2nd Company, London Electrical Engineers

[martinclift]

I have a volunteer role at the Coalhouse Fort in East Tilbury in Essex. There has been some sort of garrison there since the mid 1500s and due to worries of invasion, especially by the French, forts were built to protect London by ships attacking up the Thames.

The fort that stands today was constructed in the mid 1800 along with two others on the Kent side. These forts would be able to stop any naval attack with cross fire from land.

Part of my remit is to bring the Great War period to life so that visitors may better appreciate the role the fort played. Researching soldiers from the 2nd Company, London Electrical Engineers (served there throughout WW1) and the Royal Garrison Artillery is a must and to help me do that is the Searchlight Magazine, printed at the fort for the whole period by a Lieutenant Ackland, which became a very popular source of lighthearted and serious information. I have a few copies and found many names of officers and men of the LEE who was served there.

My mission now is to research the many, many other copies of the Searchlight for more names and, of course, the stories that give us an idea of the day to day life at the fort. So if anyone has any information I would be very grateful, also if you need any information that may be available in the Searchlight Magazine I would be happy to see what I can find.

I would also like to ask if anyone has any information an any soldiers of the R.G.A. who served there at the same period.

Regards

Martin

​