Spey Bay is a small settlement situated at the eastern side of the mouth of the River Spey on the coast of the Moray Firth.
| Name | Occupation | Posted from | Until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sergeant Alexander Hepburn | Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 | |
| Sergeant J. Mclean | Unknown | Unknown | |
| Corporal Joseph Robertson | Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 | |
| Private A. Gordon | Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 | |
| Private J. Grant | Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 | |
| Private W. Hepburn | Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 | |
| Private F. Mclean | Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 | |
| Private J.Mclean | Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 | |
| Private T.F. Tocher | Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 | |
| Private Charles Young | Senior pupil (Milnes School) |
Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 |
The main Operational Base was located on Whiteash Hill just off a track near Swiss Cottage in the middle of woods on the A98 between Buckie and Fochabers.
The view looks out over Spey Bay; the mouth of the River Spey is at the right-hand edge of this shot. The perfect observational area.
Little remains of the OB other than a depression in the ground, and a sheet of corrugated iron.
Today the land is owned by the Forestry Commission.
Spey Bay Patrol
The location of the Patrol was close to the RAF Dallachy and RAF Milltown. There were likely invasion beaches in the area around Spey Bay. There were two railways that would have been likely targets and associated bridges over the River Spey.
Most likely Blairmore House in Huntly. However it has been mentioned there were trips to England. We would assume this meant training at GHQ Coleshill.
Davie Grant recalls an Uncle (Hugh Grant) working at RAF Lossiemouth as a clerk of works. His Uncle told him he was engaged in secret work in the hills to run communication wires, but mentioned that he had to take the secret of where things were to his grave. It is believed these were for the Auxiliary Unist OBs.
The Patrol were close to several others, including the Grange Patrol, and Clochan Patrol. Charles Young (also known as Charles Allan) was a senior pupil at Milnes School and in a letter from his home in America to the Fochabers Heritage Society made references to OBs at Tarryount (Clochan Patrol), Aultmore (Deskford Patrol?) and Muldearie Hill (Keith Patrol?).
TNA ref WO199/3388 201 Bn rolls.
Hancock report held at B.R.A
Information from Fochabers Heritage
Photos by Allan Fraser
World War II in Moray by Bill Bartlam and Ian Keillar
Allan Fraser, Buckie and Davie Grant - Buckie