Location identification. Edinburgh

Redford barracks? I think the building on the right might be.

On second thoughts too hilly behind.   Maybe dreghorn barracks.  Not at all sure

I’m pretty sure it’s neither Redford or Dreghorn Barracks. I’m very familiar with both.

I don't think it's either of the Colinton barracks (Redford or Dreghorn). Neither has trees rising up behind them like that, or, as far as a know, a church like that. And pretty sure it isn't taken in Colinton village either, where the regiments would often parade to church. Nowhere I can think of in the village looks or looked like that. Could be wrong mind you.

Looks more as if it was taken in one of the other villages that are now part of Edinburgh. Might have been taken in Liberton but that's very much a guess. Will be interested to hear the final answer.

My suspicion is around Dreghorn Barracks, possibly by Dreghorn Castle which has since been destroyed.

https://nationalworld.newsprints.co.uk/20878886-rear-view-soldiers-from-300-parachute-squadron-royal-engineers-ta-used-flame-throwers-to-reduce-dreghorn-castle-colinton-edinburgh-to-a-burnt-out-shell-in-april-1955-on-sunday-may-1st-they/

But it could be any of the mansions or castles around Edinburgh which have been demolished in the last hundred years, or turned into schools.

Thanks all. I have the basic outline of my grandfathers time during the war but sadly no real detail. He was in a polish division of the British army and then possibly the PRC maybe when this photo was taken, post ww2.

If you have a Facebook account try posting it up on Lost Edinburgh!

Cheers Jamesy. I don’t have FB but the wife does. Will get her to put it there.

He was in a polish division of the British army

Have you tried applying for a copy of his service record?

https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-records-of-service

Is it possibly taken in the grounds of the old Craighouse hospital?

Brickwork and building style looks similar!

Greybeard I will try that, thank you

Giant Scum, just took a look on Apple Maps. It has potential. Annoyingly I can’t see a street view of the part that looks likely. Thank you

The octagonal towers on Craig House don't look like the one in the photo, and there was never a building that looks like the one on the left there I'm afraid.

Munrobiker, thanks.  You can see the similarities

https://maps.apple.com/?ll=55.923008,-3.226996&q=Marked%20Location&t=h

Google lens thinks that image is of the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade, they were apparently based in upper Largo?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Independent_Parachute_Brigade_(Poland)

cheers woody. He was in a tank regiment I believe.
as for Edinburgh that’s just what I was told. Needle in a haystack lol

There were alot of poles in fife.

Big camp in tentsmuir and i can't quite aay why but it feels like a tayport view.

I am vaguely aware polish armoured divisions were responsible for coastal defence along the east coast of fife and angus.

I don't think its a barracks btw.

Chirch of scotland on the left, looks like a street sign and civilians behind them.

Assuming a church on the left its possibly a village green?

The roofs don't look "Edinburgh" to me, not many of that style. Does look "Scotland" though.

Craighouse sprang to mind for me too but I don't think it's right. I can't think of the octagonal towers or the Kirk/chapel. The background reminds me of some of the posh mansions in the Grange/back of Astley Ainslie hospital grounds. But I don't recognise the foreground buildings there.

It does seem somehow familiar but then lots of these types of sites were redeveloped partially in the C20th, trees grow, buildings demolished etc. I agree that a local history Facebook should see it recognised fairly quickly.

There were Polish soldiers stationed at Barony Castle near Eddelston I believe. I think they were responsible for map of Scotland there. Doesn't look like Barony or Eddelston though.

There's a good list of the locations of Polish forces in Scotland here:

https://www.polishforcesinbritain.info/Locations.htm

It looks like they were just about everywhere, but according to that page, the Tank regiments were in Blairgowrie, Kelso and Earlston (and the north-east post-war).

The Great Polish Map of Scotland was the idea of hotelier Jan Tomasik, a former Polish solider who was stationed in the Borders, but was built between 1974 and 1979 by hotel staff and Polish exchange students:

https://eddleston.org.uk/great-polish-map-of-scotland-mapa/

https://bigthink.com/strange-maps/worlds-largest-relief-map-honours-wartime-ties-between-scotland-and-poland/

woody2000
Full Member

Google lens thinks that image is of the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade, they were apparently based in upper Largo?

OT really but they did their introductory training at largo house (which is now a reasonably accessible ruin) and lundin links just along the road. Standard case of "abandoned stately home gets taken over by military in ww2"

bajsyckel is right, mapping it to present day images is going to be harder because so many buildings are gone. Like, you could never guess where any of the pics of the norwegians at riccarton were taken because all the main structures were demolished 50 years ago, you can just about identify locations by landscape and individual trees and such.

Thanks for the input so far. I’ve ordered a death certificate so I can apply for his MOD records.