This structure is built on the far end of the north caponier. The roof of the caponier has been formed into a 'Rifle Section Support Trench'. The outer (east) edge of the roof has been widened to 8ft and has been built up with granite blocks. Walking through the trench leads to a substructure that is approx 6ft 6" high, 7ft deep and 12ft 6" wide. Built directly on top is a superstructure which in effect is a doubled tiered, loopholed wall. It has return flanks either side of 45 degrees and stands 6ft in height. There are two rows of loopholes, 6 for standing positions and 6 for prone positions. It would be impossible to man all of the loopholes at the same time, in fact manning the standing positions could result in being shot in the foot! There is no access to the firing positions now, but the remains of a ladder were found in the 'trench' in the 1970's.
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This is the WWI battery observation post (BOP) that was later updated during WWII. It is accessed from the rear via a flight of steps. The BOP is divided into two rooms by a stud wall, one for the gunnery direction officer and the other for the searchlight controller. Above the observation slit are remains of a wooden pelmate on which a panorama would have been hung giving details of features of land and seascape with ranges on particular objects. Stencilled onto the partition wall and on the sidewalls are 'datum boards' giving information such as height (above sea level) and normal opening bearings (NOB), relating to searchlights or gunfire. Externally, remains of splinter proof, shutter type shields remain. On the floor of the BOP some elements of the pillars for the range finding equipment can be seen in the right hand corner. The rear (west) wall has a large window overlooking the parade area. Below, in the space between the floor of the BOP and the original roof of the fort would have been batteries and cables etc.
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Gun house number 1/B. For a description please go to picture 5, gunhouse 1/A. This only differs from 1/A in a few details. On the southern side of this structure is a lookout position accessed via a 16 runged ladder. This leads to the steel two man "Air Sentry's Post". Since the majority of the observation posts on the roof look towards the Thames, this position was intended to observe any low level raiders approaching form the south or west, as well as indicating where incendiary bombs fell either in or close to the fort. This gunhouse is slightly wider to accommodate a "Dummy Loader" in the northern quarter of the floor area. A notice still shows that the Dummy Loader was Sgt Milligan S and his Limber Gunner was Gnr Wingfield H.
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Degausing Control Tower. Sited between the two gunhouses and occupying a Victorian gun position (unused) is a two storie brick building. This is the Degausing Control Tower, originally (March/April 1940) this had been a small wooden shed. As winter 1940/41 approached the shed was built over by a brick structure, and the upper floor became a Visual Reporting Position. There are no remains of the stairs that joined the floors, being wood they rotted away years ago. The lower floor held a switchboard (PBX), a small library of ship data books, a teleprinter and small electric hob. The upper floor contained a wall chart of the estuary, 3 pen recorders (one for each offshore cable) a pintle for heavy binoculars, an Aldis Lamp and other signal equipment. The occupants were mostly Wrens who, in conjunction with the detachment at Cliff Fort on the opposite (Kent) bank, controlled the "Degausing loop" cables laid on the river bed. These cables indicated the effectivness of the anti-magnetic mine countermeasures. In the occasional event of vessels readings on the pen recorder indicating innsufficient anti-magnetic protection then that vessel would be ordered to the nearest degausing station for rectification.
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Gunhouse 1A. Battery 1 (in the 1940 scheme) position A was designed to be a small fortification in its own right. Its walls are at least 15 inches thick with a reinforced concrete base that overlaps the Victorian casemates below and therefore has to supported to the rear by 7 brick and reinforced concrete pillars. The gun house is basically a retangular building with small wings either side and a sloping roof towards the rear. It has a canopy or pelmate of steel plate hung on the front face which is painted two-tone wavy deep (north sea) grey-green and light sea grey. To enclose the gun, several more sheets were hung, arranged so that they could be slid to one side as required. Into the brick walls 4 precast concrete loopholes for rifles or light machine guns were inserted during building. one to fire north, one south and a pair west into and over the fort. These loopholes could also be used for observation and sentries would be posted behind each. This gunhouse is built on the site of the WWI, 6" emplacement. During WWII a 5.5" naval gun from HMS Hood was installed, while another was placed in gunhouse 1B.
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1943 Bofors emplacement. During the Second World War, the fort was equiped with two Bofors Anti-Aircraft guns.
Weights and dimensions
40mm anti-aircraft artillery
Dated 1943
Calibre (mm) 40
Barrel length (cals) 56
weight in action (Kg) 522 (1,150lbs)
Weight of round (Kg) 2.15 (4.75lbs)
Projectile (Kg) HE 0.9 (1.985lbs)
Round length (mm) 447
Muzzle velocity (m/sec) 881
Ceiling (m) 6796
Range (m) at 10 degrees 6228
Rate of fire (max) 160 rounds/min
These Bofors were the only weapons to fire in anger throughout the history of Coalhouse. Four of the pictures show the Bofors that is mounted on the roof. This weapon, although dated 1943 has been modified in later years and is fitted on an electrically operated mounting probably from a warship. It was donated by the Gunnery School at Shoeburyness and was flown to the fort below a Chinhook helicopter a number of years ago. The Bofors second from top is fitted on a mobile carriage and can be found in the parade ground.
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