Verne High Angle Battery - History

History

The battery was built as part of Britain's Coastal Defences in 1892 and is located in a disused Portland Stone quarry at the northern end of the island. Just to the north, at the top of high cliffs of Portland is the Verne Citadel with which it would have formed part of an impressive defence installation, protecting both merchant and naval shipping using Portland Harbour.

Being down in a quarry the guns were hidden from view of any passing enemy ships, the element of surprise would keep them moving on, minimising a possible threat. The "high angle" that the RML 9 inch 12 ton guns fired at ensured shells dropped down to inflict maximum damage on the less well protected upper decks of any attacking vessel, the sides of which were usually rather better armoured.

The battery was built of Portland stone, concrete and brick. Originally, positions were built for six guns - where six 9-inch RML guns were installed on the mounts at 70 degrees. Shortly after 1898, two additional pits were added on the flanks however no guns were ever fitted, and so the two pits were used as observation points. Plans in the PRO Kew (Public Record Office) had indicated that the Northern additional pit was later converted into an Officers' latrine, whilst the Southern pit was used for storage.

The guns were able to traverse through 360 degrees and were directly by position finding cells on either side - two at Priory Corner on West Cliff and four on East Cliff. Those on the East Cliff still survive as empty roofless shells. The supply of shells were stored in two tunnel magazines, one at each end of the battery, using a short rail to transport the ammunition. The tunnels were roofed with earth and grass. Between the magazines were bombproof troop shelters as well as laboratory, whilst two store buildings were built to the rear. The troop's main accommodation being in the adjacent Verne buildings.

The pace of maritime warfare increased with the use of smaller craft like torpedo boats, and the big guns would be far less likely to score a hit. As a result, they had been in use for just six years when they were taken out of service in 1898. The guns were still in use during 1906 when Major Dalton inspected the battery. Dalton suggested that it would be a pity to remove the guns, but the Owen Committee recommendations were carried out in 1907. The Battery was decommissioned in 1906, a short lifespan on the whole, with the battery being abandoned by 1907. Nevertheless the idea was adopted elsewhere with some enthusiasm, especially in the United States.

After becoming abandoned, from 1918 the battery was used for storing field guns from France. During the Second World War it became an ack-ack battery (anti-aircraft artillery) and was used to store ammunition in preparation for the D-Day landings. In the 1960s one of the emplacements was used for testing the capsules in which nuclear material was transported.