Scotland, Inverness: Restricted Areas

Available for over a year

IV2 3PY You wouldn’t think of Inverness as a frontier station but a hundred years ago armed soldiers could have demanded your papers. Much of the highlands became a Special Military Area under the Defence of the Realm Act, starting 25th July 1916. To travel there as a visitor you needed a special permit. Local pass books had been issued to all British subjects there since August 1914 but these new visitor permit books for travel were more detailed. The precautions were needed because the Highland capital housed one of most important naval offices in Britain and the ‘Jellicoe Express’ arrived at its station taking navy personnel north on the way to Scapa Flow and Invergordon. Local historian Dave Conner tells us about security in the Navy’s gateway to the Highlands in WW1. Cait McCullagh of Inverness Museum and Art Gallery tells us about pass books.