Upton Fort, Dorset - November 2012.

Derelict Places

Help Support Derelict Places:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Harry

Veteran Member
Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2010
Messages
105
Reaction score
400
Location
Winchester
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!

P1010657Custom.png


P1010644Custom.png


P1010661Custom.png


P1010710Custom.png


P1010696Custom.png


P1010680Custom.png


P1010676Custom.png


P1010699Custom.png


P1010662Custom.png



The coastal observation/searchlight posts added during the Second World War.
P1010633Custom.png


P1010640Custom.png



This, any ideas?
P1010720Custom.png
 
Last edited:
Not normally my thing, but theres some really interesting structures there! Cheers for sharing!
 
interesting report and site history....like the metal stumps in 2nd pic was something huge bolted down here???...excuse my ignornance!

Thanxs for sharing:)
 
Liking those mate, love to see our old defenses, wonder how they would have coped had the Germans invaded.....
 

Latest posts

Back
Top