38:
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with France, resulted in the reduced likelihood of an invasion and the London
Defence Scheme was officially abandoned in March 1906. Many of the Mobilisation Centres were quickly sold; however, Fort Halstead and a few others were retained, perhaps to facilitate the dispersal of the stores removed
501:, the Fort Halstead site was retained by QinetiQ who leased part of it back to Dstl. Its most recent principal functions have been research, test, evaluation and forensic analysis into explosives, and the site's explosives laboratory was again used in the investigation following the attempted
481:(DERA), the forensic explosives laboratory came under media and scientific scrutiny. In 1996, amid allegations that contaminated equipment had been used in the testing of forensic evidence, an inquiry was set up under Professor Brian Caddy of
1379:
364:
In 1955, the two departments were merged to give the
Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), which was granted the title "Royal" in February 1962. In the 1980s, RARDE was amalgamated with the
41:
Fort
Halstead former MOD establishment in Kent UK, viewed in 2011. At intervals there is a projection in the fence line, this is to allow those guards inside to get a better view along the outside of the
221:
Fort
Halstead seems to have reverted to its intended role at this time; in 1915, a laboratory was built inside the fort for the inspection of ammunition. In 1921, the fort was sold to a retired
378:
523:
In 2017, Armstrong Kent sold the site to
Merseyside Pension Fund. Current plans are for a mixed-use regeneration, with 450 new homes and a business campus, including QinetiQ.
1384:
614:
291:
In 1940, Fort
Halstead became vulnerable to enemy action and Germans knew about the rocket development there, so Projectile Development Establishment was evacuated to
366:
1364:
768:"FORT HALSTEAD, DUNTON GREEN, SEVENOAKS, KENT: A brief assessment of the role of Fort Halstead in Britain's early rocket programmes and the atomic bomb project"
1296:
1130:, Hugh Desmond Lucas & Ronald Alexander Newman, "Automatic electrical switching device", published 1952-09-24, issued 1952-09-03
767:
516:
announced that its facilities at Fort
Halstead were to close following a review of operations at the site, although delays in building new facilities at
76:. Originally constructed in 1892 as part of a ring of fortresses around London, Fort Halstead was to be staffed by volunteers in the event of a crisis.
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50:
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which would be dug in the event of war to protect the southern and eastern approaches to the capital. Supporting these were to be thirteen simple
863:
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625:
478:
462:
312:
512:
In March 2006, QinetiQ sold the Fort
Halstead site to Armstrong Kent LLP for an undisclosed sum, remaining on-site as a tenant. In June 2011,
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58:
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655:
Force V: The history of
Britain's airborne deterrent, by Andrew Brookes. Jane's Publishing Co Ltd; First Edition 1 Jan. 1982,
1183:
660:
441:
In 2017, scientists from the
Forensic Explosives Laboratory at Fort Halstead examined the wreckage of the aircraft from the
707:
400:
experts from RARDE's explosives laboratory examined material recovered from the crash scene, and subsequently testified as
226:
426:
and war game projects, mainly aimed as assessing the effectiveness of future defence equipment procurement. After Iraq's
502:
458:
350:
225:, who took up residence in the laboratory and let out the cottages. The rest of the site was used as a campsite for the
803:
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and throughout the latter half of 1990, a series of computerised war games were conducted at RARDE in preparation for
1218:
115:
323:' (HER) was initially based at Fort Halstead, where the first atomic bomb was developed under the directorship of
214:, the London Defence Scheme was revived and many of the planned entrenchments were actually dug to form an inland
386:
245:
In 1938, Fort Halstead became the home of the Projectile Development Establishment, which was continuing work on
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454:
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used on ships of the Royal Navy, and a 3-inch version that was operated by the British Army in hundreds of
134:, known as "Mobilisation Centres", which would contain the tools, stores and ammunition for the men of the
1359:
569:
482:
311:, the Design Department moved to Fort Halstead, followed by the Research Department. It is believed that
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369:(MVEE) – formerly the Fighting Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (FVRDE) – with sites at
265:. In connection with this research, over eighty new buildings were constructed in and around the fort.
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Two departments, the "Research Department" and the "Design Department", were established in 1922 at
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Fragmentation of Rings and Shells: The Legacy of N.F. Mott (Shock Wave and High Pressure Phenomena)
423:
412:
337:
111:
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has meant Dstl finally left in October 2022 (taking eleven rather than the planned five years).
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998:"Defence Science and Technology Laboratory to relocate operations away from Fort Halstead"
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was built for a caretaker, who was responsible for maintenance and security in peacetime.
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138:, who were tasked with digging the entrenchments and manning them against any invaders.
864:"MoD experts to investigate Polish leader's plane crash blamed on 'Russian aggression'"
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Fort Halstead: preserving the history of British defence research and development
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in 2010, for traces of explosives, after being engaged by the Polish government.
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349:. In 1950, it is thought that the 'HER' research was moved to a new site at the
327:, who had been appointed Chief Superintendent Armament Research ("CSAR", called
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Hamilton-Baillie, J.R.E, "Fort Halstead & the London Defence Positions",
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Map of the area of Kent north of the town of Sevenoaks showing Fort Halstead
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for the air defence of the United Kingdom. Further developments were the
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was taken to Fort Halstead for analysis, where previously a number of
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J.W. Maccoll, of Taylor-Maccoll theory of supersonic flow over a cone
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was constructed between 1895 and 1897; it featured vaulted barrack
1380:
Research installations of the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
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Stop-gap weapons of 1940:the concept of the aerial minefield.
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477:. Four years later, when DRA was itself merged to form the
1291:
595:, and leader of Britain's High Explosive Research project
844:"Royal" Armament Research and Development Establishment
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to investigate the laboratory's alleged shortcomings.
379:
Propellants, Explosives and Rocket Motor Establishment
1030:"Fort Halstead move to Porton Down delayed by a year"
89:
Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment
509:, with 1,300 personnel working on the site in 2000.
505:. The facility has been the largest employer in the
972:"Kent's Fort Halstead research laboratory to close"
615:
Investigation into the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103
261:, work was mainly on rockets that could be used as
1061:"JTP - Architects, Masterplanners and Placemakers"
1292:Dstl – Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
805:29177010-Encyclopedia-of-Weapons-of-World-War-II
701:
699:
697:
210:from the other sites. After the outbreak of the
714:. Victorian Forts and Artillery. Archived from
367:Military Vehicles and Engineering Establishment
862:Farmer, Ben; Day, Matthew (27 February 2017).
141:Putting these plans into action in 1890, the
8:
268:The work at Halstead resulted in the 7-inch
419:(IRA) explosive devices had been examined.
1385:Military installations established in 1897
1144:
1142:
257:two years earlier. Under the direction of
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759:
533:Richard, Baron Beeching of East Grinstead
493:Following the split of DERA in 2001 into
51:Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
1154:Computing in Britain During World War II
562:unit of atomic energy is named, and the
288:surface-to-surface bombardment systems.
280:air-to-surface anti-tank rocket and the
126:in 1889. The scheme envisaged a line of
1098:. Retrieved 21 May 2009 (extract only).
648:
535:, "Dr Beeching", author of the report
479:Defence Evaluation and Research Agency
457:(DRA) was set up by bringing together
153:. Delayed by a shortage of funds, the
87:and later was the headquarters of the
1365:Buildings and structures in Sevenoaks
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1051:
918:"21 July suspect admits making bombs"
673:
671:
669:
637:Atomic Weapons Research Establishment
589:William, Baron Penney of East Hendred
566:of approximating n-body wavefunctions
467:Royal Signals and Radar Establishment
61:. It is situated on the crest of the
7:
631:Atomic Energy Research Establishment
341:saw the bomb conveyed by frigate to
81:Projectile Development Establishment
1231:. Amazon.com. Retrieved 12-05-2009.
103:Fort Halstead formed a part of the
1199:Challens, John (28 October 2012).
1178:. Taylor and Francis. p. 36.
1164:IEE.org. p6. Retrieved 12-05-2009.
1087:Beeching, champion of the railway?
777:. English Heritage. Archived from
443:crash of a Polish Air Force Tu-154
149:, on high ground near the town of
25:
708:"The London Mobilisation Centres"
601:, engineer, environmentalist and
537:The Reshaping of British Railways
345:and successfully exploded in the
237:, and accommodation of refugees.
680:"Off the beaten track: Halstead"
633:(AERE or the Harwell Laboratory)
576:description of atomic attraction
463:Admiralty Research Establishment
434:, Britain's contribution to the
1297:Fort Halstead Aerial Photograph
1278:Comprehensive historical review
591:, a principal scientist on the
406:Pan Am Flight 103 bombing trial
201:The growing superiority of the
1390:1897 establishments in England
1174:Davis, E. A. (17 March 1998).
896:Robert Verkaik (22 May 1996).
626:UK nuclear weapons development
422:RARDE was home to a number of
1:
1355:19th-century forts in England
459:Royal Aerospace Establishment
1243:. AWE. Retrieved 12-05-2009.
820:"A History of RAE Aberporth"
678:Ogley, Bob (12 April 2006).
503:21 July 2005 London bombings
392:Following the December 1988
351:Atomic Weapons Establishment
122:, who announced the plan to
79:The base became home to the
1375:Research institutes in Kent
706:Beanse, Alec; Gill, Roger.
585:, Nobel Laureate in Physics
197:History as a defensive work
49:was a research site of the
1406:
527:Distinguished former staff
411:In 1996, the bus from the
116:Secretary of State for War
68:, overlooking the town of
1160:28 September 2007 at the
766:Cocroft, Wayne D (2010).
319:, hidden under the name '
205:, and the signing of the
169:with positions for light
1370:Fortifications of London
1308:Friends of Fort Halstead
849:20 November 2008 at the
165:on the east. An earthen
105:London Defence Positions
1201:"Obituary: John Corner"
1117:. Retrieved 12-05-2009.
1113:20 October 2012 at the
898:"Innocent beyond doubt"
824:www.rafaberporth.org.uk
775:english-heritage.org.uk
574:Lennard-Jones potential
455:Defence Research Agency
321:High Explosive Research
161:on the west side and a
114:and implemented by the
112:Sir Edward Bruce Hamley
99:Design and construction
570:Sir John Lennard-Jones
483:Strathclyde University
465:(ARE), RARDE, and the
107:, a scheme devised by
59:UK Ministry of Defence
43:
34:
1299:(Microsoft Live Maps)
1217:Dennis Grady (2006),
551:Sir Frank Ewart Smith
453:On 1 April 1991, the
417:Irish Republican Army
325:William George Penney
313:Britain's development
263:anti-aircraft weapons
247:solid fuelled rockets
40:
32:
1331:51.31171°N 0.14936°E
1287:RARDE's Alan Feraday
1261:Fortress Study Group
1010:on 28 September 2011
712:victorianforts.co.uk
546:Unrotated Projectile
270:Unrotated Projectile
249:that had started at
177:was surrounded by a
1327: /
564:Hartree–Fock method
544:, developer of the
475:Ministry of Defence
424:military simulation
413:Aldwych bus bombing
338:Operation Hurricane
784:on 8 November 2014
744:. English Heritage
718:on 14 January 2016
507:Sevenoaks district
469:(RSRE). It was an
428:invasion of Kuwait
347:Montebello Islands
145:purchased land at
109:Lieutenant General
85:Ministry of Supply
44:
35:
1336:51.31171; 0.14936
1229:978-3-540-27144-4
1036:. 31 October 2013
926:. 24 January 2007
622:nuclear land mine
593:Manhattan Project
572:, devisor of the
558:, after whom the
449:Evolution to DERA
394:Lockerbie bombing
16:(Redirected from
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599:Dick Strawbridge
489:Dstl and QinetiQ
471:executive Agency
432:Operation Granby
402:expert witnesses
309:Second World War
305:Woolwich Arsenal
299:History of RARDE
227:Territorial Army
207:Entente Cordiale
181:with a concrete
55:executive agency
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1241:Our History
1176:Nevill Mott
1040:24 December
930:20 February
788:28 November
748:28 November
722:28 November
686:19 February
603:broadcaster
518:Porton Down
355:Aldermaston
317:atomic bomb
274:Z Batteries
235:Girl Guides
173:pieces and
66:North Downs
53:(Dstl), an
1349:Categories
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