Upton Fort, Osmington Mills, March 2009
Well I managed to get down here again to try and get some more shots, first time was with underitall and his mate in the day but i didnt manage to get very many good pictures, so headed down there again for another go. As we got into the fort we found a mass of kids playing together with a group of holiday makers having a BBQ and as this was a private area did not want to spook them (two lads with cameras.. know what i mean!) so we missioned off to return when it got dark for a bit more cover! Also houses are a bit close for comfort and one of the three old ammunition stores under the fort has been converted into some sort of house.
Anyway second attempt.. Sucsess!
A little history lesson..
Designed to supplement the other gun batteries guarding Weymouth Bay and the approacches to Portlnad Harbour, the Upton Battery became operational in 1902 and was to be equipped with two 6-inch and two 9.2-inch breech loading guns mounted above sunken magazines. Support buildings were positioned behind and to the west of the gun positions, but a plan to build a pier below the site for provisioning was never proceeded with. The site was placed on care and maintenance after the First World War and the guns removed.
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.
The battery was manned by troops of the 522nd (Dorset) Coastal Regiment and the guns only came into used 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.
Upton Fort batteries were decommissioned by 1956 and are now in private ownership.
Old photo of Fort
The fort today
Old photo of ammunition store
Some of one of the ammunition stores today
Thanks for looking, any comments welcome.
Well I managed to get down here again to try and get some more shots, first time was with underitall and his mate in the day but i didnt manage to get very many good pictures, so headed down there again for another go. As we got into the fort we found a mass of kids playing together with a group of holiday makers having a BBQ and as this was a private area did not want to spook them (two lads with cameras.. know what i mean!) so we missioned off to return when it got dark for a bit more cover! Also houses are a bit close for comfort and one of the three old ammunition stores under the fort has been converted into some sort of house.
Anyway second attempt.. Sucsess!
A little history lesson..
Designed to supplement the other gun batteries guarding Weymouth Bay and the approacches to Portlnad Harbour, the Upton Battery became operational in 1902 and was to be equipped with two 6-inch and two 9.2-inch breech loading guns mounted above sunken magazines. Support buildings were positioned behind and to the west of the gun positions, but a plan to build a pier below the site for provisioning was never proceeded with. The site was placed on care and maintenance after the First World War and the guns removed.
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.
The battery was manned by troops of the 522nd (Dorset) Coastal Regiment and the guns only came into used 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.
Upton Fort batteries were decommissioned by 1956 and are now in private ownership.
Old photo of Fort
The fort today
Old photo of ammunition store
Some of one of the ammunition stores today
Thanks for looking, any comments welcome.
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