"Yet in 1916 the Forth became the most powerful naval fortress – most powerful whether measured by armament, by garrison, or by any other standard – in the British Empire, and probably, therefore, in the World."
General George K Scott-Moncrieff, Director, Fortifications & Works, War Office, 1911-1918. Chambers’s Journal (1922)
Gordon's talk will outline the history of the Forth as a key strategic fortress. Its role as one of Britain’s most important 20th-century naval bases has gradually faded from popular memory.
Dr Gordon Barclay is an archaeologist and historian. He spent over thirty years in government agency Historic Scotland and its predecessors, working to promote the conservation and understanding of Scotland’s historic environment. He is the author of over one hundred publications, including a major co-authored work in 2019 with Ron Morris on the fortifications of the Forth.
His most recent book is "Tanks of the Streets? The Battle of George Square 1919", co-authored with Louise Heren in 2023.
Image: IWM (Q 20633)
An aerial view of the naval anchorage in the Firth of Forth during 1916. Taken from British Airship R.9.
THIS EVENT WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR 23 NOVEMBER 2025