Downing Point Battery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Downing Point Battery |
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| Part of British coastal defence WW1 | |
| Firth of Forth Near Dalgety Bay in Scotland, United Kingdom |
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Original plan of the Downing Point Battery and outer defences (1916)
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| Site information | |
| Controlled by | Forth Royal Garrison Artillery, Royal Engineers |
| Condition | Derelict |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1914 |
| In use | 1914-1918 |
| Materials | Steel-reinforced concrete |
| Fate | Decommissioned |
The Downing Point Battery was a special fort built during World War I to protect the Firth of Forth. It was built in 1914 at Downing Point, which is now part of Dalgety Bay in Fife. This battery helped guard important naval areas during the war.
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Protecting the Forth: Defence Lines
During World War I, three lines of defence were set up in the Firth of Forth. These lines were built to protect the Rosyth Dockyard, which was a home for many important warships. These defence lines were called the Outer, Middle, and Inner Defence Lines.
The Outer Line stretched from a gun battery at Kinghorn to one at Leith Docks. It also had strong gun positions on Inchkeith island.
The Middle Line went from Braefoot Battery in the north to a battery on Cramond Island in the south. It included gun positions on the islands of Inchcolm and Inchmickery.
The Inner Line was located near the famous Forth Bridge. It had batteries at Downing Point on the north side and Hound Point on the south side. Other batteries were at Carlingnose Point, Dalmeny, and on Inchgarvie island. Each defence line also had a special net called an anti-submarine boom. This net helped stop enemy submarines.
What was the Battery Like?
The Downing Point Battery had two main gun positions. Each position first held a QF 4.7-inch Mk I – IV naval gun. These guns were designed to shoot at enemy ships trying to enter the Firth of Forth. They also protected the naval base at Rosyth Dockyard.
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Each 4.7-inch gun could fire a shell weighing 20 kilograms (about 44 pounds). These shells could travel up to 11 kilometers (about 6.8 miles).
In June 1917, the two 4.7-inch guns were moved to Inchcolm Island. They were replaced with two QF 12-pounder 18 cwt naval guns. These smaller guns could fire a 5-kilogram (11-pound) shell up to 8.5 kilometers (about 5.3 miles).
A narrow strip of rock near the guns held two powerful searchlights. These were called Defence Electric Lights (DELs). One DEL could move to follow enemy ships at night. The other created a fixed beam to light up an area where the guns were already aimed.
The battery was operated by soldiers from the Forth Royal Garrison Artillery and Royal Engineers.
It was very important to protect these coastal forts from land attacks. The Downing Point Battery was surrounded by a plain wire fence and a barbed wire fence. These fences even ran out onto the beach. There were also four small forts, called blockhouses, inside the battery area.
Even more protection came from six outer blockhouses. These were placed about 250 to 400 meters away from the main battery. These blockhouses were made of wood with pitched roofs. Inside, they had a stove and bunks for up to 10 soldiers. To make them bulletproof, sandbags were piled about one meter away from the wooden walls.
History of the Battery
Work on the Downing Point Battery began in September 1914. The cost was about £450. To get the battery ready, two 4.7-inch guns were moved from the Kinghorn Battery. They were set up at Downing Point in October 1914.
Later in the war, the main fleet of ships moved further east of the Forth Bridge. Because of this, the Outer and Middle Defence Lines became more important. The Inner Line, where Downing Point was, became less of a priority. So, in June 1917, the 4.7-inch guns were moved to the Inchcolm Battery. In their place, a pair of 12-pounder guns from Inchcolm were installed at Downing Point.
What's Left Today?
Today, visitors can still see the two concrete gun positions of the Downing Point Battery. They offer a great view over the River Forth. A small building used for measuring distances, called a range finder post, is between the two gun positions. However, it is now partly fallen apart.
You can reach the site through Bathing House Wood. There's a path that is part of the Fife Coastal Path. The Dalgety Bay Community Woodlands Group takes care of the nearby woods. They have put up an information board that tells the story of the battery.
Most of the original battery buildings are gone now. This includes the barracks (where soldiers slept), the magazine (where ammunition was stored), the engine room, and the defensive blockhouses. The area around the battery was developed into homes in the 1960s. However, you can still see the concrete bases of some buildings. These include the magazine, generator house, and washing areas to the north of the site.
See also
