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106 ATC had to stop any invasion at the coast! Their military task was to defend a portion of the coastline which included the fairways and greens of the ancient golf course at St Andrew’s. While other Sappers cut and embanked a modern-day Hadrian’s Wall across the Scottish Lowlands, the decision was made to erect obstacles to prevent the clubs fairway’s being used as a bridgehead for an airborne assault.

But the Club at St Andrew’s had friends in high places. As a result they were able to negotiate the precise positioning of the poles, humps and trenches set up along the fairways. The location of these ‘cross-hazards’ as they were called was designed to make it impossible for planes or gliders to land safely. The steep sides of the new trenches however, made it impossible for golf balls to be played out. A ‘lift and drop’ rule was introduced for those falling into one of these new traps which did not incur any penalty at first.

However, the ‘Golfing’ magazine at Christmas 1940 was already suggesting that these military modification actually enhanced some courses, forcing players to place their shot rather than simply driving their ball down the fairway.

This story was submitted to the people’s War site by a volunteer from CSV Oxford on behalf of the late Bill Harvey. It is a transcript of his own diary and several interviews. He gave written permission for the material to be edited and published.

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