Occupation of the the Portsmouth Forts

 

The PFS has not yet compiled a comprehensive list of garrisons occupying the forts. Infantry Regiments tended to be in transit whilst the Artillery used the forts for barracks and for training.

 

If you want to submit a request for information then go to the Requests Page.

 

 

So far we have listed the following:-

 

Fort Wallington
1871 September - 14 August 1872 H & I companies 1st Bn 4th Regiment of Foot

1872 August : Detachment 1st Battalion 4th Regiment

1873 April : Detachment 100th Regiment

1874 2nd. Bn. 18th (Royal Irish) Regiment (Depot of 1st Bn attached)

1885 October: Temporary Home for the Gordon Boys
1888 October: Temporary Home for the Gordon Boys

 

Fort Nelson
1871 September - 14 August 1872 G & H companies 1st Bn 4th Regiment of Foot

1872 August: Detachment 1st Battalion 4th Regiment

1873 April : Detachment 100th Regiment
1873 September - June 1875 30th Regiment of Foot

1874 June: Detachment 30th Regiment

1875 December: 21st Royal North British Fusileers

 

Fort Southwick
1871 September - 14 August 1872 F company 1st Bn 4th Regiment of Foot

1872 August : Detachment 1st Battalion 4th Regiment

1872 April : HQ 100th Regiment

1874 June: Detachment 30th Regiment
1875 September - June 30th Regiment of Foot

 

Fort Widley
1871 September - 14 August 1872 HQ C & D companies 1st. Bn. 4th Regiment of Foot

1872 August : HQ 1st Battalion 4th Regiment

1873 April: H.Q. 100th. Regiment
1973 September - June 1875 H.Q. 30th Regiment of Foot

1874 June H.Q. 30th Regiment

 

Fort Purbrook
1871 September - 14 August 1872 A & B companies 1st Bn. 4th Regiment of Foot

1872 August: Detachment 1st Battalion 4th Regiment

1873 April : Detachment 100th Regiment: Depot 70th regiment
1873 September - June 1875 30th Regiment of Foot

1900 to 1902 The Portsdown Forts were used to quarter 1st. Battalion Royal Southern Reserve Regiment used for Home Defence

 

Fort Fareham
1872 August 3: Detachment 95 Regiment

1873 April: Detachment 2nd Battery 15th Regiment

1874 2nd. Bn. 18th (Royal Irish) Regiment

1879 7th Brigade Royal Artillery

 

Fort Rowner
1865 75th Regiment
1872 August 3: HQ 95th Regiment

1873 April: Detachment 2nd Battery 15th Regiment
1872 18 September to 4 July 1873 2nd Bn 15th Foot
1873 21 August to 20 May 1874 1st. Bn 18th Foot
1874 4 July to 20 November 1874 1st Bn The Rifle Brigade
1875 26 July to 6 July 1876 58th Foot
1876 38th Regiment
1876 23 July to 29 May 1877 1st Bn 16 Foot
1877 27 December to 27 August 1878 56th Foot

 

Fort Grange
1863 26th Regiment
1865 75th Regiment
1871 1st. Battalion 25 Regiment of Foot
1871 Depot 38th. Regiment of Foot attached to portion of 1st. Battalion

1872 August 3: HQ 104 Regiment

1873 April: Detachment 1st Battery 19th Regiment
1874 24 March: H.Q A, C, E companies 1st. Bn 4th regiment of Foot

1874 June: detachment 1st Batt. 4th. Regiment
1878 109th Foot (reserve force)
June 1879 56 West Essex Regiment of Foot
7 September 1880 to 29 November 1880 1st. Battalion 10th. Regiment of Foot
10 December 1880 to 25 January 1881 1st. Battalion 5th. regiment of Foot

 

Fort Elson
1861 Coast Brigade R.A.
1862 6th Brigade R.A.

1863 to 1894 Fort used by the Hampshire Artillery Militia for annual training camp.
1870 2nd Queens
1871 September 1st. Battalion 25 Regiment Foot
1872 August 3: Detachment 95th Regiment: Depot 49th Regiment

1874 & 1875 67th Regiment

1874 June: 37th & 67th. Depots
1877 - 1880 37th Regiment

 

Fort Gomer

1872 August 3: Detachment Rifle Practice

1973 April: Detachment 1st Battery 19th regiment; Depot 2nd Battalion 19th Regiment
1874 24 March: D, F, G, H companies 1st. Bn 4th Regiment of Foot
1879 June: 56 Regiment Royal Artillery
1889 40th Regiment of Foot
1910 2nd. Gloucestershire Regiment

1939 3rd Field Training Regiment
1950 7th Royal Tank Regiment

Feb 1950 - Jan 1954 RAOC Boys Training School

 

Fort Monckton

1872 Aoril Hants Artillery Militia

1872 August 3: Detachment of Invalids

1873 April: Detachment 1st Battery 19th Regiment
1874 24 March I company 1st. Bn 4th Regiment of Foot

 

Fort Gilkicker

1872 August 3: Detachment 7th Brigade Royal Artillery

1874 June: No.3 Battery 21st Brigade Royal Artillery

 

Fort Blockhouse

1872 August 3: Detachment 7th Brigade Royal Artillery
1874 24 March K company 1st. Bn 4th Regiment of Foot

 

Gosport New Barracks

1873 April: 27th regiment: Depot 81st Regiment
1874 24 March: B company 1st. Bn 4th Regiment of Foot

 

Fort Brockhurst
1863 7th Brigade R.A.
1865 12th Brigade R.A
1866 70 21st Brigade R.A. .
1871 25th regiment, & 7th Brigade
1872 95th Regiment

1872 August 3: Detachment 7th Brigade Royal Artillery

1873 April: No.5 Battery 22nd Brigade Royal Artillery

1874 June: No.5 Battery 21st Brigade Royal Artillery
1879 37th. North Hampshire Regiment

 

Bembridge Fort

1871 103rd Regiment (Royal Bombay Fusilers)

1871 Sept: Detachment 7th Brigade R.A.

1874 Detachment 102nd foot (from Victoria)

1876 Detachment 49 Regiment

1876 June: Detachment 107th Regiment (80 ncos & men)

1877 Sept: 9th Brigade R.A.

1880 March : Detachment 42nd Highlanders (The Black Watch)

 

Sandown Fort

1876 JUly: 2nd Brigade R.A.

1877 Sept: 9th Brigade R.A.

1880 March : Detachment 42nd Highlanders

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Royal Garrison Artillery

Under the 1858 reorganisation of the Royal Artillery the Coast Brigade were to be used to man the Coast Defence Batteries and Fortifications. The 1891 reorganisation abolished the Coast Brigade as a seperate entity, its men becoming District Establishments.

 

On 1st. June 1899 the terms Royal Garrison Artillery and Royal Field Artillery were substituted for the old Garrison Artillery and Field Artillery titles. As a result the three divisions of Garrison Artillery (Eastern, Western and Southern) formed in 1899 were re-titled. Additionally many volunteer Artillery units changed titles e.g. 1st. Hampshire R.G.A. (V). The District Establishments became part of the Royal Garrison Artillery.The sole purpose of the RGA was to man the guns of a fortress both in peace time and in war. Some men were drawn from the Militia and Volunteer brigades but were under command of the regular Royal Artillery. The Victorian forts were to be manned by the Garrison Artillery supplemented by Volunteer Artillery.

On 1st. January 1902 the three divisions of the RGA were reorganised. All of the companies (the term substituted for batteries in the RGA) were placed in one numbered series. Numbering remained fixed until 1914 when international events required slight changes in the scales and organisation of the Britsh Army.

In 1956 Coast Defence was disbanded completely.

 

The Royal Garrison Artillery at Fort Nelson

 

 

Royal Garrison Artillery in the Portsmouth Forts

Fort Widley
1883 18 October 1st battery Lancashire Division moved to Fort Grange

Fort Nelson

1905 35 (H) Company Southern Group R.G.A.
1906-1914 35 (Heavy) Battery 1st. Heavy Brigade R.G.A.

 

Fort Wallington

1892 41 Company Southern Division GA

1898 41 Company Southern Division G.A.
1908-1909 26 Battery

1902 35th. Siege Battery R.G.A.

1905 -14 26 (H) Company Southern Group R.G.A. (Later 26 Heavy Battery R.G.A.)

 

Fort Fareham
1877 January to June 5 Battery 2nd brigade R.A. became 4th Battery 7th Brigade R.A. in June 1877. Moved to Gilkicker.
1880 to 12 August 4th. Battery 7th. Brigade G.A. (moved to Gilkicker)

1892 20 Company Southern Division GA

1898 20 Company Southern Division G.A.
1899 20 Company Southern Division G.A.

1903 No.1 Gosport Division North R.G.A.

1903 31 Company Southern Group R.G.A. (from South Africa)

1904 No.31 (H) Company Southern Group R.G.A.

1905 -14 No.108 (H) Company Southern Group R.G.A. (Later 108 Heavy Battery R.G.A.)

 

Fort Rowner
Occupied from 1883 to First World War by Depot unit of the Southern Division of RGA
1880 July Depot Battery of 7th Brigade transferred from Fort Brockhurst
1881 Depot Battery of 7th Brigade returned to Fort Brockhurst - stayed until at least 1889
1882 Depot Battery Southern Division Royal Artillery returned from Malta

1886 Depot 2nd Brigade Southern Division R.G.A.

1894 Depot Southern Division GA

1895 Depot S.D.R.A. - Recruits for Hants Artillery Militia, Southern division trained here (56 to 83 days)
1889 The Hampshire Artillery: Southern Division Garrison Artillery reformed at Rowner.

1898 No.1 Depot Southern Division GA
1899 December 15 Company Western Division R.G.A. left for Boer War
1902 No.2 Depot Southern Group R.G.A. with 35 Siege Train Company (with companies Nos 31 & 108 became 1st. Heavy Brigade)

1903 No.2 Depot Southern Group R.G.A. with 35 Siege Train Company

1903 No.1 Gosport Division North R.G.A.

1904 No.26 (H) Company Southern group R.G.A.

1904 No.35 (H) Company Southern Group R.G.A.

1904 July No.108 (H) Company Southern Group R.G.A.

1911 No.2 Depot Southern Group R.G.A.
1915 August Fort Rowner incorporated into RFC
1940-45 Rowner occupied by 3502 Servicing Unit RAF

 

Fort Grange
No.2 Depot Unit Southern Division RGA Occupied Fort Rowner 1883 to 1914 Fort Grange was used as accommodation for the resident RGA Company within the Gosport Garrison
1881 7 May to 12 May 10th Battery 10th Brigade from Aden
1882 April to June 2nd. Battery Southern Division R.G.A. (from Gilkicker) moved to Portsmouth
1882 April to 1885 2nd Battery London Division
1883 18 October to 19 November 1st battery Lancashire Division (from Widley) moved to Hong Kong
1885 2nd Battery London Division moved to Shoeburyness
1885 3rd Battery North Irish Division R.A. used Grange briefly whilst transferring form Portsmouth to Carlisle Fort
1885 November 9th Battery Scottish Division R.A. arrived from Bombay.
1886 January 4 10th Battery 1st Brigade Cinque Ports Division R.A. formed at Grange
1887 January 25 10th Battery 1st. Brigade Cinque Ports Division R.A. (moved to Gilkicker)
1887 January 25 6th Battery Scottish Division R.A. arrived from Cairo
1887 September 21 10 Battery Lancashire Division R.A. formed at Grange. Stayed until at least 1889
1887 No. 9 Battery 1st. Brigade Scottish Division R.A. (A.L.) moved to Chatham
1888 February 23 8th Battery Southern Irish Division R.A. arrived from Malta. Stayed until at least 1889
1890 May No.34 & 41 Batteries Southern Division R.A. (A.L.)

1892 15 Company Siege Train Southern Division GA
1893 10 Company Southern Division GA

1894 Headquarters Southern Division GA
1894 17 Company Southern Division GA
1895-1899 15 (ST) Company Southern Division GA - moved to South Africa l899
1901 October 20 Company Southern Division RGA
1901-1902 11 Company Southern Division RGA on return from India
1903 35 (Heavy) Company Southern Division RGA

1903 No.2 Gosport Division South R.G.A.
1904-1914 No.23 (Siege Train) Company Southern Group RGA
1914 RGA moved from Fort Grange to Portsdown Forts
1914 Fort became HQ for Military Wing RFC

1917 School of Special Flying formed at the Fort
1918 Fort became part of RAF Gosport

Fort Elson

1903 No.1 Gosport Division North R.G.A.

 

Fort Gomer
15 January 1900 - 11 February 1900 1st. Company Volunteer Battalion Hampshire Regiment
Two more companies were raised and disbanded at Fort Gomer

18 August 1932 - 63 Field Brigade

 

Fort Brockhurst
1869 April to July 1st Battery 21 Brigade R.A. to Shoeburyness
1870 June to September 1st Battery 7th Brigade R.A. 4th. Battery 7th Brigade R.A.
1871 October to 1872 June 3rd Battery 7th Brigade R.A. from Woolwich
1872 October 5th Battery 21st Brigade
1877 7th Brigade R.A. established depot battery in Fort Brockhurst.
1877 to April 1880 3rd Battery 7th Brigade to Alderney
1880 April 10th Battery 10th Brigade from Alderney
1880 July Depot Battery of 7th Brigade transferred to Fort Rowner
1881 Depot Battery of 7th Brigade returned from Fort Rowner
1882 Depot Battery of 7th Brigade became Depot Battery, Southern Division, Royal Artillery (S.D.R.A.) left for Malta
1882 10th Battery 10th Brigade became 1st Battery S.D.R.A. left for Malta

1895 Discharge depot
1899 Northumberland Artillery Volunteers trained at the fort.

1903 No.1 Gosport Division North R.G.A.

Discharge Depot for whole of Army until 1914

 

Fort Gilkicker
1872 Jan to Sept 5th Battery 7th Brigade R.A.
1880 12 August to 1881 October 4th Battery 7th. Brigade (from Fort Fareham)
1881 Ocober 26 4th Battery 7th. Brigade moved to Shoeburyness

1881 Oct: 4th Battery, 7th Brigade R.A.
1881 26 October to April 1st. 1882 14th Battery 11th. Brigade R.G.A. (became 2nd. Battery Southern Division R.G.A. in 1882)
1882 January 14th Battery 11th. Brigade R.A.(A.L.)
1882 1 April 2nd Battery S.D.R.A moved to Grange
1887 January to 1888 June 30 10th Battery 1st. Brigade Cinque Ports Division R.A. (from Grange) to Lydd

1892 9th June: 1st & 2nd Hants Volunteer Artillery at Fort Gilkicker for Practice

1895 Use for training the militia

1911 No.42 Company Royal Engineers

 

Golden Hill I.O.W.

1898 13 Company Southern Division GA

1898 40 Company Southern Division GA

1902 8 Company & 10 Company Southern Group R.G.A.

1903 10 Company & 33 Company Southern Group R.G.A.

1904 11 Company & 33 Company Southern Group R.G.A.

1904 Staff of the Garrison Company R.G.A. - Lt Col Darby

1905-10 11 Company & 33 Company Southern Group R.G.A.

 

Sandown I.O.W.

1881 Oct: 5th Battery, 7th Brigade R.A.

1882 April: 12 Battery 8th Brigade R.A.

1892 June: Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers for manoevres

1898 32 Company Southern Division GA

1908 34 Company Southern Division GA

1912 32 Company Southern Division GA

 

Fort Victoria I.O.W.

1882 April: 20 Battery 8th Brigade R.A.

1885 Feb: 3 Battery Eastern Division R.A.

 

 

 The 2nd Battalion Wiltshire Regiment 1894 - 1896 

 

 

Royal Engineers

 

Gosport

1910 No.4 Company Gosport (Fortress) Engineers R.E.

 

IOW

1910 22 Company I.O.W. (Fortress) Engineers R.E.

 

Portsmouth

1910 42 Company Portsmouth (Fortress) Engineers R.E.

 

Fort Blockhouse

1888 Southern Submarine mining Militia; The Hampshire 1 & 2 Company.

1896 Militia Engineers: Submarine Miners Royal Engineers: The Portsmouth Division (Portsmouth and Spithead) - Gosport

1900 Royal Engineers (Militia) The Portsmouth Division (1) (Portsmouth and Spithead) - Gosport : Disbanded 1st April 1907

 

Fort Monckton

1895 4th Company Royal Engineers : Submarine Mining

1911 No.42 Company Royal Engineers

 

Fort Gilkicker

1911 No.42 Company Royal Engineers

 

Fort Victoria I.O.W.

1900 April : Royal Engineers (Militia) Submarine Miners: The Needles Division (2) : Disbanded 1st April 1907

 

Research sites

 

National Archives: Researching Military History

 

 

 

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