Melvyn,
Just down the road, and in this case literally so, the original KIngsbarns course suffered a somewhat similar during the war and when constructed.
In 1939, the winds of war were sweeping over the North Sea to the links of Scotland from Europe, the might of Hitler’s armies showing there evil. On a cold December day two men in a black Ford automobile drove down the rough beach road in Kingsbarns and stopped at the clubhouse gate. Waiting for them was Mr. Turnbull of Boghall, Captain of the Kingsbarns Home Guard. Together the three men walked over the fourth green and down the fairway toward the beach.
They were from the Ministry of Defense and the purpose of the visit was to ascertain how difficult it would be for an enemy assault force to land and secure a beachhead on the links. It didn’t take a long look for them to realize that it would not be difficult at all for the entire German army to arrive, and that this fact was not likely to have escaped the notice of Hitler’s Intelligence Agents that were traveling throughout the British Isles at that time.
Action would need to be taken, and right away.
The men next went to Cambo house and there informed Sir Thomas Erskine that his links land, the beach and the beach road, would be laid with land mines over the coming weeks, and that he would be required to provide all necessary assistance to the Sapper Regiment engaged in this. This would prove to be just the beginning.
Two pillboxes were constructed on the ridge of the raised beach, one at each end of the bay. They scheduled members of the Polish Army to man these, and they informed the town folk that until they did, that the Kingsbarns Unit of the Home Guard would bear the responsibility for manning them. In addition, all of the flat land from Kingsbarns through Stony Wind, Sandy Hall to Boghill to Boarhills, was to be covered with poles set into the ground to deter landings by airborne assault paratroops.
Work went on slowly over the next three months. Each mine was mapped and the public was warned, with leaflets being given to every household and notices posted around the entire barbed-wire enclosed area. The beach and the links, fields and woods were all abandoned. No one would dare go on them.
Unfortunately, a dog cannot be taught to not go into these areas where many had spent happy times running and exploring. Mr. Turnbull of Boghall’s Labrador gun dog was killed in an explosion that caused every villager to turn their heads and run down to the wire for a look. This would happen to other valued pets and even an unsuspecting fox or badger, awakening villagers in their soft warm beds during the dark of night. The Polish soldiers who may have even found themselves dozing off in their pillboxes were awakened to a start on many an evening.
With the end of the war, Polish Sappers were assigned to clear out the mines from the links. The barbed-wire was torn down and removed, as were the warning notices. The government gave the links back to the people of Kingsbarns; they could enjoy their fields and beaches once again.
When Sir Thomas was informed that the land was cleared of mines and that the Cambo estate could return to operating the farm. Bit Erskine had served in the armed forces when he was younger and understood that a number of mines may have been missed. He informed the people of the village and the Ministry of Defence that he was not prepared to accept the return of the land and for it to be put back to its original use. He demanded that the Ministry graze sheep on his land, at their expense, for at least three months before he would accept it and allow anyone to set foot on it.
Within a week an explosion had rocked the village. After two weeks there were three explosions from un-removed mines that provided a great deal of mutton on the plates of the villagers. This unexpected feast was a boon to the villagers who had little meat for their tables during the war years. In addition, credit must be given to Sir Thomas for saving a countless number of lives. After several more weeks he was satisfied that the fields were safe once again.
The Erskine family was compensated for the mining of their land, and to the surprise of many, the Kingsbarns Golf Club was also. The Ministry of Defence in an overly-generous settlement, gave the club 600 pounds as settlement. The Club committee had already decided that they would continue on, but that they would play at the links of nearby Crail. They put their financial windfall in the bank and left it untouched. For years to come, the drinks at the annual dinner and presentation of prizes were paid for out of the interest from this money. Still, just as the original club had helped the poor of the village, the Club eventually donated the money to build a new bus shelter in the village.
Meanwhile, the greens of the original course were re-established and a small amount of golf was played, but with the Club having moved to Crail, it no longer going to be what it once was. Two years later the committee informed Sir Thomas that they would relinquish their leases of the links.
The old days are very much alive at Kingsbarns, yet never more so than the day that the last of the buried mines that so concerned Peter Erskine was discovered… the hard way. Fortunately, no one was hurt, though a tractor paid the ultimate price in the explosion that followed the discovery.