The Brennan Torpedo

The Russians first used explosives, in the form of self acting torpedoes, in the Baltic in 1855. The torpedo as a weapon of harbour defence was also used by the Americans in their Civil War. Jervois, Assistant Inspector General of Fortifications, expounded on the use of such weapons as part of the defences of harbours in his paper to the Royal United Services Institution in 1868.

The Brennan torpedo was designed and developed by Louis Brennan between 1874 and 1877 when the first patent was sealed. Between 1876 and 1880 the Australian state of Victoria awarded a grant for its development. In March 1879 a working model was successfully tested in Hobsons Bay, Melbourne. In 1881 the torpedo was inspected by the Admiralty at Woolwich. They advised that it should not be adopted for ships but suggested further trials from forts. In 1883 an agreement was reached between the Brennan Torpedo Company and the Government. The newly appointed IGF, Sir A. Clarke, saw the value of the torpedo and in Spring 1883 an experimental station was established at Garrison Point Fort, Sheerness. A workshop for Brennan was set up at the Chatham Barracks home of the Royal Engineers. Between 1883 and 1885 the R.E. held trials and in 1886 the torpedo was recommended for adoption as a harbour defence torpedo. It was wire driven and required a shore based winch and steering facilities. It is known that there were at least four such Brennan Stations in the UK as Brennan awarded a challenge cup in which forts at Plymouth, Isle of Wight, Cork and Gravesend competed. The Isle of Wight station was built at Fort Albert (Cliff End Fort) defending the Needles Passage. The Gravesend fort is Cliffe Fort. The fort at Cork is Fort Camden and that at Plymouth is Pier Cellars. Other operational stations were at Lye Mun in Hong Kong, Tigne and Ricasoli in Malta. The installation at Garrison Point Fort became the Brennan Torpedo School but was capable of being made operational if needed.

The 1905 report of the Committee on Armaments of Home Ports, under the presidency of Col. Owen, recommended the removal of all Brennan torpedoes from the fixed defences because of their comparatively short range (2,000 yards) and the difficulty of launching them at night. Manufacture of the Brennan torpedo was ceased in 1906. The only know surviving Brennan torpedo is to be found in the museum of the Corps of Royal Engineers at Chatham. It has been restored as far as is possible as no detailed drawings exist and many parts are missing. There is another Brennan torpedo on display at the museum of coastal defence in Lye Mun, Hong Kong but this is not an original.