Monument record TQ 77 SE 1383 - First World War redoubt or fieldwork, Deangate

A roughly circular feature can be seen on 1946 aerial photographs immediately west of the Deangate Radar Station. It may well be an infantry redoubt as it bears similarities with other redoubts that may have been constructed in the First Worls War and re-used in the Second (eg TQ 77 SE 1347) (1)

A First World War redoubt or fieldwork, centred at TQ 7636 7299, is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs and has been mapped as part of the English Heritage: Hoo Peninsula Landscape Project. The site is a roughly oval earthwork mound with overall dimensions of 46.3m by 37.15m. It is situated on Deangate Ridge roughly 253m south of the perimeter of Lodge Hill Ordnance Depot (Monument 1077634) and 753m east of the Chattenden Magazine enclosure (Monument 1481790). Two small weapons pits, built into the mound at TQ 76358 73000 and TQ 76367 73001, may be contemporary with the redoubt or may be of Second World War date. (2-3)

The mound was probably associated with military training in the area around Chattenden Barracks, and is one of several earthwork enclosures or redoubts noted on a War Department map of Lodge Hill field defences, 1914. An annotation dated September 1915 describes it as a redoubt. Other similar sites noted on the War Department map are Monuments 1546098, 1546125, 1546157, 1546165. (4)

<1> RAF, 1946/7, 1946/47 RAF aerial photograph run (Photograph). SKE31381.

<2> USAAF?, 1944, NMR US/7GR/LOC348 2064-5 27-MAY-1944 (Photograph). SKE56027.

<3> 1947, NMR RAF/CPE/UK/1923 4082 16-JAN-1947 (Photograph). SKE58960.

<4> Public Record Office, 1914, PRO: WO 78/4400 Chatham Field Defences 8.11.1914 (Archive). SKE58402.