Fort Amherst

From 2014 we will offer our World War One “Kitchener’s Boys” experience. The project forms part of Fort Amherst`s commemoration of the Great War and recognises the role played by Fort Amherst & the Great Lines in training many thousands of Royal Engineers prior to their dispatch to the Front Line throughout the War.

We plan to offer local schools and youth groups the opportunity to spend a day at Fort Amherst to experience the life of a new Royal Engineer recruit into the Kitchener’s Army.

The experience is aimed at 11 to 16 year olds. They will spend the day under the instruction of fully trained re-enactors of the period who will share their knowledge and experience with the participants. Each participant will be given uniform and equipment of a similar nature to that issued at the time and will receive some of the basic training given to soldiers, prior to then experiencing a period of time in a re-created frontline trench system built onsite.

This part of the experience will simulate the discomfort of living and fighting in a wet and muddy trench, while being under fire and the threat of gas attack. A meal typical of the time will be provided under field conditions.

Booking must be made strictly in advance and at least 4 weeks ahead of the proposed day.

Fort Amherst is a wonderful educational resource for those studying Napoleonic, 1st, and 2nd World War history as well as that of the local area. The Fort is Europe's best preserved example of a Napoleonic Fortress, with over 750 metres of tunnels carved into the chalk cliffs and our historic gatehouse where the soldiers would have lived. We welcome school groups and can arrange a tour of the tunnels with one or more of our trained guides tailored to the specific age group of the children.

A typical World War One “Kitchener’s Boys” experience:

•    Arrival and safety briefing

•    Issue of basic uniform and equipment

•    Foot and rifle drill

•    Bayonet drill

•    Grenade drill

•    Anti-gas drill

•    Training on .303 Lee-Enfield rifle

•    Training on Vickers .303 machine gun

•    March to battle ground

•    Take up position in front line trench

•    Man and guard fire step in case of attack

•    Man machinegun position

•    Dinner under shell fire

•    Repair and build up position

•    Prepare for gas attack

•    Make  raid on enemy lines to capture prisoner for interrogation

•    Make frontal attack on enemy position

•    End and debrief