Blantyre Ferme AA

Blantyreferme AA

A World War II anti-aircraft battery and army camp was sited at Blantyreferme, near Blantyre to the southeast of Glasgow, west side of Blantyreferme Road. It was decommissioned in 1945.

Not a round was ever fired in anger, just practice.

The Whins, as they were called, consisted of wooden huts, which were completely refurbished in 1948 by the Council in order to house some fifty plus homeless families due to the shortage of housing. They paid a rent to the Council and had water and power. They would have a Dance on a Friday night.

The AA Battery and surrounding area are part of the Redlees Park, which is a new urban park that has been created from 27 acres of derelict scrubland on the site of the disused clay quarry in Blantyre, a Lottery Heritage Fund Project, incorporating walkways and information boards, which were part of a school project. The Redlees site goes back to the 1800s when it was part of the Calderbank House Estate.

These pictures were taken at Blantyre Ferme AA, which was popularly called, “The Whins”.

It was a great Playfield for us kids, playing soldiers and explorers… Great Memories…

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Your Comments:

Hari Docherty: This is the first place I lived, We were squatters, then moved to Dechmont Camp before getting a prefab. There were wooden army huts that were used for accommodation .

Berty Booster: Redlees urban park as it is now called – well worth a visit.

Colin Balfour: Used to play down there as a kid.

Alan Young: Stayed right across from them my dad told me all about them.

Michael Connor: Used to play here as a kid.

Helen Grieve: There were a couple of kids in my class at school from the Whins!

Photos by Dave Fraser from Rutherglen

If you have any Photos… Send them to Bill

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