Monument record TQ 87 NE 1206 - ?Second World War searchlight battery, Cain Marshes

The remains of a possible Second World War searchlight battery can be seen on aerial photographs taken in 1946. This battery was positioned on Cain Marshes at TQ 8655 7535 and would have operated in conjunction with the Light Anti Aircraft batteries immediately to the north and to the south east (see NMR 1540724 and NMR 1540718). These provided defence for the Admiralty oil fuel storage station (see NMR 1540697), the Medway Oil and Storage Company (see NMR 1540706) and the underground fuel storage tanks (NMR 1540715). The site was built over by the post-Second World War BP Oil refinery which was in operation from 1953. This site was mapped from aerial photographs as part of the English Heritage: Hoo Peninsula Landscape Project. (1-2)

<1> RAF, 1946, RAF 106G/UK/1444 4030-4031 1-MAY-1946 (Photograph). SKE58916.

<2> RAF, 1953, RAF 58/1779 251-252 6-JUN-1953 (Photograph). SKE58917.