At the co-ordinates above, there is a stone plaque with some information on the wider site, along with a military bulldozer.
The stone monument reads:
This monument commemorates the fact that the Gillingham Business Park is built on the site of Fort Darland, later named Gordon Barracks. which was the training centre for the "Darland Boys" 1939-41. Part of the school of military engineering 1950 - 66, and home to the Royal Engineer Officer Cadet Squadron 1950 - 61.
The original Fort Darland was the Victorian fort was some distance from this site. It was opened in 1898. The barracks were built for the Royal Engineers in1938. This installation seems to have been included under the name Fort Darland until early 1950s when they were renamed Gordon Barracks. The majority of the buildings were on the west of the site, with the practice area where the engineers constructed bridges well away from the entrance where the plaque is situated.
I grew-up in the area and played in both; military security was nothing like it is now.
The Victorian Fort Darland was situated at 51°22.217' N 0°33.483' 1.44 Km WNW of the plaque.
It was built from 1870 to 1900 as part of the defensive network for Chatham Dockyard. Good information at (
visit link) (Accessed April 2020).
This site says that fairly soon after construction the ditch was destroyed by The Army Technical School. Parts of the fort were used as an air-raid shelter in WW2 and was sold as a mushroom farm in 1946.
Also mentioned at: (
visit link) However, this does confuse the Gordon Barracks with the fort. There was certainly an Army Detention Centre in one or both of the sites during WW2. It was known for harsh treatment. On 17 March 1943 Rifleman William Clarence Clayton died while incarcerated; two British Army Warrant Officers were convicted of manslaughter on 25 June. This incident was discussed in parliament (Hansard 6 July and 14 December 1943) and was the subject of several inquiries. (BMJ 25 Dec 1943 p835 (
visit link) Alfie Hinds, a criminal and serial escaper (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_George_Hinds) was held at Fort Darland and was witness in the trial. (Breakout by Gordon Kerr (
visit link) In addition to British Army personnel being incarcerated, members of the Canadian Army were also sentenced to Fort Darland upon conviction of first-time offences, usually sent up by their Commanding officers.
The fort and all the military buildings were knocked down in 1960's.
The barracks, were opened in 1938 and the description on the plaque does relate to its functions. It was attached to the the School of Military Engineering, the main building being in Brompton, Gillingham, close to the naval dockyard.
After WW2 it housed the Royal Engineers Officer Cadet Squadron from 1950-1961; various squadrons of REME from 1950 until their consolidation to Chattenden in 1966; Devonshire and Dorset Regiment 1971-1976; The Royal Anglian Regiment 1977.
Sold to Gillingham Borough Council for redevelopment in 1978. Officer houses on Hamelin Road sold to private ownership.
The Main entrance was at 51°22.092' N 0°33.794. In the 1950s through to the closing, adjacent to the guardhouse was the tank "Fury". The majority of the buildings were on the east of the site, well away from the location of the plaque which is now where the engineers constructed bridges.
Pictures of building on the site post shut-down at (
visit link) (Accessed April 2020)
The 1:25,000 OS map from between the wars show both the sites, without names; 1954 1:1,1250 shows the fort as a mushroom farm and names the barracks. Historic aerial photos (including those on Google Earth 1945) clearly show them. The line of the fort can still be seen on modern photos and maps behind Rowland Avenue Gillingham.