Site in Focus - World War II Staney Hill Line

Anderson High School pupils recently participated in a two-day school activities event which focused on some of the wartime archaeology on the World War Two Staney Hill Line near Lerwick. 

On day one their event was set against the backdrop that a sea and land invasion had taken place in Shetland by German forces following the invasion of Norway, April 1940. Pupils had to put themselves back into the time period, and learned about the defensive line around Lerwick. During a walk up the hill, they visited various wartime defensive archaeological structures, including pill boxes, tank traps, spigot mortars and shelters. They also enjoyed a visit to the Shetland Museum and Archives store where they enjoyed learning about various wartime artefacts, including looking at Lee Enfield rifles!

Day two consisted of learning about further background on the defensive line around Lerwick, the forces that arrived in Shetland to defend it, and also playing a 'role-play' type wargame which reflected on the ground they walked. The object of the attackers was to take Lerwick, while the task of the defenders was to push the attackers back west.