Fort Gomer
Encyclopedia
Fort Gomer was one of the Palmerston Forts
, in Gosport
, England
, the southernmost and first-built polygonal land fort in the defence line to the west of Gosport. It was located on land immediately to the west of the present Gomer Lane. Fort Gomer was the most southerly fort in the line of five which formed part of the ‘Sea Front and Spithead Defences’, Inner Line, Land Front, Left Flank. This line of forts was later known as the Gomer-Elson Line and consisted of, from south to north, Forts Gomer, Grange, Rowner. Brockhurst and Elson. Gomer was the first of the Polygonal forts to be constructed at Portsmouth. An inscription above its gate read `Erected AD 1853’. It was almost complete before work began on Fort Elson.
Fort Gomer was constructed between 1853 and 1858 and as such it was the first of the Polygonal land forts based on the Prussian System of mutual defence. It was unique and an example of early attempts to break away from the old bastioned system of fortification. .
Fort Gomer had a wet moat surrounding it and provision was made to further hinder the enemy by flooding the ground in front of the rampart. It was nearly 500 feet wide and 800 feet long, its rear faced east and consisted of a defensible barracks, built in the shape of a shallow V. Two spiral staircases gave access to the roof of the barrack block. There is a possibility that the intetion was to mount guns on the roof of the barrack, using it as a cavalier, but this was never done. Mortars were to be mounted on the central parade.
In 1861 accommodation was provided in the barrack block for 1 field officer, 10 officers, 2 NCOs, 332 privates with 1 master gunner, 1 barrack sergeant, 1 hospital sergeant, 5 servants. Also provided was a hospital for 8 patients and its own kitchen. By 1893 this had been re-appropriated for 1 Field Officer, 7 officers, 2 unmarried NCOs and 310 gunners with separate accommodation for 4 married NCOs and men.
The main armament of the fort was placed on two west facing earth bastions with a central curtain providing more guns firing through embrasures. Flanking fire for ditch defence was provided for musketry only. Two bastionettes were placed on the far side of the wet ditch, one at each shoulder. Two more flanking galleries fired across the faces of the curtain and bastions.
The plans of 1862 list the armament of Fort Gomer as:
9 x 68-pdr. 95cwt guns,
5 x 10-inch 85cwt guns,
7 x 8-inch 65cwt guns,
9 x 32-pdr. guns and
2 x 13-inch mortars.
By 1872 it was proposed to withdraw most of the S.B. guns and provide
20 x 7-inch R.M.L.s.
In 1886 the armament mounted appears to be
20 x 7-inch R.M.L.s and
2 x 13-inch mortars.
It was then proposed to change this to
11 x 7-inch R.B.L.s,
6 x 64-pdr. R.M.L.s and
2 x 13-inch mortars.
The fort was modified early on to remedy shortcomings in its method of mounting guns, barbette positions being substituted for some of the embrasures on the flanks.
In 1891 the mounted armament was
North Bastion 64pr 58cwt RML guns 5 and 6
South Bastion 64pr 58cwt RML guns 9, 10 and 11
Right Face 7-inc RBL guns 1, 2 & 3
Curtain 7inch RBL guns 7 & 8
Left Face 7-inch RBL guns 12, 13 and 14
Throughout the Victorian period the fort was used mainly as barracks and as a training establishment. It was disarmed in 1901. It saw service as a training facility once more in preparing troops for the Boer War and the First World War trenches. The 3rd. Field Training Regiment was stationed at the fort during 1939. A Canadian unit, The Fort Garry Horse occupied the Fort in 1943/4 with its A and Headquarters Squadron for Amphibious assault training. The 1st Hussars (6th Armoured Regiment) moved to Fort Gomer on 4 March 1944 in preparation for the D-Day landings. The 7th. Royal Tank Regiment was based at the fort in the 1950s, leaving in 1953. Briefly in 1953 the fort was occupied by the RAOC Boys Training School and the fort was eventually released in 1964. It was sold at auction for £169,000 and a Fareham firm demolished it to provide land for housing. Nothing of it remains.
Palmerston Forts, Portsmouth
The Palmerston Forts that encircle Portsmouth were built in response to the 1859 Royal Commission dealing with the perceived threat of a French invasion. The forts were intended to defend the Dockyard in Portsmouth. Construction was carried out by the Royal Engineers and civilian contractors...
, in Gosport
Gosport
Gosport is a town, district and borough situated on the south coast of England, within the county of Hampshire. It has approximately 80,000 permanent residents with a further 5,000-10,000 during the summer months...
, 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...
, the southernmost and first-built polygonal land fort in the defence line to the west of Gosport. It was located on land immediately to the west of the present Gomer Lane. Fort Gomer was the most southerly fort in the line of five which formed part of the ‘Sea Front and Spithead Defences’, Inner Line, Land Front, Left Flank. This line of forts was later known as the Gomer-Elson Line and consisted of, from south to north, Forts Gomer, Grange, Rowner. Brockhurst and Elson. Gomer was the first of the Polygonal forts to be constructed at Portsmouth. An inscription above its gate read `Erected AD 1853’. It was almost complete before work began on Fort Elson.
Fort Gomer was constructed between 1853 and 1858 and as such it was the first of the Polygonal land forts based on the Prussian System of mutual defence. It was unique and an example of early attempts to break away from the old bastioned system of fortification. .
Fort Gomer had a wet moat surrounding it and provision was made to further hinder the enemy by flooding the ground in front of the rampart. It was nearly 500 feet wide and 800 feet long, its rear faced east and consisted of a defensible barracks, built in the shape of a shallow V. Two spiral staircases gave access to the roof of the barrack block. There is a possibility that the intetion was to mount guns on the roof of the barrack, using it as a cavalier, but this was never done. Mortars were to be mounted on the central parade.
In 1861 accommodation was provided in the barrack block for 1 field officer, 10 officers, 2 NCOs, 332 privates with 1 master gunner, 1 barrack sergeant, 1 hospital sergeant, 5 servants. Also provided was a hospital for 8 patients and its own kitchen. By 1893 this had been re-appropriated for 1 Field Officer, 7 officers, 2 unmarried NCOs and 310 gunners with separate accommodation for 4 married NCOs and men.
The main armament of the fort was placed on two west facing earth bastions with a central curtain providing more guns firing through embrasures. Flanking fire for ditch defence was provided for musketry only. Two bastionettes were placed on the far side of the wet ditch, one at each shoulder. Two more flanking galleries fired across the faces of the curtain and bastions.
The plans of 1862 list the armament of Fort Gomer as:
9 x 68-pdr. 95cwt guns,
5 x 10-inch 85cwt guns,
7 x 8-inch 65cwt guns,
9 x 32-pdr. guns and
2 x 13-inch mortars.
By 1872 it was proposed to withdraw most of the S.B. guns and provide
20 x 7-inch R.M.L.s.
In 1886 the armament mounted appears to be
20 x 7-inch R.M.L.s and
2 x 13-inch mortars.
It was then proposed to change this to
11 x 7-inch R.B.L.s,
6 x 64-pdr. R.M.L.s and
2 x 13-inch mortars.
The fort was modified early on to remedy shortcomings in its method of mounting guns, barbette positions being substituted for some of the embrasures on the flanks.
In 1891 the mounted armament was
North Bastion 64pr 58cwt RML guns 5 and 6
South Bastion 64pr 58cwt RML guns 9, 10 and 11
Right Face 7-inc RBL guns 1, 2 & 3
Curtain 7inch RBL guns 7 & 8
Left Face 7-inch RBL guns 12, 13 and 14
Throughout the Victorian period the fort was used mainly as barracks and as a training establishment. It was disarmed in 1901. It saw service as a training facility once more in preparing troops for the Boer War and the First World War trenches. The 3rd. Field Training Regiment was stationed at the fort during 1939. A Canadian unit, The Fort Garry Horse occupied the Fort in 1943/4 with its A and Headquarters Squadron for Amphibious assault training. The 1st Hussars (6th Armoured Regiment) moved to Fort Gomer on 4 March 1944 in preparation for the D-Day landings. The 7th. Royal Tank Regiment was based at the fort in the 1950s, leaving in 1953. Briefly in 1953 the fort was occupied by the RAOC Boys Training School and the fort was eventually released in 1964. It was sold at auction for £169,000 and a Fareham firm demolished it to provide land for housing. Nothing of it remains.