battery WO 166/2536 19/09/1940 30/05/1941 H4 & H7
253 HAA Battery WO 166/2534 21/09/1940 30/05/1941 H1 & H3
254 HAA Battery WO 166/2535 22/09/1940 23/5 & 06/06/1941 H5 & H6
361 HAA Battery N/A 29/05/1941 09/09/1942 H1 & H3
365 HAA Battery N/A 05/06/1941 23/09/1942 H5 & H6
367 HAA Battery N/A 05/06/1941 23/09/1942 H4 & H7
401 HAA Battery N/A 09/09/1942 22/09/1943 H1 & H3
400 HAA Battery N/A 23/09/1942 22/09/1943 H4 & H5
453 HAA Battery N/A 23/09/1942 06/10/1943 H6 & H7
351 HAA Battery N/A 22/09/1943 20/05/1944 H1 & H3
661 HAA Battery N/A 22/09/1943 03/06/1944 H4 & H5
662 HAA Battery N/A 06/10/1943 17/06/1944 H6 & H7
27 HAA Battery N/A 20/05/1944 16/12/1944 H1,H3 & LOP5
10 HAA Battery N/A 03/06/1944 30/12/1944 H4 & H5
13 HAA Battery N/A 17/06/1944 23/12/1944 H6,H7 & LOP3
407 HAA Battery N/A 16/12/1944 End of WWII H3,H4 & LOP5
436 HAA Battery N/A 28/12/1944 End of WWII H6,H7 & LOP3
UNIT NAME TNA REFERENCE ARRIVED HOY DEPARTED HOY LOCATION
2 Troop,
39 LAA Battery
WO 166/2788 24/10/1939 01/02/1940 LH1 – LH4
142 LAA Battery WO 166/2884 01/02/1940 19/10/1940 Haybrake, LH1-6
421 Troop,
99 LAA Battery
WO 166/2842 09/03/1940 17/10/1940 LH1, LH2 & LH5
54 LAA Battery N/A 17/10/1940 06/06/1941 Haybrake, LH1-6
101 LAA Battery WO 166/2844 05/06/1941 20/05/1942 Haybrake, LH1-6
282 LAA Battery N/A 20/05/1942 07/04/1943 Haybrake, LH1-6
485 LAA Battery N/A 07/04/1943 End of WWII Haybrake, LH1-6
UNIT NAME TNA REFERENCE ARRIVED HOY DEPARTED HOY LOCATION
434 S/L Battery WO 166/3279 04/11/1939 13/09/1940 HY1.1,2,3,4,5,6 HY2.1,2,3,4 HY3.1,2,3,4,5,6
4 Trp, 437 S/L Battery WO 166/3282 23/01/1940 28/03/1940 HY1.1,2,3,4,5,6
One troop of
432 S/L Battery
WO 166/3277 28/03/1940 08/06/1940 HY1.1,2,3,4,5,6
Two troops of
353 S/L Battery
WO 166/3196 13/09/1940 18/04/1941 HY1.1,2,3,4,5,6
350 S/L Battery WO 166/3193 14/09/1940 24/4/1941 HY2.1,2,3,4 HY3.1,2,3,4,5,6
427 S/L Battery N/A 24/4/1941 01/07/1942 HY1.1,2,3,4,5,6
HY2.1,2,3,4
One Troop of
428 S/L Battery
N/A 24/4/1941 01/07/1942 HY3.1,2,3,4,5,6
385 S/L Battery WO 166/7856 01/07/1942 22/09/1943 HY1.1,2,3,4,5,6,7 HY2.1,2,3,4,5,6 HY3.1,2,3,4,5
314 S/L Battery N/A 22/09/1943 23/04/1944 HY1.1,2,3,4,5,6,7 HY2.1,2,3,4,5,6 HY3.1,2,3,4,5
313 S/L Battery N/A 23/04/1944 End of WWII HY1.1,2,3,4,6,7
HY2.1,4,5 HY3.2,3,5
UNIT NAME TNA REFERENCE ARRIVED HOY DEPARTED HOY LOCATION
No 20 Balloon Centre AIR29/71 26/08/1940 26/12/1941 Ore Brae
950 (BB) Squadron AIR 27/2297AIR 27/2298 20/01/1940 21/08/1944 Ore Brae
960 (BB) Squadron AIR 27/2311 28/08/1940 22/05/1941 Ore Brae
UNIT NAME TNA REFERENCE ARRIVED HOY DEPARTED HOY LOCATION
145 Coast Battery WO 166/1774 07/03/1940 31/05/1941 Scad Battery
268 Coast Battery WO 166/1794 31/05/1941 14/02/1942 Scad Battery
142 Coast Battery WO 192/265 14/02/1942 04/08/1950 Scad Battery
144 Coast Battery WO 192/272 12/07/1940 13/01/1945 Skerry Battery
224 Coast Battery N/A 09/11/1943 End of WWII Walls Battery
UNIT NAME TNA REFERENCE ARRIVED HOY DEPARTED HOY LOCATION
19 Battalion (Btn) Royal Marines ADM116/5790 08/03/1940 End of WWII Lyness
11 Cameronians
(Scottish Rifles)
WO 166/4182 18/08/1940 09/02/1941 Haybrake
B Company (Coy),
10 Royal Scots Fusiliers
WO 166/4593 09/02/1941 27/07/1941 Haybrake
No2 Orkney (Lyness)
Home Guard
WO 199/2725 17/07/1941 02/11/1944 Lyness
B Coy, 8 Btn Kings Own Scottish Borderers WO 166/4370 27/07/1941 17/01/1942 Haybrake
B Coy, 30 Btn Kings Own Scottish Borderers WO 166/8752 17/01/1942 01/03/1943 Haybrake
9 Btn South Lancashire Regt WO 166/12669 01/03/1943 11/05/1943 Haybrake, Wateringhouse
2 Btn Gordon Highlanders WO 166/12554 11/05/1943 28/07/1943 Haybrake, Wateringhouse
7 Btn North Staffordshire Regt WO 166/12714 28/07/1943 16/10/1943 Haybrake, Wateringhouse
7 Btn Kings Own Scottish Borderers WO 166/12598 16/10/1943 10/11/1943 Haybrake, Wateringhouse
13 Btn Highland Light Infantry WO 166/12577 11/11/1943 16/12/1943 Haybrake, Wateringhouse
C Coy, 1 Btn South Wales Borderers WO 166/12730WO 166/15167 16/12/1943 02/09/1944 Haybrake, Wateringhouse
2 Btn East Surrey Regt WO 166/15168 02/09/1944 06/11/1944 Haybrake, Wateringhouse
2 Independent (Local Defence) Coy, Cameron Highlanders N/A 06/11/1944 End of WWII Haybrake
UNIT NAME TNA REFERENCE ARRIVED HOY DEPARTED HOY LOCATION
205 Field Coy, Royal Engineers (RE) WO 166/3675 Pre-WWII 04/11/1939 Longhope
279 Field Coy, RE WO 166/3748 03/05/1940 25/06/1940 Longhope
131 Coy, Auxilliary Military Pioneer Corps WO 166/5615 21/06/1940 22/08/1940 Longhope
696 Artisan Works Coy, Royal Engineers WO 166/3880 26/06/1940 15/09/1941 Longhope
Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) N/A July 1940 End of WWII Longhope
Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) N/A July 1940 End of WWII Longhope
Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC) N/A July 1940 End of WWII Ore
Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers N/A July 1940 End of WWII Ore
144 Coy, Aux Military Pioneer Corps WO 166/5628 23/08/1940 16/12/1940 Longhope
119 Road Construction Coy, Royal Engineers WO 166/3618 7/09/1940 10/09/1941 Longhope
147 Coy, Pioneer Corps WO 166/5631 17/12/1940 11/08/1941 Longhope
62 Company
Pioneer Corps
WO 166/5548
WO 166/9966
WO 166/13805
11/08/1941 06/04/1943 Longhope
114 Road Construction Coy, Royal Engineers N/A 09/09/1941 18/10/1942 Longhope
669 Artisan Works Coy, Royal Engineers N/A 15/09/1941 07/04/1943 Longhope
71 Company
Pioneer Corps
WO 166/13810
WO 171/3066
06/04/1943 01/01/1944 Longhope
684 Artisan Works Company, RE N/A 07/04/1943 November 1944 Longhope
836 CompanyPioneer Corps N/A 01/01/1944 End of WWII Longhope

 


© Source: Lindsay, G.J. & Dobney, K. (2014). Legacies of Conflict: Hoy & Walls Wartime Heritage Project, Wartime Development Document. Island of Hoy Development Trust.


 

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19 thoughts on “Armed Forces Units Deployed to Hoy during WWII

  1. My father was stationed on Orkney sometime between 1939-45 with Pioneer Corp,I have his photo album of dozens of his photos and post cards taken of every city/town in the UK he travelled through during this time inc Kirkwall and Stromness. We are visiting Orkney June 2016 and would dearly love to retrace if p ossiible his ife on the islands though I have no idea where he was stationed or indeed have any info of any sort.He took part in the Invasion 1944. I was born Aug 44 and my Mum told me that when Dad told her he had leave due she met him in Loch Lomond at a guest house hence my being conceived during the war and in Scotland. We have holidayed many times there but I feel now I must try one last time to try and ‘connect’ with Dad. I have written to the R O Corps and National Archves to no avail.I would be so grateful for any pointers to help me try to connect with Dad and what he went through,thanking you….Helen

    • I am responding to Helen Norbury’s message dated 1st February 2016

      My father served with 157 Company of the Pioneer Corps and was stationed on the Orkney Islands from 17 August 1941 until 6 May 1943. I have obtained details of his Army career and I am willing to share this with Helen Norbury if she cares to get in touch with me.

      • Hello John
        I have had trouble trying to trace my fathers army footsteps ,he was certainly on Orkney for a considerable time,one of his tasks was escorting prisoners, I would dearly love to follows his journey through the war years,he went over in the Normandy Landings on either 8 or 9 June. His photo /postcard album begins in Orkney in July 1940,he was demobbed May 1946
        Regards
        Helen

        • To Helen Norbury,

          If you are still interested in obtaining 157 Pioneer Corps service records some way i need to know your contact e-mail address

        • Hi Helen, Whilst just watching the 80th DDay anniversary, and having just visited the Normandy Beaches 2 weeks ago, I reviewed my late Father (Joseph Devlin) war record to find that he was in fact stationed in Hoy on Orkney from late May to December 1944. He was with the 7th HAA. Is it possible that you might have detail to throw some light on his experience there; specifically the role Orkney played in Operation Overlord.
          Many Thanks
          Tony Devlin

    • Hello Helen, my father,although not by the armed forces, was stationed in Kirkwall during WW2 between 1942-43.His contribution was to building facililities and general construction work. If you have any photographs of construction work or recreation and willing to share I’d be very grateful..His name was Jim Kearney,after the war he went on to play soccer for Crystal Palace in his younger years..

  2. my father was in the Royal Artillery and on heavy anti aircraft guns…I have postcards that he collected of Kirkwall and other places…I don’t know any other details but would like to know anything relevant of his time in the Shetlands

  3. I know very little about my Grandfathers time on the Orkneys during WW2 but I do know that he took me at 11 years old to Arthurs Seat in Edinburgh and to Edinburgh Castle and Loch Lomond as a trip down memory lane for him. I have found postcards of Kirkwall in with his belongings and photos of him in Scots Guards uniform. The above large photograph actually looks like he may be in it – fifth from the front in the line. I’m very interested in everyone’s posts on here and the photos are wonderful. His name was Colin King and he was in his mid twenties during WW2.

  4. Does anyone have any information about Women in ATS stationed in Orkney certainly in 1940
    My Maternal Grandmother served there for a long time I think but I don’t know where ? Kirkwall.
    She was Sgt Maggie Ann Gordon known as Ma Gordon from the Banffshire Section Scotland.
    She was given a rousing send of when she went off to serve in Yorkshire, Bristol & London
    I know she spoke to someone who wrote a book about the History of the ATS a Sheena Moir.
    If anyone has any information I would be so grateful.

  5. Good morning
    My grandfather was in the 19 Battalion Royal Marines at Orkney, I would love to know if there was any specific information about the Battalion available..?

  6. My father was on Hoy with the 434 S/L Battery arriving in November 1939.
    Having been transferred to various other posts around the UK throughout the war, he was part of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, attached to the 11th Armoured Division and landed on Juno Beach five days after D-Day. Through France, into Antwerp, Nijmegen, crossed the Rhine at Wesel and ended the war in Lubeck, Northern Germany.
    He maintained contact with a family on Hoy (Rackwick) for many, many years after the war.

  7. As a 14 year old (1941) I lived on the island of Hoy. My father, Reginald Warren, Chief Petty Officer, was in charge of the transmitting station at Longhope. I have many invitations requests (cards) to various dances sent out by army, air force and navy that was received by my mother.

  8. I have a letter written by my Father dated 24.9.43 from 394 H.A.A. Bty R.A Kirkwall Orkney. I remember him telling me about the Old Man of Hoy. Unfortunately, not much more . Planning to visit the Orkney Islands in June 2022. Hopefully there may be some information about the artillery based there around that time.

  9. Hello, I have just found a B/W photograph of my Grandad (Robert Kidd) with two other uniformed pals, captioned ‘Orkneys, August 1941’. Another identical photo has ‘L. A. C. Kidd’ on the reverse. He and his family were from Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland. Any idea what regiment he’d have been in, what L. A. C. means, and what they’d have been doing while stationed there?

  10. My grandad was stationed at Caldale, orkney between 1940 and 1945 and served as sergeant in anti aircraft command.

    It’d be great if we could form a whatsapp group or something to share info?
    I have a few bits, photos, letters.

  11. Are there any photos of the Naval Hospital? Some buildings have been knocked down in the last 50 years, but the air-raid shelter and a big building are still there. Would love to have some more info as we are clearing the site and make it into a lovely natural place with woodland, bushes and wildflower area… to get more birds, butterflies, bees and even rabbits are now regular visitors.

  12. My Father James Samuel Price was a signalman in ww2 and stationed in Orkney, I cannot find out anything about his war record, he was friendly with a family surname Gray, Any information would be grateful.

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