Inchkeith

Inchkeith was the only one of the fortified islands in the river large enough to have close defences built on any scale.

In 1911 the defences comprised a triple or quadruple ‘wire entanglement’ across the north-facing beach at ‘Kinghorn Harbour’, another cutting off the access from the bay known as ‘Kirkcaldy Harbour’, and a third across the southern frontage of the South Fort.

The layout of Inchkeith in 1911. The barbed wire entanglements and firing trenches are marked in blue

About a dozen firing trenches were dug, many fronted with concrete walls, to cover areas vulnerable to landing.

Concrete-walled firing position on Inchkeith, built before 1911. A First World War blockhouse (No. 8 using the 1918 numbering) is visible behind

The southern approach to the South Fort was particularly strongly defended by a concrete-lined trench about 75m long, most of which was roofed by railway sleepers.

The concrete-lined, timber-roofed firing trench built across the south front of the South Fort on Inchkeith by the time of the 1911 map

By 1915 nine blockhouse had been built at particularly vulnerable points, and this number had increased to 14 by 1918 when more than half of the perimeter of the island was closed off by barbed wire entanglements, and a far more complex series of firing trenches had been dug.

The layout of Inchkeith in 1918. The barbed wire entanglements, firing trenches and blockhouses are marked in blue

The blockhouses were of very varied plan and one at least (No. 5) was provided with a stove for the men occupying it.

Blockhouse No. 5 (according to the 1918 numbering) at the south-east corner of Inchkeith, as sketched by 2nd Lt A Ross during the war. Note the stove pipe.

From another sketch by 2nd Lt A Ross in the possession of his family we know that at least one of the blockhouses was provided with a portable oxy-acetylene searchlight mounted on a tripod, presumably to illuminate the adjacent shore and cliffs.