The
Old Acharacle Observer Corps Post
by John Dye
Description
of what it was like in Moidart, manning the observer post between
Acharacle and Salen during the Second World War; Hugh MacDonald
talks to John Dye.
During
the entire War, only one German plane was seen.
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The Old
Acharacle Observer Corps Post - (G/R NM688660)
The post
was constructed on the top of the hill between Acharacle and Salen above
the old telephone exchange.
According
to Hugh MacDonald, Moss, the last surviving member of the team, there
was a shed close to the road in which the observers could leave their
bikes and brew up a cup of tea, but all trace of this has now disappeared.
Hugh joined
the team when he was discharged from the army on medical grounds in 1941.
I presume it had been operating since the outbreak of hostilities.
The post
was officially known by the code JON 3, there were a series of linked
posts: JON 1 was at Strontian, JON 2 was at Kingairloch. There was another
post at Glenfinnan but Hugh does not know for sure if this was one of
the JON group. All the posts were connected by phone line and the whole
system was coordinated at Oban.
The observers
were separated into A Shift and B Shift. The A Shift personnel were full-time
and got paid more. The B Shift personnel were part-time and worked three
nights a week from 6 pm to 2 am, Hugh had to be out at 6 am to work with
the roads squad. There were always two men on duty.
A Shift
(maybe not all the names)
Hugh Cameron, Ardtoe - Alan Beaton's uncle.
Sandy MacPherson, Shielfoot - there were four of that name in Shielfoot
at the time!
Angus MacPherson, Arivegaig - Ruby's stepfather
Charlie Grant, Salen Hotel - married the Minister's daughter
B Shift
(maybe not all the names)
Johnny Anderson, Dalilea
Jimmy Wilson, Gardener at Shielbridge and brother-in-law of Johnny Anderson
Hugh MacDonald, Moss
Alec MacKenzie, Keeper at Salen
Alec Dan Henderson, Newtown
The post
had a wall around the observer's area, which was equipped with binoculars
and a good telescope. They also had an American rifle with five rounds
of ammunition. At one end of the building was a tiny roofed area which
contained the telephone. Iain MacPherson, Ardtoe was a teenager during
the war and became a Police Messenger (Jochen was another); he went up
to the post while it was operational. He said there were pictures of planes
all round the walls, they even gave descriptions of the engine noise.
Near the
post, and at intervals up the path, Hugh had placed some flagstones to
make it easier to cross the soft ground.
In the whole
war, only one German aircraft was seen - a Heinkel bomber which was spotted
by Hugh Cameron.
In addition
to the Observer Corps, the district also had ARP wardens (Jimmy John George
among them), and a Home Guard detachment, with Ronald MacDonald the blacksmith,
Alec MacKay, Sandy Joiner and Duncan Strath. Duncan was given trousers
which were too narrow and they were widened by the inclusion of a strip
of non-matching material. Sandy Joiner had been in the Gordon Highlanders
and insisted on wearing both cap badges.
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