The autumn technical visit this year looked as though it would be something completely different. It was a day out at the sea-side (bucket & spades optional) to jolly old Suffolk! We went to Felixstowe for a very special visit to the historically famous Landguard Fort following an offer by an Association Member, Mervyn Lemon who is both a Trustee and a guide.

Landguard Fort

Mervyn, our man in Felixstowe, points out that the fort dates back to Henry VIII and has a long, rich history. It is also the site of the Last Major Opposed Invasion of England and the First Land Battle of English Marines in 1667, it is now a large Victorian Fort, which has been used by Coastal Artillery, Royal Engineers (for Sea Mines), Royal Navy (for Signalling and Boom Defence) and Royal Air Force (as Seaward Defence Headquarters) and was even used as a "piggery" by one regiment in the 1960s! Thank goodness our volunteers have long cleaned that up!

It is at this point that one would have thought that nothing much was left to be amazed by, but the following comes pretty close! Mervyn dons the attire of a 1667 Marine (yellow coat with red breeches and tights!) and demonstrates the loading and discharging of a period matchlock musket all for the entertainment and education of the Ex-Apprentices: What a spectacle!

It had been hoped to include a tour of the rapidly expanding Felixstowe container dock in the visit but recent HSE restrictions have banned all visits from non-commercial or non-port related people. So we are sorry to say this was not possible. However, in its place Mervyn has arranged a visit to the nearby Felixstowe museum which is housed in the "Ravelin Block" (part of the Fort) which contains lots of WWII memorabilia.

The Fort tour also included the shore batteries of WW1 and WW2 gun emplacements (not normally open to the public).

Mervyn also made arrangements for lunch giving the choice of eating either in the open at the viewpoint café, the Crow's Nest which overlooks the Orwell River, Harwich and the Port of Felixstowe, or fish and chips on the seafront!

It was a grand day out with weather to match!