Forts?

This is coolbert:

Even Bert can be wrong.

Originally I had thought that the flak tower from the era of World War Two [WW2] was an uniquely German contribution to military architecture. But I was wrong.

Here, thanks to der Spiegel and the tip from Jungle Trader, we have the story of the BRITISH flak tower. Called "forts" but much more correctly referred to as a flak tower?

Structures, towers built out over the water, protecting the approaches to English port facilities and estuaries. Topped with radar, searchlights, heavy and light AAA [anti-aircraft artillery]. Raised above the water on stilts, allowing for an unimpeded 360 degree field of fire!




"'Fort Madness:' Britain's Bizarre Sea Defense Against the Germans"

"Clusters of steel huts and manned triumphal arches: From bizarre fortresses off the coast, the British military fought German mine layers in World War II. The huge forts weren't just a thorn in the side of Hitler's air force, but also drove their British crews insane."




Duty on one of these flak towers driving some men insane!

"The isolation and close quarters were hard to bear . . . The men remained on board for six weeks at a time, spending 10 days on land in between deployments. Many required psychiatric treatment, and the soldiers soon came up with their own name for the man made platforms: 'Fort Madness.'"

Forts, flak towers, NOT bizarre. Effective and an answer, in part, to a problem for which there seemed to be no amelioration. Forts even occupied and in use during the early period of the Cold War! NOW rusting hulks in severe disrepair and a hazard to shipping!

coolbert.