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Medway & Thames Defences

A copy free feature of the other defence Forts of the Medway and Thames including more on Grain Tower Battery off the Isle-of-Grain on the Hoo Peninsular

Grain's 3.7" Gun Emplacement, Knock John and Tongue Naval Towers 3.7" Guns

One of the areas land based Heavy Anti-Aircraft Gun Emplacements and X-Pilot on Cockleshell Beach on the Isle-of-Grain

Queenborough

Queenborough looking westerly

X Pilot Mooring

The X-Pilot

Pictured on her mooring off the redundant ramp at Queenborough with Dead Man's Island and Grain Loading Arms beyond, more of X-Pilot further down the page

Grain Tower

Grain Tower Battery looking towards Sheerness

Grain Tower Grain Tower Grain Tower

Grain Tower Battery from the causeway

Medway Boom Chains

Grain Tower Battery base showing Medway Boom Chains

Sheerness from Grain Tower Battery

Sheerness from Grain Tower Battery

The following 6 photographs taken on 8th April 2019

Sheerness Docks

Defences within Sheerness Docks

WWI Observation Posts

Observation Towers within Sheerness Docks

See the above from sea in Grand Forts Tour 22nd April 2018

Dock Wall

Sheerness Dock seaward perimeter wall

Sheerness Dock Buildings Sheerness Dock Buildings

Buildings within Sheerness Docks

Crane Pad

Basin crane ring once within Sheerness Docks

This crane base can be found on relaimed land at the entrance to Tesco car park

Note: Built by acclaimed Engineering Company Sir William Arrol & Co based in Glasgow they constructed the Tay, Forth and Tower Bridges

Contracted by Harland & Wolff they built at the time the largest Ship Gantry known as the Arrol Gantry for construction of three super liners one being the 'Titanic'

Grain Tower Battery Causeway

The causeway from Grain Tower Battery

Sheerness from Grain Tower Battery

Garrison Point Fort and Sheerness from the roof of Grain Tower Battery

Rushenden

Rushenden looking towards the 'All Tide Landing' left click for full size image

Grain Chain Hut

Ashore behind the seawall the Grain Tower Battery Chain Boom Drive Hut

Grain Chain Hut

Grain Tower Battery Chain Boom Drive Hut entrance

Tongue Tower

Tongue Tower with 3.7" Guns (1991)

Tongue Tower

Tongue Tower with 3.7" Guns (1991)

Tongue Tower

Tongue Tower with 3.7" Guns (1991)

Knock John 1992

Knock John Tower with 3.7" Guns (June 1992)

N.B The left hand 3.7" Gun was the last to leave Orkney, also note the enhanced wire fragment pointing skywards a remnant of the Top Radar Teak House demolished in 1966 on the instructions of Roy Bates in an attemp to improve the Radio Essex signal

For more pictures and the 3.7" Guns being pulled by RAF Manston see Tongue Tower

Big Guns Article

Big Guns on the move ... (Annandale Observer Friday 10th August 2018)

Three of the Naval 3.7" Guns leaving Orkney (Friday 10th August 2018) left click for full size Press Report

Whilst the report doesn't acknowledge the origin these are two Guns from Knock John and one Tongue Towers pulled by RAF Manston in June 1992

The fourth Gun (Tongue) can be seen at Fort Gardens Gravesend, the Guns on Roughs Tower (Sealand) were toppled overboard in a mass clearout by the Americans of Haven Co

The Following photographs (a) - (d) taken at Carrutherstown, Dumfrieshire

3.7" HAA Gun

3.7" Heavy Anti-Aircraft Gun (a) (2018)

3.7" Heavy Anti Aircraft Gun

3.7" Heavy Anti-Aircraft Gun (b) (2018)

3.7" Heavy Anti Aircraft Gun

3.7" Heavy Anti-Aircraft Gun (c) (2018)

3.7" Heavy Anti Aircraft Gun

3.7" Heavy Anti-Aircraft Gun (d) (2018)

Cockleshell Beach Pier

Fuel Pier Isle-of-Grain (17th July 2018)

X Pilot

X-Pilot on Cockleshell Beach (17th July 2018)

X Pilot on Cockleshell Beach

X-Pilot on Cockleshell Beach (17th July 2018)

X Pilot on Cockleshell Beach

X-Pilot on Cockleshell Beach (17th July 2018)

X Pilot on Cockleshell Beach

X-Pilot on Cockleshell Beach (17th July 2018)

X Pilot Bow Guys at work X Pilot from beneath peir

X-Pilot on Cockleshell Beach with Daryl and Troy hard at work removing barnacles and weed (17th July 2018)

X Pilot on Cockleshell Beach

X-Pilot on Cockleshell Beach (17th July 2018)

X Pilot on Cockleshell Beach

X-Pilot on Cockleshell Beach from beneath the Fuel Pier (17th July 2018)

X Pilot on Cockleshell Beach

X-Pilot on Cockleshell Beach from beneath the Fuel Pier (17th July 2018)

Skipper Alan Skipper Alan Guys rest a while

Skipper Alan with Daryl and Troy beneath X-Pilot on Cockleshell Beach (17th July 2018)

Skipper Alan

X-Pilot Skipper Alan Cockleshell Beach (17th July 2018)

X Pilot on Cockleshell Beach

X-Pilot on Cockleshell Beach (17th July 2018)

X-Pilot Logo

Like to join us on a cruise and perhaps board the Red Sands Army Forts with our working parties?

Details here of X-Pilot Sailings

Grain Fort

Grain 3.7" Gun Emplacement (17th July 2018)

Grain Fort

Grain 3.7" Gun Emplacement (17th July 2018)

Grain Fort Grain Fort Grain Fort

Ground level of Grain 3.7" Gun Emplacement (17th July 2018)

Grain Fort

Inside Grain 3.7" Gun Emplacement (17th July 2018)

Grain FortGrain FortGrain Fort

Steps to top of Grain 3.7" Gun Emplacement and view back (17th July 2018)

Grain Fort

Top of Grain 3.7" Gun Emplacement (17th July 2018)

View towards Sheerness Docks, and Queenborough Harbour

Grain Tower from Grain Fort

Top of Grain 3.7" Gun Emplacement (17th July 2018)

View towards Grain Tower Battery and Garrison Point Sheerness

Grain Fort 3.7 Gun Mount

Grain 3.7" Gun Mount (17th July 2018)

Grain Marshes

Grain 3.7" Gun Emplacement surrounded by Marshes (17th July 2018)

In The Long Grass

In the long grass by Grain 3.7" Gun Emplacement (17th July 2018)

Gun Site

A private land based 3.7" Gun Site (3rd May 2017)

Looking across the marshes to Kingsnorth Power Station on the River Medway

Gun Site

Camouflaged 3.7" Gun Emplacement (3rd May 2017)

Gun Site

Munitions Hut (3rd May 2017)

Gun Site

Munitions Hut Shaft (3rd May 2017)

Gun Site

Munitions Hut Entrance (3rd May 2017)

Gun Site

Side of a double 3.7" Gun Emplacement (3rd May 2017)

Gun Site Gun Site Gun Site

Spring Flowers, 3.7" Gun Mount and Ramp to roof of another Gun Emplacement (3rd May 2017)

Gun Site

Roof of a Gun Emplacement (3rd May 2017)

Gun Site

Roof detail of a 3.7" Gun Emplacement (3rd May 2017)

Further up the River Medway ...

Hoo Fort Hoo Fort

Hoo Fort

At the pinch in the river between Kingsnorth Power station, water beyond the Fort is very shallow and can only be navigated in small craft at high tide

Hoo Fort

Hoo Fort entrance

To access by boat anchor by the abandoned lighters to go ashore

N.B The entrance to the Fort is flooded but may be crossed with caution in Wellington Boots or Waders

Hoo Fort

Hoo Fort interior

Wildlife is abundant we saw Bats and an Owl flying at dusk

Darent Fort

On the opposite bank you'll see Darent Fort

Grateful thanks to Captain Graham Croft, Brian Adams, X-Pilot owner Martin Harman and Skipper Alan Harman for their help in producing this feature

See Grain Tower Battery for a consolidated history of the Thames Estuary Forts see Fort Fax


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