Glasgow And Ships Of The Clyde

Ardrossan Harbour in the Second World War

From "The Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald" dated 4th November 1960

By "Puffer"

Since writing in this column last week about the work done by Ardrossan Dockyard during the war years from September 1939 to June 1945, I have been asked about the work done at Ardrossan Harbour during the same period.
As the harbour records include work done by outside firms, I will deal with the shipping activities only.

20,301 vessels entered Ardrossan Harbour during the war years with a tonnage of 5,148,484 and with cargoes totalling 4,813,781 tons.

The harbour was a naval base, with thousands of people going in and out almost daily.
In the early days of the war, the late Duke of Kent inspected the port, and during 1944 Lord Louis Mountbatten landed at Ardrossan.

A U-Boat was sunk in sight of the dock entrance, and still lies there in deep water.