Could You Survive A Napoleonic Invasion In A Victorian Coastal Fort?

Imagine, it’s the mid-1800s. Since the end of the Napoleonic Wars, peace between Britain and France had been secured for close to half a century. And yet, for the English, the threat of an imminent invasion across the channel never seemed too far-fetched.
That’s why thousands of ‘navvies’ and later volunteers, engineers, artillerymen and army officers, were summoned in 1860 to build and occupy gigantic forts along the south coast of England should the dreaded day arrive when French ships emerged on the horizon…
Over 70 polygonal strongholds would be built or upgraded as part of a commission in 1859 instigated by prime minister Lord Palmerston, who shared the anxieties of most of Britain’s Naval and Military Commanders - that Britain was rapidly falling behind foreign powers, and would be unable to defend itself from an attempted invasion.
The fortresses, known as ‘Palmerston Forts’, stretched across the United Kingdom, mainly in strategically important coastal areas. Each would cost the treasury an enormous amount of money, require a significant labour force to construct and a large group of military volunteers to man. But the invasion never came…
In this video, Luke Tomes will be stationed at Fort Nelson, one of five giant fortifications built on the summit of Portsdown Hill, overlooking Portsmouth Dockyard. He’ll find out what it took to design and build the fort, how recruits were selected and deemed fit for service and what life was really like for those stationed on Victorian Britain’s coastal frontline…
Check put Fort Nelson's social pages 👇
Facebook - / royalarmouriesfortnelson
Instagram - / royalarmouriesfortnelson
Twitter - Fort_Nelson?ref_s...
With special thanks to the Palmerston Forts Society for images and uniforms.
Facebook Page: / palmerstonfortssociety
Website: www.palmerstonfortssociety.or...
Filmed at: royalarmouries.org/fort-nelson
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#historyhit #victorianhistory #victorianfort
00:00 Introduction
02:26 Napoleon III
04:14 History of 'Palmerston Forts'
08:17 Building Fort Nelson
11:31 Life of the 'Navvies'
13:19 Design of Fort Nelson
16:53 Volunteer Recruitment
25:10 Life as a Volunteer
28:13 Fort Nelson Armaments
33:07 Victorian Medicine
34:37 Crimean War and Florence Nightingale
43:17 Officer's Mess
45:53 Guardroom and Punishments
47:45 Underground Tunnels
53:15 Conclusion

[@HistoryHit]

Hope you all enjoyed the return of 'Could You Survive' to History Hit! We've got quite a load more videos lined up, but we also want to hear your suggestions on where Luke should go next. Comment below! 👇

[@ktwei]

What happened to the other guy?

[@andrewsheldon6646]

@@ktwei Didn't survive

[@kevbrooks]

I used to go to scooter rallies held at Pubrook. Great fun, and amazing place.

[@flashgordon6670]

I’d have doubts whether I could survive peacetime, as a soldier back then. Let alone a full scale battle, against le grande armee.

[@CJ-uf6xl]

Could you survive the Crimean War would be absolutely amazing 👍

[@GarfsWorkshop]

Tom seems like a legend, you can tell the bloke loves what he is doing ! So much history around Pompey and it drives me insane we don't do more with it.

[@HistoryHit]

He was great!

[@seanhorgan9688]

Agreed, very informative.

[@rebeckahblewett6873]

I love watching people who are passionate about their work. Great job, Cpl Davies!

[@spiritofthegorg6950]

Agree ❤

[@cannonfodder4812]

Call Davies reminds me of a Mike Meyers character.

[@vladitious]

Tom was absolutely brilliant. You'd think he was a regular presenter! You know if you rock up for a tour and see this fella you're in for a great afternoon.

[@b4d69]

superb. the corporal chap was also a deeply impressive curator.

[@liamtheunbeliever7684]

I was at Fort Nelson last summer, the collection of artillery is spectacular - especially the Ottoman Bombards. Good cake in the cafe too :D

[@HistoryHit]

Definitely recommend a visit!

[@flashgordon6670]

I can get good cake from the supermarket, or local shops and take it with me. I can get an entire cake that way, for the same price as one slice and tea. Tea I can bring myself in a flask. Or if I don’t want to do that, bc it doesn’t taste as good. I can knock on people’s doors and ask, until some hapless soul gives me a free cup of tea. And there’s also community gatherings and churches that will save me the £1.50 odd. Tyvm.

[@LoneWanderer727]

People complaining about the "title being wrong", when they clearly mention that they're talking about a possible invasion from Napoleon III, the grandson of the first Napoleon. He happened to be an emperor of his own in this period. Whether or not it's a clickbait title its a very accurate concern and France became fairly powerful again under his rule. Only lost his position once the Prussians forced him to abdicate after the Franco-Prussian war in 1870. So not an extension of the Napoleonic wars. But an extension of the Napoleonic dynasty and France's threats towards England during the late 1700s and throughout the 1800s.

[@eternalbordome]

I was giving your comment a thought and I think I have an explanation to the overwhelming amount of people making incorrect comments. I think they aren't even watching the video for more than a second before ranting about the title and making themselves look a fool. I'm now 3:30 in and they have plainly claimed that this is about Napoleon III, and the possibility of invasion.

[@rebeckahblewett6873]

I agree with your statements but I think it’s reasonable for most people familiar with this time period to be confused since the term “Napoleonic” is most associated with Napoleon and not used to describe the period or wars associated with Napoleon III. It’s understandable why both sides of the argument are true. It’s a confusing title for a very interesting and well presented documentary.

[@LoneWanderer727]

@@rebeckahblewett6873 nah, people just don't watch the video and immediately comment on the title

[@alexanderkaitz1197]

You're correct, except Napolean III wasn't his grandson, he was his nephew.

[@gregedmand9939]

Remember the Charlton Heston, Major Dundee movie from the 60's? It was a Civil War Era film, where a Union officer has to recruit Confederate prisoners to fight some hostiles on the Mexican border. They end up tanglinig with Napoleon's French occupiers of Mexico. This British response to that threat is rarely talked about.

[@roberttaubman4418]

I would love to see an expansion of this topic showing exactly how the forts would interact around the Solent to defend Portsmouth and the surrounding areas. I find this part of the south coast so fascinating. Thanks for the great job in this video.

[@beachcomberbloke462]

Thank you so much Luke for this well researched and informative history doc.The enthusiasm from Corporal Tom Davies about his subject is infectious .Also interesting piece about Florence Nightingales reformation of medical treatment during the Crimean War.👍

[@Rolfus]

I loved this episode and corpal Tom needs his own show!

[@HistoryHit]

Thank you so much! Really appreciate your generosity and kind words

[@rebeckahblewett6873]

Yes! Corporal Tom absolutely does need his own series! I'd watch that in a heartbeat. So knowledgeable and so enthusiastic. So much charisma and heart!

[@flashgordon6670]

He’s got his own show already. He’s the assistant curator at Fort Nelson. He gets to pretend he’s a 19th C soldier. What could be more fun than that?

[@skvader4187]

That Corporal Davies lad is so enthusiastic and loveable.

[@TheLucanicLord]

Perfect lookout, he could watch two directions at once.

[@CharlesTeatrotter]

@@TheLucanicLordthis was the least funny thing I've seen all day

[@jamesmccaul2945]

@@CharlesTeatrotter I found it hilarious. I was purposely looking for comments about that guy and couldn’t believe the lack of snickering.

[@CharlesTeatrotter]

@@jamesmccaul2945 You have been neglected as a child, Neglected to be taught basic respect and manners, I'm 15, If you are older than me, then I pity you. Pathetic.

[@roelandpeeters931]

@@CharlesTeatrotter I am semi-cross eyed myself. I mean, my eyes also "wander" when I am tired or excited. And I found that comment hilarious. Let's not get carried away by woke-ism and preserve the ability to poke fun at ourselves. But then again, what do I know, I only have 9 fingers...

[@Starlord85]

Tom is awesome! Such knowledge and passion

[@flashgordon6670]

Yes and the ability to look in two directions at once can be useful.

[@davidmoore1102]

Tom looks like a absolute legend

[@flashgordon6670]

AN absolute legend you mean.

[@xryancat]

I stood to attention when Corporal Davis appeared. Such an enthusiastic and knowledgeable presentation! o7

[@LiveDonkeyDeadLion]

When I was in the ACF, we used to ‘volunteer’ her to help clean it up after years of neglect. Now I always enjoy visiting

[@TheNavyShark]

"voluntold"

[@ross.venner]

The forts on Portsdown Hill were the outer defences. At the north (landward) end of Portsea Island was the Hilsea Lines. They were similarly armed, but being close to sea level could not be dug into the earth. Thus, they were ramparts, vulnerable to cannon fire. I attended Portsmouth Grammar School. Our playing fields were in the western arm of the Lines and our changing rooms within the actual casmates that once housed the cannon.

[@Jimdixon1953]

I love visiting Fort Nelson, it’s a great site and the view over Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight is pretty special on a good day.

[@flashgordon6670]

You’re selling it well.

[@Tiff-vy5cv]

Luke rocks any historical costume 🔥

[@michaelprobert4014]

Keep Corporal Tom's number on speed dial just in case you need a stand in ( or new ) presenter .

[@japanesehighlander]

I was part of the garrison of the Halifax Citadel as part of the recreated 3rd Brigade Royal Artillery and 78th Highlanders in a similar fort to this summer 1995 and 1996

[@anotherjones5384]

I absolutely love you two getting out there and having fun (or putting yourselves through hell, sorry its entertaining 🤣) and bringing this history to life and to a wide audience. Always hit your videos when I see them pop up

[@agtom1329]

Love this series! Please keep it coming!:

[@HistoryHit]

More to come!

[@greggweber9967]

Is a soldier more likely to attack harder if they know that they will go to a Florence Nightingale hospital rather than a pre-Nightengale "hospital"?

[@flashgordon6670]

Yes, it will instil morale, courage and a sense of belonging to a caring, compassionate and worthy cause. It also helps wounded soldiers, to get back into the frey. Or to be productive citizens in other ways. As well as returning them alive, back home to their loved ones.

[@stankmiester101]

Love the passion that exudes in this episode.

[@MysticChronicles712]

An excellent introductory video on the subject of British fortifications along the shores of the English Islands, which were manned by formidable naval troops at that era.

[@HistoryHit]

Thanks!

[@user-li4sz3jz1b]

Love this keep it going,love history,can't get out much now , great vid 😊😊😊

[@user-li4sz3jz1b]

Loved your Luke and louee vids to 😊😊😊

[@HistoryHit]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@craigevans5098]

Great episode 🙌🏻

[@jordanlawrie8331]

That corporal Davis was brilliant, thanks for having him on

[@HannahAilsa]

I love these videos! So cool to mentally put yourself in the shoes of people from history 👍🏻

[@beachcomberbloke462]

Thanks! For more great history lessons!

[@HistoryHit]

Really appreciate the donation. We'll keep them coming for you!

[@user-li4sz3jz1b]

Love toms job , great the way he threw himself into character 😊😊😊

[@Redneck-kw6hh]

these style of documentaries are the best.

[@user-cd4bx6uq1y]

Very nice documentary

[@CJ-uf6xl]

Great stuff 👍

[@cyndiesmith3677]

This was great! I missed Coud You Survive series. Please make more! Where's Louie?

[@DJL78]

Luke is back!! 🎉🥳👏🏼🍾

[@dmr8914]

HH does amazing work. Luke is a handsome man and in uniform... well ;). Great historical vid and lets shout out that the navvies were all men who had to do this work and risk their lives to dig out the tunnels.

[@katherinecollins4685]

Great video

[@More_Row]

Good one

[@CMillz884]

I live in Gosport where we have a few forts still standing, Brockhurst , Rowner, Blockhouse. I’ve been to Fort Nelson on many occasions. Always nice to see local spots on History Hit

[@HistoryHit]

Very cool!

[@TheErebusGaming]

I like Brockhurst but I've always had this desire to sneak into Gilkicker down on the coast. Never have, but always wanted to!

[@CMillz884]

@@TheErebusGamingwe used to when we were kids all the time, being turned into houses now unfortunately

[@CMillz884]

@@HistoryHitkeep up the great work, easily my favourite KZbin channel

[@user-mi8ef4qd2k]

I missed the "Could you survive" series. I especially liked the ones of Louie and Luke together. Will there be more?

[@skepticalbadger]

Louee has his own channel now, Surviving History.

[@user-mi8ef4qd2k]

@@skepticalbadger I know. I wonder why he didn't invite Luke too. They were a really good pair.

[@Tiff-vy5cv]

biggest breakup since one direction 💔

[@michaelkinsey4649]

Your map at the beginning doesn't put a marker over Plymouth....did I miss something massive lurking around Totnes? The camouflage of Plymouth's 22 forts must've been too good !

[@flashgordon6670]

Yeah but Portsmouth is only an hours drive from Greater London. Where lots of lovely paying tourists live. Plymouth Shmymouth.

[@bucksdiaryfan]

I love videos like this -- I was reading up on them and they were called "Palmerston's Folly" because people thought they were pointed in the wrong direction ! (the early ones were pointed inland to defend against a French land invasion when people assumed they should be pointed out to the sea)

[@again5162]

Port Out Sternside Home,= acronym for POSH

[@cotton9087]

Some class forts on the Isle of Wight 👌🏻

[@flashgordon6670]

Black gang chine that’s my favourite.

[@MrWasjig]

History Hit is history hitting out banger after banger!

[@leeneon854]

Loads in Portsmouth Portsdown hill, been in them, spit banks forts too, catch a enemy fleet in a cross fire, several in Southsea too, old marine barracks

[@rolandscales9380]

05:27 Napoleon III declared himself Emperor in 1852, after four years as President, *not* in "the late 1850s" as the curator said. I would suggest that the actual planning of a fortification network, with its ancillary funding and logistics, had begun much earlier. There is inevitably a time-lapse between the germination of an idea and the completion of an ambitious project.

[@zworm2]

This was also the era of the Great Stink when the Thames river became so intolerable with human waste and the diseases associated with it were actually tracked to water sources monumental public works were undertaken to develop sewers under first London then other places. These and the railroads and the canals kept the Navvies well employed for many years!

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

Nice introduction video about British fortification in England Island shorelines behind a great British naval forces at that time.. While French naval forces through all its ages hadn't equaled capabilities to confront Britain naval forces after Medieval periods. Thank you for your respectful ( history Hit) channel

[@dcross6360]

These forts are represented well (on a smaller scale) here in Canada. Fort Henry and Wellington in my area

[@Pyjamarama11]

I hope Cpl Davies wasn't in charge of sighting -in the big guns 😅 What a great character

[@djreacts8962]

😂😂

[@darrenjosephgregory]

Fort Nelson is a great day out. Surprising how cold the underground tunnels are.

[@flashgordon6670]

What temperature were you expecting.

[@BillyBob-wq9fl]

The starforts huh? Good one.

[@jess53nz]

Can we please get Tom his own show a la mrs crocombe in the Victorian way? He's amazing.

[@MrLotrecht]

In the 80s I sleped in Dovers Fort after some Punkrocks showed me the entrance into it! I never was again so full of fear! There has been noises in cant describe!

[@ashcarrier6606]

The food wasn't great, but on the whole, it beats unemployment. Or service in the navy.

[@eternalbordome]

HAHAHAHAHA! I have dyslexia and I read the title as "Can You Survive a Neolithic Invasion in A Victorian Fort?" lol.

[@sijul6483]

That would be interesting nonetheless to witness.

[@spiritofthegorg6950]

Thats defintely some of my daydreaming material 😂❤

[@flashgordon6670]

Xylophone.

[@eternalbordome]

@@flashgordon6670 surprisingly a complex word like Xylophone is easier for a person with dyslexia to read. It's because there are few to no words similar enough to it to get scrambled. Plus, dyslexia is absolutely not the same for everyone. A mess with dyslexia word is harbinger. That one can get me most times and the result is random, and sometimes funny. Actually having it isn't too bad when you know that you do, it's those that don't know they have it who are suffering.

[@flashgordon6670]

Dyslexia is the worst of all. Was it Sean Lock who joked about that?

[@user-tn1vc1xz5d]

I love a nice star fort ❤😂

[@pcka12]

Palmerston's follies, the funny thing is that eventually Napoleon the third ran away to safety in Britain!

[@mirola73]

'mucker' is a very common word in the local area where I live (NI), more used by the older generations

[@The_Greedy_Orphan]

The star fort (fort George) just outside of inverness is still in use as a military base today.

[@khalee95]

The thing about star forts is that the French learned that you can position cannons in a way that can be used to fire raking shots on the opposite side of the walls.

[@fosterfuchs]

They checked recruits for deformities of the ....... as Jeremy Clarkson puts it: gentlemen's sausage.

[@flashgordon6670]

I have a Penis. Is that a deformity? 8===D

[@BonesyTucson]

Some interesting anti-zombie potential

[@HistoryHit]

😂😂😂

[@ashcarrier6606]

Was this a television program? It should've been if it wasn't.

[@AC-yh3lf]

Noice, Richard.

[@garethoneill5676]

Somewhat ironic that Singapore fell to the Japanese because all the guns in the fortresses there faced out towards the sea.

[@JamesNeave1978]

We got married at Fort Purbrook, the east most of those Palmerston's Follies on the south downs above Portsmouth, same as Nelson.

[@Hardside65]

Napoleon III. asked his spies about the british Strongholds and the defence on the south of Great Britain . " Well Emperor, we should better attack another country . Maybe the German Reich ."

[@michaeldowson6988]

The Eastern border of Canada /USA is guarded by forts, blockhouses, Martello towers and citadels from the 19th C. The Rideau Canal is the only canal in the world build solely as a military transport/communication route. The cost of that appalled Westminster, but the US threat was real. Quebec City Is the most fortified and completely intact; the citadel is home to the Royal 22nd Reg. The only intact walled city north of the Yucatan.

[@amulawa]

I wouldn't trust ol wonky eye to be shooting a cannon

[@carlcramer9269]

The British destroyed Bomarsund, a fortification much like this in Åland in 1854, during the Crimean War - which was also fought in the Baltic. Considering they had defeated Bomarsund it seems odd to build a series of similar forts in Britain. Bomarsund's main weakness was simply that its guns were out-ranged by British naval guns, so these forts could be given modern guns... but experience with military history tells me forts always have second priority next to naval vessels, so the forts' guns would always be somewhat outdated.

[@flashgordon6670]

They could build a very tall tower and put guns on it to get more range.

[@davidclayton4067]

Sorry work, gotta watch a documentary

[@headishome8452]

😊

[@TheLucanicLord]

Pretty difficult, since it wouldn't have been built at the time.

[@coppertopv365]

33:48 Lack of Antibiotics, hygienics like washing hands an wounds, and proper medical treatments caused more deaths in this time frame than weapons alone. Hard to believe Doctor's cut a leg off most of the time without even rinsing the table, the Equipment or their hands.

[@martinfleming7001]

Your map misses out the Hilsea lines forts

[@mark.083]

Within the first five minutes the statement of England "Not being ready and finding themselves behind" against the french...Um.... Not much has changed since then actually!

[@Russia-bullies]

As the fort has tunnels,prison cells,foundation thats under sea lvl. & access to water & electricity,the fort ain’t a total folly.

[@Gemma_J]

My home town 😊

[@collingalbraith4343]

18:17 I don’t think he would have made it boys

[@GardenBirdWatch]

13:10 so that’s where trample comes from we use it regularly in Ireland

[@Styphon]

I prefer the Halifax Citadel, Nova Scotia

[@WaiferThyme]

Halifax girl here. The hill is awesome! Even with the old dungeons sealed off!

[@a.s.j.g6229]

Built in the same period by the same people, makes sense they are similar

[@WaiferThyme]

@@a.s.j.g6229 even to the grass ramparts.

[@WaiferThyme]

This fort looks like Citadel Hill in Halifax Nova Scotia ...cut in half!

[@nigeh5326]

Breakfast, dinner and tea is still the way many of us in the midlands and the north call what southerners would say is breakfast, lunch and dinner.

[@HistoryHit]

Fair point!

[@flashgordon6670]

I have breakfast, elevenses, brunch, lunch proper, dinner 1, dinner 2, tea and Supper. Not all in the same day though.

[@brittakriep2938]

Looks rather similar to relicts of former Bundesfestung Ulm in Germany.

[@JJLewin1]

I have been lucky enough to conduct paranormal investigations in a number of historical fortress's both in England and overseas.

[@flashgordon6670]

Charlatan.

[@JJLewin1]

Oh Dear, I'm offended@@flashgordon6670

[@Anglo_Saxon1]

Where there's muck there's brass 👍

[@OutermostGold]

Tom did not pass inspection

[@djscottdog1]

How did it take people so long to fix the water supply. Instinct tells you the water is bad.

[@joeandjoe2]

The HS2 Project of the day.

[@45madone]

Always facinated myself why these were built and finally completed in 1870, 30 years before the turn of the centry when invasion seemed unlikely at best

[@hardalarboard8876]

Make more videos with corporal davies!!!

[@zworm2]

Semmelweis was the Father of handwashing in medicine and adopted similar ideas of statistics that Nightingale did also. They were of the same era and it seems likely they heard of each others work, perhaps during the Crimean conflict? The established medical world frowned on the ideas of both of them and cast it aside. Semmelweis being institutionalized in an asylum by his peers.

[@poil8351]

Late victorian military punishment was not so bad compared to the napoleonic era or the first world war. Flogging was phased out.

[@pvtmadmike]

I really enjoyed your video I used to re-enact the war of 1812 in Canada for 10 years, and we have been in many of the Forts here in Ontario Canada and the USA. Fort Henry in Kingston Ontario was built the same way to protect us from the invading American army in that same time period. It was never used, as well and went in disrepair. It is now a beautiful historic site. on the harbor of Kingston. Full of life in the summer when they do musket and Cannon drill of the same period. as your fort. As part of the British empire. We have a lot of the same history here in Canada. History T.V. needs to come visit. Keep Up the great work.

[@flashgordon6670]

Didn’t the 1812 war last for just a year or less? Reenacting it for 10 years is unhistorical.

[@pvtmadmike]

@@flashgordon6670 actually the American's did start it and it lasted to 1814 :) and after it all we still had the same borders

[@crabcrab2024]

Could you survive a banzai attack of mounted samurai in a Maginot line bunker?

[@bigpanda307]

awesome vid! watched from beginning to end. Hope we don't need to use them when Russia comes.

[@flashgordon6670]

If Russia ever did invade, I doubt they’d start at Portsmouth.

[@robertrobert7924]

How were these forts used during WW1 and WW2 ?

[@flashgordon6670]

That’s explained in the video. You weren’t listening!

[@poil8351]

In a word yes napoleon didn't have shells. Of course french 2nd empire then maybe the french had a well equiped army with lots of veterans and a decent navy. Of course the real fear at the time were not the french but the russians. Infact the uk were sort of copying the french military for a while at least until 1870 then they stated copying the germans.

[@robinwhitebeam3955]

The forts were built by people who were concerned by continental armies and navies. If any foreign army had landed in force then the UK are beaten.

[@flashgordon6670]

Nonsense man. We’ve got the homeguard, local militias, bonfire societies, cadets and the police and reams of Morris dancers and folk bands. You’ll never get a foreign army through that lot and even if you do, every man, woman and child will fight to their dying breath.