Dear William, Just an enquiry re Bare Island. Do you have any info on a Charles Goodall who worked on Bare Island? He was an artificer in the army. Regards, Annie Lotocki ----- Original Message ----- From: "William MOPPETT" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, February 06, 2003 9:08 PM Subject: Scratchely forts > Dad was medical officer at "the fort" South Head for the latter part of > the war. > > Sir Peter Scratchely designed 'forts' up and down the coast, to specs > of William Jervois. > I dont know if he designed the Newcastle fort, but he certainly was the > designer of Bare Island fort at the entrance of Botany bay. > > "Bare Island is nationally significant as an almost completely intact > example of late nineteenth century coastal defence technology. It was > designed by Sir Peter Scratchley to a specification by William Jervois > and represents one of the more substantial and impressive of the many > fortifications they built around Australasia. " > > Unlike the South Head heavy battery, which was serviced by extensive > tunneling in the sandstone cliffs, as protection for magazines in case > of return fire from heavy naval guns of an invasion force, Bare Island > relied entirely on earthworks. > There are many similar emplacements all round Sydney harbour, some > pre-dating the withdrawl of garrisons from Blighty. > Both North Head & Middle Head had similar installations, which may > indeed be Scratchely forts. > There is a scandal attached to Bare Island, which was taken back during > the war, but sported mainly searchlights and light artillery. > Because of its coal the Hunter port was important from colonies > earliest days, and the steelworks certainly merited protection during > the war. > The guns of Newcastle were fired at the Nip sub, after the attack on > Sydney harbour. > > I frankly dont understand in the light of military history why you > insist that the Scratchely name should apply exclusively to the > Newcastle fort, and not to other forts designed by him. > > William Moppett > > > ==== AUS-MILITARY Mailing List ==== > Anzac Research > http://anzacresearch.tripod.com/index.htm >