Condition

2
Mulberry
Modern
MDG25454
Dumfries and Galloway

Description

Large rectangular/octagonal craft stranded on rocky beach opposite Garlieston. One of several relics from Mulberry Harbour testing (1942/43) in the Scottish Solway. In poor condition and suffering from sea action. Comment by AndyN HER reference = MDG25454 The remains of 2 'Beetle' sections of prototype Mulberry Harbour lie on the shore on the north side of Garlieston Bay. Scheduled by Historic Scotland (ref 12937) in April 2011 Information from David Kirkman December 2014 Garlieston and the surrounding district played an important in the preparations for Operation Overlord during the latter part of World War 2. In the spring of 1941, after eighteen months of war, the greater part of Europe was in enemy hands, and planning was in progress to carry out an assault across the English Channel. A major part of the planning concerned the means of landing and maintaining a large force under hostile conditions. The Germans had transformed the harbours into fortresses and were ready to destroy the main installations if overrun by the allies. If getting the troops ashore was a problem, getting their supplies to them would be more so. The planners concluded that an artificial harbour could be pre-fabricated and then taken across the channel for installation on the chosen landing beach in Europe. Support for the harbours came from on high. Winston Churchill, in his letter to Lord Louis Mountbatten on 30 May 1942, specified the use and form of floating harbours: “they must float up and down with the tide; let me have the best solution worked out; don’t argue the matter, the difficulties will argue for themselves”. Lord Mountbatten transmitted the problem to the representatives which constituted the combined operations. A number of schemes were received and evaluated and it was decided to carry out full scale trials on three of the schemes to decide which was most suitable. The three chosen comprised a fixed pier and pierhead, a floating roadway and a floating bridge and pierhead. In January 1943 a unit was formed with the task of developing the prototypes and training in their use. It was decided to build a prototype of each project to be tested in March 1943, in order to determine which was to be the most satisfactory. The codename MULBERRY was assigned being the next on the list of available codenames. The area chosen for the development was the stretch of coast on the west side of Wigtown Bay, where there was reasonable access to the beaches; the area was sufficiently remote for discrete operations; the harbour at Garlieston was available to bring in equipment; and the bay was not already being used for military operations. In addition to Garlieston Harbour, Rigg Bay about 1 mile to the south of Garlieston was utilised for testing, and still further south Cairnhead at the Isle of Whithorn was used for testing and billeting soldiers.

Location

248660.00
546440.00
27700
54.7899551
-4.3552475

Submitted photographs

Image Date Caption User
Garlieston Bay, close up of the crocodile base 12/12/2014 Garlieston Bay, close up of the crocodile base DavidKirkwood
Garlieston Bay, close up of the crocodile base
Garlieston Bay, 1943, testing of floating roadway 12/12/2014 Garlieston Bay, 1943, testing of floating roadway DavidKirkwood
Garlieston Bay, 1943, testing of floating roadway
Garlieston Bay, a 'bettle' washed up during a storm in 1943 12/12/2014 Garlieston Bay, a 'bettle' washed up during a storm in 1943 DavidKirkwood
Garlieston Bay, a 'bettle' washed up during a storm in 1943
Garlieston Bay, four 'beetles' abandoned as surplus to requirements 12/12/2014 Garlieston Bay, four 'beetles' abandoned as surplus to requirements DavidKirkwood
Garlieston Bay, four 'beetles' abandoned as surplus to requirements
Garlieston Bay 1943, close up of the caissons, with a 'crocodile' linking them 12/12/2014 Garlieston Bay 1943, close up of the caissons, with a 'crocodile' linking them DavidKirkwood
Garlieston Bay 1943, close up of the caissons, with a 'crocodile' linking them
Garlieston Bay 1943 caisson being tested at Rigg Bay 12/12/2014 Garlieston Bay 1943 caisson being tested at Rigg Bay DavidKirkwood
Garlieston Bay 1943 caisson being tested at Rigg Bay
Garlieston Bay, the demolished caisson 12/12/2014 Garlieston Bay, the demolished caisson DavidKirkwood
Garlieston Bay, the demolished caisson
Garlieston Bay, the demolished caisson as a heap of rubble in April 2006 12/12/2014 Garlieston Bay, the demolished caisson as a heap of rubble in April 2006 DavidKirkwood
Garlieston Bay, the demolished caisson as a heap of rubble in April 2006
Garlieston Bay, the caisson while still intact at Rigg Bay 12/12/2014 Garlieston Bay, the caisson while still intact at Rigg Bay DavidKirkwood
Garlieston Bay, the caisson while still intact at Rigg Bay
Garlieston Bay, the partially demolished caisson November 2005 12/12/2014 Garlieston Bay, the partially demolished caisson November 2005 DavidKirkwood
Garlieston Bay, the partially demolished caisson November 2005
Mulberry structure low tide Nov 2012 14/02/2014 Mulberry structure low tide Nov 2012 coombey
Mulberry structure low tide Nov 2012
Mulberry structure 2 14/02/2014 Mulberry structure 2 coombey
Mulberry structure 2
Mulberry structure 14/02/2014 Mulberry structure coombey
Mulberry structure
Wreck 1 - Corrosion, looking SE 23/02/2013 Wreck 1 - Corrosion, looking SE nigeljoslin
Wreck 1 - Corrosion, looking SE
Interior - Wreck 2, looking W 23/02/2013 Interior - Wreck 2, looking W nigeljoslin
Interior - Wreck 2, looking W
Wreck 2, looking N 23/02/2013 Wreck 2, looking N nigeljoslin
Wreck 2, looking N
Wreck 1, looking W 23/02/2013 Wreck 1, looking W nigeljoslin
Wreck 1, looking W

Submitted updates

Update id Date User
1597 14/02/2014 coombey
Tidal state Mid
Site located? Yes
Proximity to coast edge Intertidal
Coastally eroding? active sea erosion
Threats structural damage/decay
Visibility above ground Highly visible (substantial remains)
Visibility in section Not visible
Access accessible - difficult terrain
Local knowledge has local associations/history
Description Large rectangular/octagonal craft stranded on rocky beach opposite Garlieston. Possibly a Mulberry-type vessel. In poor condition and suffering from sea action. Comment by AndyN HER reference = MDG25454 The remains of 2 'Beetle' sections of prototype Mulberry Harbour lie on the shore on the north side of Garlieston Bay. Scheduled by Historic Scotland (ref 12937) in April 2011
Record and monitor. There appears to be another similar structure further north (see photo)but tide too high
795 23/02/2013 nigeljoslin
Tidal state Low
Site located? Yes
Proximity to coast edge Intertidal
Coastally eroding? active sea erosion
Visibility above ground Highly visible (substantial remains)
Access accessible - difficult terrain
Local knowledge don't know
Description Large rectangular/octagonal craft stranded on rocky beach opposite Garlieston. Possibly a Mulberry-type vessel. In poor condition and suffering from sea action. Comment by AndyN HER reference = MDG25454 The remains of 2 'Beetle' sections of prototype Mulberry Harbour lie on the shore on the north side of Garlieston Bay. Scheduled by Historic Scotland (ref 12937) in April 2011
The wrecks are located on rocks (metal structures with some wood remaining) and are substantially corroded by sea erosion....see pics. I think that they would have to be moved to a less corrosive environment, in order to stop the erosion. I don't think that they are well visited; access involves scrambling over dangerous, slippery rocks.

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