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The Fortress Companies of the regular army
On 1 August 1914 there were 13 Fortress Companies of the Royal Engineers at home and 16 overseas, all on coastal defence duties and manned by men of the regular army. Some were entirely for Electric Light (that is, searchlight) duty; others also had Works responsibilities. On mobilisation, men of the Territorial Royal Engineers took over the home stations, releasing the regulars for duty with the British Expeditionary Force – although not all regulars were withdrawn right away but were released gradually, their places being filled by men who were unfit for overseas service. Territorial troops also moved out to take over some of the overseas stations.
1st Fortress Company
Based in Gibraltar in 1914. Brought home, converted to an Advanced Park Company and moved to France. Was replaced in Gibraltar by 1/4th Devon Electric Light Company RE TF (later called 614th (Devon) Fortress Company).
2nd Fortress Company
At Cairo
3rd Fortress Company
At Dover. Landed in France 19 September 1914.
4th Fortress Company
Based in Gosport in 1914. Converted to the 4th Advanced Park Company and moved to Salonika.
6th Fortress Company
At Weymouth
15th Fortress Company
Based in Gibraltar in 1914. Brought home, converted to 15th Field Company and came under orders of 8th Division.
18th Fortress Company
At Falmouth
20th Fortress Company
At Devonport. Went to France.
21st Fortress Company
At Harwich
22nd Fortress Company
At Isle of Wight
24th Fortress Company
Based in Malta in 1914. Brought home, converted to a Base Park Company and moved to France.
25th Fortress Company
At Hong Kong
27th Fortress Company
At Bermuda
28th Fortress Company
Based in Malta. Sent a detachment to Salonika in January 1917.
30th Fortress Company
At Plymouth
31st Fortress Company
Based in Ceylon
32nd Fortress Company
Based in Gibraltar in 1914. Brought home in December 1914, converted to a Base Park Company and moved to France. Was replaced in Gibraltar by 1/1st Devon Works Company RE TF (later called 567 (Devon) Army Troops Company RE).
33rd Fortress Company
Based in Cork in 1914. Converted to the 33rd Base Park Company and moved to Salonika.
34th Fortress Company
At the Channel Islands
35th Fortress Company
At Pembroke Dock
36th Fortress Company
At Sierra Leone
37th Fortress Company
Half of 14th Survey Company RE, based at Bere Island off Cork in Ireland, was mobilised as 37 Fortress Company. Proceeded to Dublin and then to Devonpost. Departed with strength of 3 officers and 104 other ranks on 24 August 1915, bound for service at Gallipoli. Arrived at Lemnos 3 September 1915 and landed at Suvla Bay ten days later.
39th Fortress Company
At Sheerness
40th Fortress Company
At Hong Kong.
41st Fortress Company
At Singapore
42nd Fortress Company
At Gosport. Went to France.
43rd Fortress Company
At Mauritius
44th Fortress Company
Based in Jamaica
45th Fortress Company
At Gibraltar
47th Fortress Company
Based in Simonstown in South Africa in1914. Brought home, converted to a Base Park Company and moved to Mesopotamia. Details of the unit in South Africa were formed into 358th Special Base Park Company for service in East Africa in September 1917.
The Fortress Companies of the Territorial Force
City of Aberdeen
No 1 Fortress Works Company, based at 80 Hardgate and part of Scottish Coastal Defences. Landed in France 26 April 1915. Later renamed as 552 (Aberdeen) Army Troops Company RE.
Cinque Ports
No 1 Electric Light Company, based in Dover and part of South Eastern Coastal Defences.
Cornwall
Consisting of HQ and No 1 Electric Light Company at Falmouth, No 2 Works Company at Fowey and No 3 Works Company at Penryn, part of South Western Coastal Defences.
Devonshire
Consisting of HQ at Plymouth, No 1 Works Company at Torquay, Nos 2 and 3 Works Companies at Exeter, Nos 4 and 5 Electric Light Companies at Plymouth, part of South Western Coastal Defences.
City of Dundee
No 1 Fortress Works Company, part of Scottish Coastal Defences. After being mobilised, proceeded to Broughty Ferry. Sailed from Southampton for service in France on 23 June 1915, landing next day at Rouen. Complete war diary exists. Renamed as 554 (Dundee) Army Troops Company RE in July 1917. Also raised the 2/1st Company, which in February 1917 became 548 (Dundee) Army Troops Company RE in July 1917. Served under 71st Division at home until it was broken up in 1918. Went to Murmansk for service in North Russia in June 1918.
Durham
Consisting of HQ and Nos 1 and 2 Works Companies at Jarrow and No 3 Works company at Gateshead, part of North Eastern Coastal Defences.
City of Edinburgh
Consisting of HQ, No 1 Works Company and No 2 Electric Light Company, part of Scottish Coastal Defences.
Essex
No 1 Electric Light Company, part of Harwich Coastal Defences.
Glamorgan
Consisting of HQ and No 1 Works Company at Cardiff, No 2 Works Company at Barry and No 3 Electric Light Company at Cardiff, part of Western Coastal Defences. Became 556 (Glamorgan) Army Troops Company RE.
Hampshire
Consisting of HQ, Nos 1 and 2 Works Company at Portsmouth, No 3 Works Company at Eastleigh, No 4 Electric Light Company at Portsmouth, No 5 Electric Light Company at Freshwater and No 6 Electric Light Company at Gosport, part of Southern Coastal Defences. During 1915 the company also formed the 1/7th Hampshire Field Company, which was later renamed as 506 (Hampshire) Field Company. This unit left England on 19 October 1915, arriving at Salonika via Alexandria on 25 November 1915.
Kent
Consisting of headquarters unit located at Chatham, No 1 Works Company at Tonbridge, No 2 Works Company at Ashford, No 3 Works Company at Southborough, No 4 Electric Light Company at the Submarine Mining School at Gillingham, No 5 Electric Light Company at Gravesend and 6 and 7 Electric Light Companies at Southborough. It was part of Eastern Coastal Defences. The company came into the public eye when 129 men of Number 3 Company were lost in the sinking of the HMS “Hythe” on 28-29 October 1915.
Lancashire
Consisting of HQ and No 1 Works Company and Nos 2 and 3 Electric Light Companies at Aigburth, part of North Western Coastal Defences.
Renfrewshire
Consisting of HQ at Fort Matilda, Greenock, No 1 Works Company at Paisley and No 2 Electric Light Company at Greenock, part of Scottish Coastal Defences.
East Riding
Consisting of HQ, No 1 Works Company and No 2 Electric Light Company at Hull, part of North Eastern Coastal Defences.
North Riding
Consisting of HQ and No 1 Electric Light Company at Middlesbrough, part of North Eastern Coastal Defences.
Sussex
Consisting of HQ and No 1 Works Company at Seaford, part of South Eastern Coastal Defences.
Wiltshire
Consisting of HQ and No 1 Works Company at Swindon, part of Southern Coastal Defences.
Soon after war was declared on 4 August 1914, it moved to join the Dorset (Electric Light) Company at Weymouth, where they were put to work on completing the naval defences of Portland.
The original company went to France in January 1915, but a reserve had been raised at the depot and soon formally named as the 2/1st Wiltshire (Fortress) Royal Engineers. In September 1915 it was renamed as the 566th (Wiltshire) Works Company, while the original out in France became the 565th Wiltshire (Army Troops) Company.
Related
London Electrical Engineers RE TF
HQ and six Companies based at 46 Regency Street, Westminster.
Tyne Electrical Engineers RE TF
HQ and four Companies based at North Shields, attached to North Eastern Coastal Defences.
In August 1918, a new establishment was implemented, reorganising into Fortress Companies and Fortress Works Companies. At the same time the Tyne and London Electrical Engineers Companies became the parent units for all coast defence and anti-aircraft Electric Light units and the depots that trained men for them.
Raised during war
125th Fortress Company
Orders were issued in March 1915 for raising this company at Victoria Barracks in Belfast.
133rd Fortress Company
Left Buxton (Derbyshire) on 6 July 1915. Sailed from Avonmouth and arrived at Alexandria in Egypt on 18 July. Proceeded to Lemnos, arriving 23 July 1915 and working at Mudros West. Landed ay Suvla Bay at Gallipoli in August 1915. Worked on water supply, piers and mines. Withdrew 17 December 1915 and returned to Lemnos. Landed back at Alexandria 15 February 1916 and proceeded to Port Tewfik.
213th Fortress Company
Orders were issued in March 1915 for raising this company in Warwick and Leamington Spa. In September 1915 it was renamed as 213th Army Troops Company.
214th Fortress Company
Orders were issued in March 1915 for raising this company in Coventry. In September 1915 it was renamed as 214th Army Troops Company.
215th Fortress Company
Orders were issued in April 1915 for raising this company in Abergavenny. In September 1915 it was renamed as 215th Army Troops Company.
216th Fortress Company
Orders were issued in March 1915 for raising this company in Nuneaton. In September 1915 it was renamed as 216th Army Troops Company.
No 1 (London and Tyne) Electrical and Mechanical Company RE TF
Landed at Le Havre in France 16 December 1915. In 1917, became 351st Electrical and Mechanical Company.