Brean Down Fort

guns with larger convert|9|in|cm|0 versions in 1888 but this was never put into action.cite web|url=http://www.palmerstonforts.org.uk/pdf/brean.pdf|title=Brean Down Fort|last=Moore |first=David|date=2000-12-24|publisher=Palmeston Forts Society|format=PDF|accessdate=2008-05-06] It had a large, underground, main gunpowder magazine, 15 foot (4.5 m) by 18 foot (5.5 m) by 20 foot (6.1 m) high. The fort was staffed by 50 officers and men of the Coast Brigade, Royal Artillery, but no shots were ever fired in action.

The end of the forts active service came at 5am on July 6, 1900 when Gunner Haines fired a ball cartridge down a ventilator shaft into the No. 3 magazine which held 3 tons (3 tonnes) of gunpowder, causing the magazine to explode.van der Bijl, Nicholas BEM (2000). "Brean Down Fort: Its History and the Defence of the Bristol Channel". Cossington: Hawk Editions. ISBN 0-9529081-7-4.] The wall separating the fort from the moat on the south west corner was demolished and wreckage thrown up to convert|200|yd|m|0. No-one knew why the gunner had blown up the fort, but it has been speculated that it was an act of suicide. The cannons were hauled away by Traction engines.

It was then used as a café, owned by the Hillman family from at least 1907 until sold in 1936 to the 'bird sanctury people'.

World War II

On the outbreak of World War II the fort was rearmed with two convert|6|in|cm|0 ex-naval guns and two searchlight batteries. The site was also used as a test launch site for rockets and experimental weapons.

Two gun positions were built to mount the ex-naval guns in their turrets. These were later protected with a "plastic" anti-aircraft roof. One position was built over the ruins of the old west battery and the other partly obscures the north west battery. The barrack blocks were converted and the windows partly blocked to reduce the effects of blast. Several other associated structures, including searchlight batteries for illuminating seaborne targets, a command post and the barracks for the garrison were built outside the original Palmeston fort.

The site was manned by 365 and 366 Coast Batteries RA of 571 Coast Regiment in 1942.cite web|url=http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=12359|title=Second-World-War Coast Artillery battery, Brean Down|work=Somerset Historic Environment Record|publisher=Somerset County Council|accessdate=2008-05-06]

Several experimental weapons were trialled at Brean, by the Admiralty's Directorate of Miscellaneous Weapons Development, based at HMS Birnbeck. [cite web | url= http://www.birnbeckpier.org/birnbeck_pier_history.php | work=Friends of the Old Pier Society | title= Birnbeck Island Pier - A short history | accessdate=2007-06-06 ] The only evidence being a short length of launching rail. [cite web|url=http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=12491|title=Experimental weapon rails, Brean Down|work=Somerset Historic Environment Record|publisher=Somerset County Council|accessdate=2008-05-06]

Some of the better known weapons trialed were the seaborne Bouncing bomb designed specifically to bounce to a target such as across water to avoid torpedo nets, Anti-submarine missile AMUCK and the expendable acoustic emitter (designed to confuse noise seeking torpedoes).

References

External links

* [http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-breandown/ Brean Down information at the National Trust]
* [http://www.palmerstonforts.org.uk/ Palmerston Forts]

Further reading

* van der Bijl, Nicholas (2000). "Brean Down Fort: Its History and the Defence of the Bristol Channel". Cossington: Hawk Editions. ISBN 0-9529081-7-4.
* Brown, Donald (1999). "Somerset V Hitler: Secret Operations in the Mendips 1939 - 1945". Newbury: Countryside Books. ISBN 1-85306-590-0.

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