Cairnryan Military Port

From U-Boats to the Ark Royal.
During World War 2, the country needed a ‘spare’ deep water port on the west coast in case the Clyde in Glasgow or the Mersey in Liverpool became unusable due to enemy action. Loch Ryan was ideal, and Number 2 Military Port was built on its northern shore at Cairnryan between 1941 and 1943.
At the end of the war, the German U-boat fleet surrendered and was docked here and at Lishally in Ireland. The winter of 1945/1946 saw these feared submarines, which had sent so many ships to the bottom, towed out into deep water and sunk - this was called Operation Deadllight.
The site remained a military port into the 1960’s, when two of the piers were dismantled. The third was used for shipbreaking, and several Royal Navy vessels fell to the scrap man’s torch here, including the Ark Royal.
Today, the remains of the third pier remain visible - it is very unsafe, so please don’t try to walk along it. The deep water port is now a very busy port with daily sailings to Ireland.
#SouthwestScotland #Scotland #Warhistory

[@jeanettecouncil8299]

My late Pater served 1958 to demob 1959 on the Mighty Ark. He cursed her while watching Royal Tournament, you learnt that Devonport field gun was the best. She was mentioned at his funeral, his coffin draped with the Royal Ensign and Pater and Maters 1955 wedding photograph on top. It is the memories that the name Cairnryan brings to me. Tom Wilkinson from the Sailor series seeing her broken is heart breaking. The transformation of Cairnryan is amazing. Sorry to ramble but I miss Pater so much.

[@johnappleby405]

Thank you for this I’m reading the book which was pictured at the beginning of the video and I hope to visit Loch Ryan and Stranraer in the near future

[@greenman4141]

can you still get on that pier ,I got a 33lb conger off there in the 80s

[@raytalbot5890]

The place where some of my ashes will be scattered Arks resting place 👍👍🇬🇧🇬🇧🙏

[@bobbymcculloch2451]

Worked at the shipbreaking of. Hms eagle. And hms ark royal.

[@sketchy74]

The story goes that an ex shipmate of the Ark set off some smoke charges in her funnel to give her some dignity as she was towed out of Gus.