| Summary : Remains of a First World War anti-aircraft battery probably extant from 1914-1916, when the London defences were reorganised and the armament was deployed elsewhere. This was one of a pair of batteries, the first anti-aircraft batteries built in Britain, built to protect the magazines at Chattenden and Lodge Hill. With no experience of aerial warfare, both batteries were armed with conventional 6-inch breech loaded howitzers on improvised mountings in April 1913. It was armed with a 1-pounder Pom Pom and 1 x 3-inch gun in early 1914 in permanent concrete emplacements. In 1916 there were two 3-inch 20-hundredweight guns. The battery was carefuly designed, forming a diamond shape, the interior buildings arranged symmetrically for close defence, with the gun emplacements placed to the north and south of the ammunition store. The east and west flanks were protected by a war shelter (pillbox) and a loopholed barrack block. All of the battery structures are roofed and intact. There were also batteries on Tower Hill and Beacon Hill. The battery was reused in the Second World War as a Bofors light anti-aircraft battery, and later as a Z-rocket anti-aircraft battery. All of the structures of the site are present, although the two emplacements are in a damaged state. The structures of the anti aircraft battery are visible on aerial photographs and have been mapped as part of the English Heritage: Hoo Peninsula Landscape Project. |
More information : Site of World War One anti-aircraft battery probably extant from 1914-1916, when the London defences were reorganised and the armament was deployed elsewhere. This was one of a pair of batteries, the first anti-aircraft batteries built in Britain, built to protect the magazines at Chattende and Lodge Hill. With no experience of aerial warfare, both batteries were armed with conventional 6-inch breech loaded howitzers on improvised mountings in April 1913. It was armed with a 1-pounder Pom Pom and 1 x 3-inch gun in early 1914 in permanent concrete emplacements. The battery was carefuly designed , forming a diamond shape, the interior buildings arranged symmetrically for close defence, with the gun emplacements placed to the north and south of the ammunition store. The east and west flanks were protected by a war shelter (pillbox) and a loopholed barrack block. All of the battery structures are roofed and intact. There were also batteries on Tower Hill and Beacon Hill. The battery was reused in World War II as a Bofors light anti-aircraft battery, and later as a Z-rocket anti-aircraft battery. All of the structures of the site are present, although the two emplacements are in a damaged state. (1)
Documented. (2,3)
The structural remains of the anti aircraft battery, including the gun emplacements, buildings and traces of the perimeter walls or fences, are visible on aerial photographs and have been mapped as part of the English Heritage: Hoo Peninsula Landscape Project. The best detail was found on photographs taken in May 1944 by the USAAF. (4-5)
Scheduled. For the designation record of this site please see The National Heritage List for England. (6-7) |