Today marks the 75th anniversary of the completion of the Churchill Barrier in the Orkney Islands.
Constructed by Balfour Beatty, utilising the labour of over 1,300 Italian prisoners of war, the 1.4 mile long causeway formed a key strategic role in the sea defences to protect the naval anchorage at Scapa Flow in the second world war.
Following the sinking of the HMS Royal Oak by a German U-boat in October 1939, Winston Churchill ordered the construction of the barrier which, after the war, was converted to form a causeway linking the four islands to the Orkney Mainland. The Churchill Barriers officially opened in Orkney in 1945 – four days after Victory in Europe day.
This was featured on BBC Scotland 'Good Morning Scotland' show and the original audio can be listened to on BBC Iplayer - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000j16f (2:49:38 in)