Bernard de Gomme facts for kids

Sir Bernard de Gomme (1620 – 1685) was a talented Dutch engineer. He helped design and build forts and defenses. Many people think he was the most important military engineer in England during the 1600s.

Early Life and Adventures

Bernard de Gomme was born in Terneuzen, a town in Zeeland, Netherlands. His father, Pieter de Gomme, managed supplies for Dutch forts. These forts were called Lillo and Liefkenshoek. They were located near the mouth of the Scheldt River.

As a young man, Bernard joined the army. He fought in battles with Prince Frederick Henry. One important battle was the Gennep campaign in 1641.

Later, he went to England with Prince Rupert. There, King Charles I made him a knight. Sir Bernard de Gomme served as an engineer and quartermaster-general. This meant he planned army camps and built defenses. He worked for the king's army from 1642 to 1646.

After the king's army lost battles in 1646, Sir Bernard left England. A map he drew of the forts in Liverpool in 1644 still exists today. You can find it in the British Museum.

Back in the Netherlands

In 1646, Sir Bernard de Gomme returned to the Netherlands. He worked as a civil engineer. This meant he designed things for towns, not just armies. For example, he helped build polders in Flanders. Polders are areas of land reclaimed from the sea.

In 1649, King Charles II asked him to be quartermaster-general again. This job was for any new armies in England and Wales.

In 1654, he married Catharina van Deynse in Middelburg. They had a daughter named Anna. Sir Bernard was also an engineer at the Battle of the Dunes in 1658. This battle took place near Dunkirk.

Working for the King Again

After King Charles II returned to power in England, Sir Bernard was welcomed back. In 1660, he became the Surveyor-General of Fortifications. This was a very important job.

In 1661, he was promoted to chief engineer. He was in charge of all the king's forts in England and Wales. His first jobs included fixing the pier at Dover. He also built new forts at Dunkirk. He surveyed the land for Tilbury Fort.

In 1665, he helped design the forts at Portsmouth. He also helped make the Cam River easier for boats to use. This would connect it to the Thames River. A few days later, he was asked to build a new fort. This fort was the Royal Citadel on the Hoe in Plymouth.

In 1667, he went with the Duke of York to Harwich. They planned to build many defenses there. When he returned to London, he gave advice on fortifying the Medway River and Portsmouth.

After a Dutch attack on the Medway in 1667, Sir Bernard helped fortify Sheerness. This was to stop similar attacks from happening again. He also surveyed areas around Dublin in 1673 and 1675. In 1682, he became the surveyor-general of ordnance.

Sir Bernard de Gomme passed away in London in 1685. He was buried in the chapel of the Tower of London. He left money to the Dutch Church in London and to Christ's Hospital.

Gallery of Work

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  Water Gate, Tilbury Fort

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  Ravelin, Tilbury Fort

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  The Moat, Tilbury Fort

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  Interior, Tilbury Fort

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  River Battery, Tilbury Fort

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  Main gate, The Royal Citadel Plymouth

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  The Royal Citadel Plymouth