Culvie Patrol

The Operational Base was built into the heather-covered hillside, on land above Newton of Culvie belonging to Culvie Estate and farmed by Sergeant Bill Fordyce. It was constructed in a hollow where an old road metal quarry had probably been.

There were two sets of bunks made with timber and netting wire, a water container and a primus stove for which Sergeant Fordyce supplied the paraffin. Food had to be pinched – eggs, snare rabbits, etc – and sometimes Auxilier Jack Stewart brought pies and various other perishable goods from the bakery.

The entrance was a box of heather with a rabbit burrow type hole giving access to the keyhole. A step ladder led down to the bunker which had brick built walls lined with white painted 9-inch boards to make it light.

About 380 yards north of the OB on Park Estate land, was a tree-house style lookout about 5 feet square, situated on the hillside with a clear view over the Greendykes road to Portsoy, seven miles distant, and the coast. The lookout was connected to the OB by two wires which allowed the watchers to transmit by Morse code to the men in the bunker. Usually there were two lookouts and five inside the bunker.