Was a coastal battery built as part of Portland's coastal defences. Constructed in 1903, it was equipped with two 6-inch and two 9.2-inch breech loading guns mounted above sunken magazines, with ancillary buildings behind and to the west. After the First World War the guns were removed and the site was placed on care and maintenance.
With the outbreak of the Second World War plans were made to bring Upton back to an operational status, and some time between June 1940 and January 1941 the battery was equipped with two 6-inch naval guns from the scrapped battleship HMS Erin. The guns were installed on the old 9.2-inch platforms, suitably modified to take the new weapons, and the original magazines were once again utilised for their design purpose. Two coastal battery searchlights/observation posts were also added, one approximately 150 metres south east,the other, 75 metres south west.
The battery was manned by troops of the 522nd (Dorset) Coastal Regiment and the guns were only once fired in anger when, on the night of 21 March 1944, they opened fire against marauding German E-boats on the edge of Weymouth Bay.
The sun was out, it was chav free... good explore!
The coastal observation/searchlight posts added during the Second World War.
This, any ideas?
With the outbreak of the Second World War plans were made to bring Upton back to an operational status, and some time between June 1940 and January 1941 the battery was equipped with two 6-inch naval guns from the scrapped battleship HMS Erin. The guns were installed on the old 9.2-inch platforms, suitably modified to take the new weapons, and the original magazines were once again utilised for their design purpose. Two coastal battery searchlights/observation posts were also added, one approximately 150 metres south east,the other, 75 metres south west.
The battery was manned by troops of the 522nd (Dorset) Coastal Regiment and the guns were only once fired in anger when, on the night of 21 March 1944, they opened fire against marauding German E-boats on the edge of Weymouth Bay.
The sun was out, it was chav free... good explore!
The coastal observation/searchlight posts added during the Second World War.
This, any ideas?
Last edited: