Churchill Barriers
The Churchill Barriers are four dams that British Prime Minister Winston Churchill had built on the Orkney Islands during World War II to better protect the British Home Fleet in Scapa Flow Bay from further attacks by submarines of the German Navy . On October 14, 1939, U 47 sank the battleship HMS Royal Oak there , killing 833 men. The dams connect the mainland to South Ronaldsay via the islands of Lamb Holm , Glimbs Holm and Burray.
After ships were initially sunk as a barrage, construction of the dams began in May 1940. Since the Geneva Convention declared the use of prisoners of war for military purposes to be contrary to international law, the work was declared as a necessary road link between the islands. About 1,300 Italian prisoners of war were used for this “civil” purpose. 40,000 cubic meters of rock were sunk in the sea; this was followed by 300,000 tons of concrete blocks. Ironically, the Churchill Barriers were ready just by the end of the war: they opened on May 12, 1945. Therefore they actually have less military and infrastructural importance for the Orkneys. Today, the road link between the main island and South Ronaldsay runs on them.
With the most primitive means, the Italians built a chapel ( Italian Chapel ) on Lamb Holm , which (as "the Miracle of Camp 60") is one of the sights of the Orkneys today.
Location of the individual dams:
- Churchill Barrier No 1: 58 ° 53 ′ 33.2 " N , 2 ° 53 ′ 46.5" W.
- Churchill Barrier No 2: 58 ° 52 ′ 55 " N , 2 ° 54 ′ 10.3" W.
- Churchill Barrier No 3: 58 ° 52 ′ 14.7 " N , 2 ° 54 ′ 52.2" W.
- Churchill Barrier No 4: 58 ° 50 ′ 27 " N , 2 ° 54 ′ 17.5" W.
Map with all coordinates: