Victor Smith highlights an iron key thought to have been used by Lt. Col. Charles G. Gordon (later General of Khartoum fame) during his stay at New Tavern Fort in Gravesend from 1865-71 when acting as Commanding Royal Engineer for the Thames District.

With a study of Kent’s defences during the Great War submitted to the editor of Archaeologia Cantiana for publication and an historical overview of the 20th century defences of Thanet near completion, two research and publication projects by Victor Smith are scheduled to begin in 2016.

Volume 23 of the Journal of the Ordnance Society has been published including a pap“r The artillery of the Great War anti-invasion defences of the Swale area of Kent” by Alan Anstee.

New Tavern Fort (armed from the 1780s-1908) on Gravesend’s riverside displays a regionally important collection of 12 pieces of historic artillery.

Report for the KAS AGM by Alan R. Anstee.

There are volunteering opportunities at a number of Kent’s historic forts. These can be interestingly varied.

By Victor T.C. Smith (with contributions from Alan Anstee). General and local context for the assistance of those participating in the Defence of Swale project.