Location
Fort Cumberland is situated at the South-Easternmost point of Portsea Island where it has guarded the entrance to Langstone Harbour for over 150 years.
Further information
The fort is now used by English Heritage as a store and conservation centre. It is normally closed to the public, but on National Archaeology Days, in July each year, the public are invited to look around it. When open, there is plenty of car parking space.
Click for street map
In Situ
THE OFFICERS AND MARINES
KILLED BY ENEMY ACTION
IN FORT CUMBERLAND
ON 26th AUGUST 1940, DURING
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN
TEMP 2ND LT C.B. HOBHOUSE
TEMP 2ND LT H.G. JAMESON
TEMP 2ND LT E.A.P. HILLAND
TEMP 2ND LT A.T.C. HOCKING
TEMP 2ND LT P.W. FITZJOHN
MARINE HAROLD WATSON
MARINE D.J. HOPKINS
MARINE B.J. COOKE
Further Information
During the air raid on 26th August 1940, the Luftwaffe droppped 78 bombs on Fort Cumberland which was then being used as an overflow base for the Royal Marines - the main barracks a mile to the West being full. Only one of the bombs caused loss of life, when it hit a perimeter room. The memorial to the men who lost their life in that raid was erected on the spot they died.
Many years later the memorial was removed, possibly after it had been damaged. The reason for this may have been that the memorial had been mounted on a gate pillar which was regularly struck by vehicles entering or leaving the barracks. Either that memorial or a copy was subsequently removed to the Royal Marines Barracks where it remains to this day.
In 2004 it was decided that a replacement memorial should be erected in its original position and a further copy was sought from the supplier of the first and it was dedicated on the 18th July.
See the Fort Cumberland Memorial in the Royal Marines Museum section.
There are some photographs and further information of the bombing on Once A Marine Always A Marine by Tony Lang
Further details of Fort Cumberland can be found at www.hants.gov.uk/leisure/navdef/cumbfort.
The Men
HOBHOUSE, CHRISTOPHER BERNARD
Rank: Second Lieutenant, Royal Marines
Age: 30
Was the son of the Venerable Walter Hobhouse, D.D. and of Edith Hobhouse (nee Owen); husband of Gavrelle Hobhouse (nee Thomas), of Westminster, London. Scholar of Eton and of Balliol College, Oxford. Barrister-at-Law. Biographer of Charles James Fox.
Buried: HASLAR ROYAL NAVAL CEMETERY
JAMESON, HAROLD GORDON
Rank: Second Lieutenant, Royal Marines
Age: 22
Son of William L. Jameson and G. Marjorie Jameson. B.A. (Cantab.)
Buried: HASLAR ROYAL NAVAL CEMETERY
HILLARD, EUSTACE ARTHUR PETER (the name is spelt differently on the memorial)
Rank: Second Lieutenant, Royal Marines
Age: 30
Son of Frederick Arthur and Mary Loraine Hillard, of Lustleigh, Devon. B.A. (Cantab.). Trinity Hall.
Buried: ST MARY'S CHURCH, FUNTINGTON
HOCKING, ANTHONY THOMAS COURTNEY
Rank: Second Lieutenant, Royal Marines
Age: 29
Son of William Courtney Hocking and Marion Brighton Hocking, of Truro.
Buried: KENWYN (ST. KENWYN) CHURCHYARD
FITZJOHN, PETER WILLIAM
Rank: Second Lieutenant, Royal Marines
Age: 25
Son of Ellison Robert Lafone Fitzjohn and Annie Marie Fitzjohn, of Bath.
Buried: BATH (HAYCOMBE) CEMETERY
WATSON, HAROLD
Rank: Marine, Royal Marines
Age: 23
Son of Noah Edward and Lucy Emily Watson; husband of Kathleen Mary Watson, of Charlton, Pershore.
Buried: CROPTHORNE (ST. MICHAEL) CHURCHYARD
HOPKINS, DOUGLAS JAMES
Rank: Marine, Royal Marines
Age: 21
Son of William and Elizabeth A. Hopkins, of Barry.
Buried: BARRY (MERTHYR DYFAN) BURIAL GROUND
COOKE, BERNARD JOSEPH
Rank: Marine, Royal Marines
Age: 39
Son of John and Mary Cooke; husband of Hilda Annie Cooke, of Sturry
Buried: STURRY AND WESTBERE CEMETERY
