Mellon Charles (Loch Ewe) Depot

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Mellon Charles (Loch Ewe) Depot

This Royal Navy depot and military camp is situated on the shore at Gainmheach Mhor. The depot consists of a pier, slipway and many buildings, many of which are still in use.The main group of buildings are at NG 84547 91126, the slipway at NG 84427 91041 and the pier at NG 84435 90931.

The depot is visible on RAF vertical air photographs (CPE/Scot/UK182, 1348-1350, flown 8 October 1946) which shows that during WW II it was linked closely to the maintenance of the anti-submarine boom. Visible on the photographs is much of the paraphernalia connected with boom defence work. Submarine nets were placed across the mouth of Loch Ewe at this point to protect the gathering Russian Convoys that used the Loch as a safe haven. Since the war, most of the Nissen huts have been replaced by modern huts and several larger sheds.The depot is annotated on the current OS digital 1;2500 scale map as being disused.

The site was apparently still in use until recently. The fenced area is an automated weather station operation by the MET Office. Informed speculation has the former boom camp playing a role in the disposal at sea of low to intermediate grade nuclear wastes from the UK Nuclear Submarine fleet

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