Brixham Battery
Encyclopedia
Brixham Battery and Battery Gardens are an open space on the sea shore in Brixham
, Devon
at . They are a traditional observation point for Brixham trawler races, both past and present.
The 14 acres (56,656 m²) site of Battery Gardens was first used as a battery in 1586 during the war between England
and Spain
. The Battery was not permanently armed but was certainly 'active' throughout the American War of Independence during the 1780s and the Napoleonic War against France during the first decade of the 19th century. The Battery was also used by the Coast Guard
for gunnery training during the 1870s.
All that can be seen today was built from June - September 1940 immediately following the defeat and evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force
from Dunkirk after the fall of France
.
Of the 116 Emergency Batteries built in 1940 from John O'Groats to Kent
, to Lands End, and to South Wales
only 7 remain. Of these Brixham battery is the most complete. English Heritage
had surveyed the whole site and it is now a scheduled monument.
coast and defence batteries had two main guns, anti-aircraft weapons and, in the case of Brixham, extra harbour defence guns.
A total of about one hundred officers and soldiers manned the Battery. The Battery was originally manned by soldiers from the Royal Artillery
, but following the receding threat of invasion the Battery was later manned by 378 Battery - of which almost all were members of the Home Guard.
During the period 1776 - 1890 the battery was known variously as Furzdon, Furzeham, Furzham, Furzedown and Fishcombe point. During the end of the 18th century Brixham was the station for the western approach of the Royal Navy
, and as such was a very necessary port for the Navy, especially during the American Civil War
of Independence.
When France
joined America
in 1778 and Spain
in 1779, the Board of Ordnance
decided that, along with other naval stations along the south coast of England
, Brixham was to be protected by gun emplacements.
Battery gardens was to be the most westerly battery covering the harbour. The militia were to prepare the positions, and the guns, 24 pounders, arrived in May 1780 at the same time as the Berry Head
guns (the site of a Napoleonic fort a little along from battery gardens). The land being commandeered, compensation being paid in 1783 at the end of hostilities.
At the start of the French wars the land was purchased and the guns returned. Again the guns were removed at the end of hostilities. The battery was still a military station in a report of 2 June 1862 and was manned by the 11th Devon Artillery Volunteers, Royal Garrison Artillery
.
In a naval return of 13 March 1891 there had been a 64 pounder muzzle loading
rifled
cannon
at Furzham on 1 April 1889. This was mounted on gun racers about where number five gun had been eighty years before.
was to defend all the beaches against landings. Beaches such as those at Torre Abbey
, Livermead, Hollicombe, Preston, Paignton
, Goodrington
, Broadsands and Elbury Cove would have made ideal sites for enemy landings. The Corbyn Head battery was well sited to cover targets within the Bay while the Brixham battery could also engage craft further out in Lyme Bay
. In addition to the 'big guns' the batteries were equipped with Anti-aircraft
weaponry and Brixham battery also had a 6 pounder Hotchkiss
harbour defence gun. The Anti-aircraft defences at Brixham battery consisted of a 37mm AA
gun, an Unrotated Projectile
Projector and 40mm Bofors guns.
The Brixham battery and a similar one at Corbyn Head, Torquay
, were only two of many sited along the South Coast. One of the more heavily armed batteries was at Froward Point, near Kingswear
, known as Brownstone battery. This was a 'close defence' battery sited in June 1942 and armed with 'LS' (Land Service) 6 inch Mark VII guns on mark II mountings. The role of the battery was to engage enemy forces, such as landing craft and mother ships carrying landing craft, attempting landings on Slapton Sands or Blackpool Sands
beaches and to destroy any beach head which had been established. Parts of the gun beds, Battery Observation Post, magazines, searchlights and other features can still be seen, and are now preserved by the National Trust. The battery observation post is let by the trust to the National Coastwatch Institution
, known as NCI Froward Point
, and manned by volunteer watchkeepers keeping a lookout for coastal dangers.
In 1940, during the Second World War, the site was manned initially by the Royal Artillery
362 Battery 18 CA GP Regiment, becoming 362 Battery 556 Regiment in 1941 and 378 Battery 556 Regiment in 1942. The Royal Artillery
was strongly supported by local men transferred from 'D' Company (10th Torbay) Battalion Devonshire Home Guard. Trained in all the functions of the Battery and being able to man it on their own if the occasion arose, the crews became very efficient and were often commended by the Brigadier Royal Artillery
Southern Command and Commander of Coast Artillery South West District.
The 4.7 inches (119.4 mm) guns
were never used in earnest against enemy forces though there were occasions when alerts were ordered. German E-boats entered the bay on several occasions but were never engaged since this might have given away the location of the Battery - information deemed to valuable to an enemy landing force. In principle, engagement of enemy vessels would have been left to the Royal Navy
unless orders to the contrary were given by the Port Commander or higher authorities.
There were, however, many occasions on which the anti-aircraft defences at the battery were in action against the hit-and-run raiders attacking Brixham harbour and shipping in the Bay. These included Messerschmitt
ME109's carrying a single 500 lb (226.8 kg) bomb, and later the Focke Wolfe 190's which carried a formidable 1000 lb (453.6 kg) bomb.
Until his passing in Feb 2006 the group was proud to have a veteran sergeant, Mr Ron Coleman, who was manned at the Battery during the Second World War as their Secretary.
The group has over 60 members so far - of all ages. There is always projects and work to be done at the centre, whether it is helping to restore a 1950's British armoured 'Pig' car, using the on-site PC to create promotional material for the battery, or helping out in the centre with the ever-expanding displays of WW2 militaria and memorabilia.
As a registered charity, the Heritage Centre Group has been generously awarded grants from various sources. These much-needed funds have greatly helped to expand the educational side of the project as well as inject money into various restoration projects that need to be carried out on some of the emplacements.
Video: Brixham Battery
Brixham
Brixham is a small fishing town and civil parish in the county of Devon, in the south-west of England. Brixham is at the southern end of Torbay, across the bay from Torquay, and is a fishing port. Fishing and tourism are its major industries. At the time of the 2001 census it had a population of...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
at . They are a traditional observation point for Brixham trawler races, both past and present.
The 14 acres (56,656 m²) site of Battery Gardens was first used as a battery in 1586 during the war between England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. The Battery was not permanently armed but was certainly 'active' throughout the American War of Independence during the 1780s and the Napoleonic War against France during the first decade of the 19th century. The Battery was also used by the Coast Guard
Coast guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea. However the term implies widely different responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to being a volunteer organization tasked with...
for gunnery training during the 1870s.
All that can be seen today was built from June - September 1940 immediately following the defeat and evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
from Dunkirk after the fall of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Of the 116 Emergency Batteries built in 1940 from John O'Groats to Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, to Lands End, and to South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
only 7 remain. Of these Brixham battery is the most complete. English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
had surveyed the whole site and it is now a scheduled monument.
The Battery
"Battery" is a military term used to describe a number of artillery weapons and the soldiers who operate them. The World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
coast and defence batteries had two main guns, anti-aircraft weapons and, in the case of Brixham, extra harbour defence guns.
A total of about one hundred officers and soldiers manned the Battery. The Battery was originally manned by soldiers from the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
, but following the receding threat of invasion the Battery was later manned by 378 Battery - of which almost all were members of the Home Guard.
1776 - 1890
It is known that as far back as 1586 a gun platform was established in battery grounds against the threat of attack from Spain. This was maintained until 1664.During the period 1776 - 1890 the battery was known variously as Furzdon, Furzeham, Furzham, Furzedown and Fishcombe point. During the end of the 18th century Brixham was the station for the western approach of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, and as such was a very necessary port for the Navy, especially during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
of Independence.
When France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
joined America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1778 and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in 1779, the Board of Ordnance
Board of Ordnance
The Board of Ordnance was a British government body responsible for the supply of armaments and munitions to the Royal Navy and British Army. It was also responsible for providing artillery trains for armies and maintaining coastal fortresses and, later, management of the artillery and engineer...
decided that, along with other naval stations along the south coast of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Brixham was to be protected by gun emplacements.
Battery gardens was to be the most westerly battery covering the harbour. The militia were to prepare the positions, and the guns, 24 pounders, arrived in May 1780 at the same time as the Berry Head
Berry Head
Berry Head is a coastal headland at the southern end of Torbay, to the southeast of Brixham, Devon, England.-National Nature Reserve:Berry Head to Sharkham Point is a haven for several nationally rare and threatened species which are dependent upon the thin limestone soils, mild climate and exposed...
guns (the site of a Napoleonic fort a little along from battery gardens). The land being commandeered, compensation being paid in 1783 at the end of hostilities.
At the start of the French wars the land was purchased and the guns returned. Again the guns were removed at the end of hostilities. The battery was still a military station in a report of 2 June 1862 and was manned by the 11th Devon Artillery Volunteers, Royal Garrison Artillery
Royal Garrison Artillery
The Royal Garrison Artillery was an arm of the Royal Artillery that was originally tasked with manning the guns of the British Empire's forts and fortresses, including coastal artillery batteries, the heavy gun batteries attached to each infantry division, and the guns of the siege...
.
In a naval return of 13 March 1891 there had been a 64 pounder muzzle loading
Muzzleloader
A muzzleloader is any firearm into which the projectile and usually the propellant charge is loaded from the muzzle of the gun . This is distinct from the more popular modern designs of breech-loading firearms...
rifled
Rifling
Rifling is the process of making helical grooves in the barrel of a gun or firearm, which imparts a spin to a projectile around its long axis...
cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
at Furzham on 1 April 1889. This was mounted on gun racers about where number five gun had been eighty years before.
1940 - 1945
The role of Brixham battery, in conjunction with a similar battery at Corbyn Head, TorquayTorquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
was to defend all the beaches against landings. Beaches such as those at Torre Abbey
Torre Abbey
Torre Abbey is a historic building and art gallery in Torquay, Devon, which lies in the South West of England. It was founded in 1196 as a monastery for Premonstratensian canons, and is now the best-preserved medieval monastery in Devon and Cornwall...
, Livermead, Hollicombe, Preston, Paignton
Paignton
Paignton is a coastal town in Devon in England. Together with Torquay and Brixham it forms the unitary authority of Torbay which was created in 1998. The Torbay area is a holiday destination known as the English Riviera. Paignton's population in the United Kingdom Census of 2001 was 48,251. It has...
, Goodrington
Goodrington
Goodrington is a coastal village in Devon, England. It is situated in Torbay and lies between Torquay and Brixham, less than south of Paignton....
, Broadsands and Elbury Cove would have made ideal sites for enemy landings. The Corbyn Head battery was well sited to cover targets within the Bay while the Brixham battery could also engage craft further out in Lyme Bay
Lyme Bay
Lyme Bay is an area of the English Channel situated in the southwest of England between Torbay in the west and Portland in the east. The counties of Devon and Dorset front onto the bay,-Geology:...
. In addition to the 'big guns' the batteries were equipped with Anti-aircraft
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
weaponry and Brixham battery also had a 6 pounder Hotchkiss
QF 6 pounder Hotchkiss
The QF 6 pounder Hotchkiss was a light 57 mm naval gun and coast defence gun of the late 19th century used by many countries, and was adapted for use in the early British tanks in World War I.- Canada History :...
harbour defence gun. The Anti-aircraft defences at Brixham battery consisted of a 37mm AA
QF 1 pounder pom-pom
The QF 1 pounder, universally known as the pom-pom, was an early 37 mm British autocannon. It was used by several countries initially as an infantry gun and later as a light anti-aircraft gun. The name comes from the sound it makes when firing....
gun, an Unrotated Projectile
Unrotated Projectile
The Unrotated Projectile, or UP, was a short range rocket-firing anti-aircraft weapon developed for the Royal Navy to supplement the 2 pounder Pom-Pom gun due to a critical lack of close-range anti-aircraft weapons. It was used extensively by British ships during the early days of World War II...
Projector and 40mm Bofors guns.
The Brixham battery and a similar one at Corbyn Head, Torquay
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
, were only two of many sited along the South Coast. One of the more heavily armed batteries was at Froward Point, near Kingswear
Kingswear
Kingswear is a village and civil parish in the South Hams area of the English county of Devon. The village is located on the east bank of the tidal River Dart, close to the river's mouth and opposite the small town of Dartmouth...
, known as Brownstone battery. This was a 'close defence' battery sited in June 1942 and armed with 'LS' (Land Service) 6 inch Mark VII guns on mark II mountings. The role of the battery was to engage enemy forces, such as landing craft and mother ships carrying landing craft, attempting landings on Slapton Sands or Blackpool Sands
Blackpool Sands, Dartmouth
Blackpool Sands is a beach in Dartmouth, Devon, England named after the nearby village of Blackpool. It has been increasingly encroached on each year since 1933 - indeed, in 1989 the sea broke the defences, severely damaging seaside properties and threatening the A379 road.-External...
beaches and to destroy any beach head which had been established. Parts of the gun beds, Battery Observation Post, magazines, searchlights and other features can still be seen, and are now preserved by the National Trust. The battery observation post is let by the trust to the National Coastwatch Institution
National Coastwatch Institution
The National Coastwatch Institution is a voluntary organisation and registered charity providing a visual watch along the UK's coasts, and is not to be confused with HM Coastguard.-History:...
, known as NCI Froward Point
NCI Froward Point
NCI Froward Point is a busy National Coastwatch Institution lookout station at Froward Point at the easterly side of the mouth of the River Dart two miles by coast path from Kingswear in Devon in England. Its twin duties are to maintain an hours of daylight watch over the local coastal area and...
, and manned by volunteer watchkeepers keeping a lookout for coastal dangers.
In 1940, during the Second World War, the site was manned initially by the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
362 Battery 18 CA GP Regiment, becoming 362 Battery 556 Regiment in 1941 and 378 Battery 556 Regiment in 1942. The Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
was strongly supported by local men transferred from 'D' Company (10th Torbay) Battalion Devonshire Home Guard. Trained in all the functions of the Battery and being able to man it on their own if the occasion arose, the crews became very efficient and were often commended by the Brigadier Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
Southern Command and Commander of Coast Artillery South West District.
The 4.7 inches (119.4 mm) guns
QF 4.7 inch Mk V naval gun
The QF 4.7 inch Gun Mark V originated as a 120-mm 45 calibres long naval gun produced for export by the Elswick Ordnance Company in the 1890s and used by various countries.-United Kingdom service:...
were never used in earnest against enemy forces though there were occasions when alerts were ordered. German E-boats entered the bay on several occasions but were never engaged since this might have given away the location of the Battery - information deemed to valuable to an enemy landing force. In principle, engagement of enemy vessels would have been left to the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
unless orders to the contrary were given by the Port Commander or higher authorities.
There were, however, many occasions on which the anti-aircraft defences at the battery were in action against the hit-and-run raiders attacking Brixham harbour and shipping in the Bay. These included Messerschmitt
Messerschmitt
Messerschmitt AG was a famous German aircraft manufacturing corporation named for its chief designer, Willy Messerschmitt, and known primarily for its World War II fighter aircraft, notably the Bf 109 and Me 262...
ME109's carrying a single 500 lb (226.8 kg) bomb, and later the Focke Wolfe 190's which carried a formidable 1000 lb (453.6 kg) bomb.
The Heritage Centre Group
Created in 1999, the Heritage Centre Group is committed to the promotion of the history of the Brixham Battery as well as the environment, flora and fauna and is currently expanding its on-site education centre within the grounds of the gardens.Until his passing in Feb 2006 the group was proud to have a veteran sergeant, Mr Ron Coleman, who was manned at the Battery during the Second World War as their Secretary.
The group has over 60 members so far - of all ages. There is always projects and work to be done at the centre, whether it is helping to restore a 1950's British armoured 'Pig' car, using the on-site PC to create promotional material for the battery, or helping out in the centre with the ever-expanding displays of WW2 militaria and memorabilia.
As a registered charity, the Heritage Centre Group has been generously awarded grants from various sources. These much-needed funds have greatly helped to expand the educational side of the project as well as inject money into various restoration projects that need to be carried out on some of the emplacements.
Video
This video was produced by Encore Productions to help promote the Battery and Museum. The project was written by former BBC Director, John Fabian and was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.Video: Brixham Battery