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Report - - Report / Questions - Buried Buildings in the Bastions, Gillingham - July 2020 | Military Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Report / Questions - Buried Buildings in the Bastions, Gillingham - July 2020

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UrbexJ5

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
What started out as a search for a mysterious hole in amongst shrubs of the moat in Fort Amherst sighted by fellow 28DL member Charlie Tango (while nursing a fractured shoulder), resulted in finding at least 1 small building hidden in the undergrowth...

After jumping up the wall and roaming around for quite a while we spotted a slit in the ground below at the edge of a concrete block. The room was probably around 8' x 8' topped with this concrete block poking just above the surface. We think it could have been some time since someone has been in here as there were no graffiti on the walls and hardly any distinguishable rubbish. All we could see was a chewed up dogs ball, a 7up can (expired in '87!), some seemingly burnt lighter fluid cans and a Carlsberg bottle expiring in '05.

Access was found underneath a few trees which had been toppled on top (to stop us from noticing it!) but after some moving around we entered through what we imagined would have been the original entrance. We guessed it to have been filled somewhat, as the entrance now was only about 3.5-4 feet tall and the ground was thick with mud and leaves. The concrete block had a circular hole cut on the top as shown in the photos.

One thing we excitedly didn't think to photograph was what we think could have been a window in what would have been the front wall next to the entrance (will update when we return). Given the location, the fact it's fairly low in the ground but has a window, (perhaps this area has just had so much decomposing green waste it has buried them?!) it's completely stumped us as to what it could be. Around the corner we spotted another concrete block (5th image) very similar to the roof on this but it didn't look like much was there and we needed to head back.

Charlie Tango decided to fall into the small slit while walking off the roof, probably re-doing his shoulder and dodging a broken leg... But best of all ripping both the front and back of his trousers open exposing him pretty badly, not a good look hiding in bushes!! One makeshift skirt fashioned from my waterproof and hoodie later, I was ready to escort him home instead of the police!

We'll be sure to head back soon and have another look around the other concrete block because it's just so difficult as you have no idea what you're stepping on. We can only guess its something similar to this as there seemed to be brickwork underneath the concrete block again too.

Let us know if you have any idea what these are, but our guess is that there are a few of them that have been filled in that area and these concrete blocks are a later addition to damaged roof / ground above?

Also included are some other pictures of the Type 28 Pillbox and a spigot mortar emplacement around the corner.

Thanks for reading!

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Calamity Jane

i see beauty in the unloved, places & things
Regular User
Strange one, I know the grounds of Fort Amherst well, especially the un restored bits. Never seen this!
 

UrbexJ5

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Strange one, I know the grounds of Fort Amherst well, especially the un restored bits. Never seen this!
We've both been around here countless times too and never really thought to give this part much of a look. Here's some better pictures we got of the window, the the circular cut out in the roof and a brick / concrete post poking up a few feet away from it.
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Calamity Jane

i see beauty in the unloved, places & things
Regular User
I will have to have another look when Im around there. Are these behind the woodlands surrounding the princes courtyard. ? Or any where near the unrestored caponier?
 

Felix Le Chat

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
in the original post, the last picture is the mounting base for a spigot mortar called a "Blacker Bombard" - issued to Home Guard units during the anti-invasion preparations when hard defensive positions were set up at specific key points as part of the "Defence Line" network.
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RAF personnel were forbidden by Standing Orders to use one at all and the Home Guard that crewed them were terrified by the things. The rockets weighed 20lbs - the backwash usually hit the loader and if the round hit anything: a good bit of the sharpnel and the tail fin usually headed straight back towards the blokes in the pit.
 
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