Fletcher Battery in Eastchurch was
built in 1917 to work with Barton’s Point battery, their job was to
protect Sheerness Dockyard from attack. It held two 9.2” breechloader
guns in barbetted mountings, these were brought from Slough Fort at
Allhallows. These emplacements are in good condition as is the
observation post and magazine.
To the west of the battery the three machine gun emplacements can be
found, these are circular pillboxes with two firing slits in the
front. Each room is connected by a tunnel that would have led out to
the gun battery itself, providing a covered way.
To the east is a later gun position, another 9.2” BL, added during
WWII. There is a building next to this that has original shutters on
the windows and a blast wall outside one of the entrances. This
emplacement was built next to three machine gun emplacements from the
original battery, two of these emplacements survive but have been
bricked up.
A machine gun emplacement between the gun pits has been destroyed
although the doorway to the access tunnel still remains. The low-lying
magazines are un-accessible, as are the temporary cartridge and shell
stores. A later magazine still remains, the soil that covered this has
been removed and all entrances sealed. A spigot mortar emplacement can
be found to the west of the battery. Also near by are the remains of
the billets, there are five buildings on the access road that were
used to house the soldiers that worked here.
The battery was disarmed in 1953 and all guns removed and scrapped a
year later.
To see the full size
pictures, right click than click on go full size.
Access is not possible, this is on
private land.