Upper and Lower Forbes’ Batteries
Forbes’ Batteries are named after Lt. George Forbes on the Royal Navy who was ADC to Prince George of Hesse Darmstadt who participated in the 1704 assault and who fought in the siege of 1727. Located at the end of the Prince’s Lines and overlooking the Queen’s Lines these gun emplacements take advantage of the dead ground created by the terrain.
There are two distinct batteries, see rough plan for the layout.
Upper Forbes’ Battery faces to the west and is partially shielded by the terrain from fire from the North. The batter has two magazines behind it.
In 1859 the battery is shown as mounting:
- Two 24-pdr guns
- Two 24-pd carronades
By 1886 this had been upgraded to:
- One 7-inch RBL
Lower Forbes’ Battery has two brick vaulted casemates that looks out over the Queen’s Lines.
There is a covered pathway leading up from Forbes’ Upper Battery to the Princess Lines and Forbes’ Lookout.
In 1859 the battery is shown as mounting.
- Two 24-pdr guns
- One 24-pdr carronade
By 1886 this had been upgraded to:
- Two 32-pdr guns in the casemates
- One 8-inch Howitzer on a small platform adjacent
The left-hand casemate (east) was used to mount a fixed beam searchlight during World War 2 and remains of this mounting remain in place.
During World War Two a 5-inch naval gun was mounted in the Queen’s Lines, immediately below Lower Forbes’ Battery and this remains in place.