Crosby Battery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Crosby Battery |
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| Crosby, Merseyside England |
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 Crosby Battery
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| Coordinates | 53°30′35″N 3°03′43″W / 53.5098°N 3.06187°W |
| Site information | |
| Condition | Partially demolished |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1906-7 |
| Materials | Concrete |
Crosby Battery, also known as Crosby Point Battery and Fort Crosby, was a special type of fort with big guns (an artillery battery). It was located between the towns of Crosby and Hightown in Lancashire, United Kingdom. This battery was very important during WWII. It helped protect the port of Liverpool and defended against enemy aircraft. Until 1928, Crosby Battery worked together with the nearby Seaforth Battery.
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History of Crosby Battery
Building the Fort
Crosby Battery was built on the sand dunes north of Crosby. Construction started in March 1906 and finished in October 1907. The fort had three places for guns, called gun emplacements. These were about 40 yards (37 m) apart. Ammunition was stored safely underneath these gun positions.
Original Guns and Buildings
The first guns at Crosby Battery were two 6-inch Mark VII guns. These were breech-loading guns, meaning they were loaded from the back. These were the same type of guns used at Fort Perch Rock. Fort Perch Rock was on the other side of the mouth of the River Mersey.
Behind the gun positions, there were two barracks and living quarters for soldiers. The battery also had an observation post. This was used to watch for ships or planes. There was also a signal station, an officers' hut, and a home for the caretaker. A bath house and a workshop were also part of the site. Later, an engine room with powerful coastal spotlights was added.
Role in World War I
Crosby Battery was the main base for the Lancashire and Cheshire Heavy Brigade, Royal Artillery (TF). When the First World War began, Crosby Battery, Seaforth Battery, and Fort Perch Rock all worked together. Their job was to defend the important River Mersey from enemy attacks.
Role in World War II
By the time the Second World War started, the defenses of the Mersey were still strong. Crosby Battery had two 6-inch guns. Fort Perch Rock also had two 6-inch guns. During WWII, Fort Crosby also received a naval 4-inch Breech Loading (BL) gun. This new gun was placed on the right side of the battery.
After the Wars and Closure
After the Second World War, the Territorial Army used the area. They continued to use it until 1954. The entire base was officially closed in 1957. This happened after the United Kingdom decided to stop using coast artillery in 1956.
What Remains Today
In 1963, the Ministry of Defence sold the battery site. This included about 417 acres (169 hectares) of the nearby foreshore. This sale happened because permission was given for new houses to be built in Hightown. Many of the buildings at the battery were torn down in 1967.
However, parts of the battery site still exist today. It is located next to the West Lancashire Golf Course. As of 2020, the stone gun emplacements can still be seen. The area where the barracks and other buildings once stood is now clear. This cleared area looks like a flat space among the sand dunes. There are no special signs or plaques at the site to remember Fort Crosby.
