The Needles Battery
1058268
213004599
2008-05-17T08:39:56Z
Gareth E Kegg
254396
'''The Needles Battery''' was a military [[Artillery battery|Battery]] built on the cliff top above the [[Stack (geology)|stacks]] in [[1861]]–[[1863|63]] to guard the West end of the [[Solent]]. Its field of fire was from approximately West South West clockwise to Northeast<ref>Source: Observations at site based upon gun placement and gun aiming tracks</ref>, and it was designed to defend against enemy ships.
==Old Battery==
It was initially equipped with six 7" [[William George Armstrong, 1st Baron Armstrong|Armstrong]] [[Rifled Breech Loader]]s. These were replaced by four 7" and two 9" [[Rifled Muzzle Loader]]s in [[1872]], and six 9" [[Rifled Muzzle Loader]]s in 1893. The 9" guns took a team of 9 men to load and fire. These guns fired projectiles weighing 256 lbs.<ref>Source: [[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust]] plaques on the site</ref> The 9" guns remained in place until 1903 when they were discarded by throwing them over the side of the cliff. These were later recovered and two are on display presently at the Old Battery.<ref name=old>[http://www.theneedlesbattery.org.uk/oldbtty.shtml History of the Old Battery],[http://www.theneedlesbattery.org.uk/index.html The Needles Battery website]</ref>
A deep ditch with a retractable bridge was dug into the chalk to protect the facility from ground attack from the island side. In 1885 a tunnel was dug towards the cliff face from the parade grounds. An elevator down to the beach was completed in 1887.
Early searchlight experiments were conducted at the site<ref>Location of the searchlight is {{Gbmapping|SZ295848}}</ref> between 1889 and 1892.<ref name=old/> The present observation post housing a searchlight was built in 1899.<ref>[http://www.catbells.streamlinenettrial.co.uk/WightCAM/HTML/NeedlesOldBattery.htm Needles Old Battery], WightCAM - photographically illustrated walks on the Isle of Wight website</ref>
==New Battery==
Unfortunately, there were subsidence problems and concerns that the concussion from firing the guns was causing the cliffs to crumble. This was solved by building the New Battery higher up the cliff, at a height of 120 meters above sea level. The New Battery was completed in 1895.
Three 9.2" breech-loading guns were installed at the New Battery. A crew of 11 was required to fire one of these guns. Each shell weighed 380 lbs.<ref name=new>[http://www.theneedlesbattery.org.uk/newbtty.shtml History of the New Battery],[http://www.theneedlesbattery.org.uk/index.html The Needles Battery website]</ref> The New Battery guns remained in place until 1954, when they were scrapped.<ref name=new/>
The Old and New Batteries were manned during the [[World War]]s. German [[U boat]]s sunk 2 ships off The Needles during World War I.<ref name=war>[http://www.theneedlesbattery.org.uk/ww1ww2.shtml The Batteries at war],[http://www.theneedlesbattery.org.uk/index.html The Needles Battery website]</ref> During [[World War I]] early trials of [[anti-aircraft gun]]s were conducted at this facility.<ref name=old/>
In [[World War II]], anti-aircraft guns were used to defend the Isle of Wight against air attacks. Repeated German air attacks led to improvements in the fortifications at the site. German [[torpedo boat]]s attempting night landings were fired on by the guns at the Batteries. The neighboring cliffs were used to train troops for the D-Day landing. After the war, the batteries were deactivated.<ref name=war/>
===Gallery===
<gallery>
Image:Original-guns-Old-Needles-Battery.jpg|Gun emplacement at the Old Needles Battery
Image:Searchlight-tunnel-old-needles-battery.jpg|The tunnel, leading to the searchlight.
Image:Searchlight-Old-Needles-Battery.jpg|Searchlight at the end of the "Searchlight Tunnel, Old Needles Battery
</gallery>
==See also==
==External links==
*[http://www.catbells.streamlinenettrial.co.uk/WightCAM/HTML/NeedlesOldBattery.htm Needles Old Battery], WightCAM - photographically illustrated walks on the Isle of Wight website
==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:National Trust properties on the Isle of Wight]]