Lochaber
Detecting Group
Formerly Lochaber Archaeological Society
Achnacarry: Commando Basic Training Centre - 70 Years On. The Video
When the Lochaber Archaeological Society combed the grounds of a great Highland estate a few miles north of Fort William, they uncovered remarkable artefacts dating back to when it was a secret training base for the elite Commandos.
This video shows some of their discoveries set in an historical context with some evocative wartime black and white footage of the troops training at Achnacarry and interviews with veterans who share their memories.
Play the video in the window below and chose to play full screen if preferred. We are now making this video free to watch however contributions to the West Highland Museum can be made by scanning or clicking the QR code on this page.
Full Achnacarry Video
Running time approx 45 minutes.
(c) Lochaber Archaeological Society and Mallard Productions 2015.
Not for public broadcast.
E: Exempt from classification.
Intro to the video
Uncovering the Commando: Achnacarry
Achnacarry Castle, the ancestral home of the chiefs of Clan Cameron, was crucial to the allied campaign against the Axis powers during WW2.
The castle, about 15 miles north east of Fort William, was used to train elite commandos from Britain and the US as well as France, the Netherlands, Norway, Czechoslovakia, Poland and Belgium from 1942 to 1945.
Earlier excavations have uncovered live ammunition, including bullets from captured German weapons.
The grounds of Achnacarry House were the focus of a research project involving Lochaber Archaeology Society.
