Looking out from Cleethorpes one cannot fail to notice the guardians of the Humber - the two World War 1 forts.  Haile Sands Fort is some 2 miles south of Cleethorpes and a mile east of Humberston.  Bull Fort partners it on the north side

Early in 1914, with tension increasing between Britain and Germany, the Military Authorities became concerned about the vulnerability of the Humber to attack. In June, 2 Admirals and 3 Generals, comprising the Home Forts Defence Commmittee, came to have a look. They made their report expecting it to be filed and forgotten. The spit of sand runing out to Haile Sands, dry at certain tides, was surely possible. Bull Sands with 12 ft of water at low tide was another matter.

In August war broke out and work on the forts started. Bull Fort would be 80ft in diameter and stand 50ft above high water. It would be equipped with guns and observing posts and be electrically lit with a garrison of 200 men. There would be stores, a magazine, offices, generating plant, and water tanks. Haile would be slightly smaller. They would stand on submerged sandbanks.

During construction the weather proved as much of an enemy as the Germans. For months in early 1915 storms lashed the Humber Mouth.. A double elliptical steel caisson would have barges anchored outside it and mechanical diggers would excavate within.

The forts were planned like a vast drum on a spinal column from which radiated girder ribs all bound together by reinforced concrete carrying heavy guns, searchlights in sponsons, protected magazines and vulnerable machinery. Despite problems the forts neared completion, the garrison quarters were kitted out and finally, instead of being painted the forts were rendered with a brand new invention, the American cement gun, providing a better protection against the elements.

In Grimsby meanwhile enormous 100 ton blocks of concrete were made and shipped out to be dropped all about the structure to prevent scour. It is estimated that the weight of concrete and steel on and around Bull Fort alone amounts to 40,000 tons.

The guns, the searchlights, the central heating, baths, ventilation, cleverly designed beds and al the home comforts were finally in place and the men moved to their stations. It had taken just over 3 years and £ million to complete the work.

And then the war ended before they had fired a shot in anger.

They were still there and manned in 1939 and remained a positive deterrent. Both forts were manned throughout the war and were continually attacked by enemy aircraft.

Their bulk still looms over the glittering and grim waters of the river they were built to close, monuments to mans determination to beat not only the nations enemies but the very elements which continue to batter her shores. Today Bull Fort is in use as a navigational aid and has a huge bell on top automatically rung by a gas pressure hammer. Apart from that and the lights on board, there is an automatic tide gauge which tells ships masters the state of the tides and whether they will have enough clearance to get up the river.

In recent years both forts have passed into private ownership but today they still stand untouched although plans have been passed to turn Bull Fort into a detoxification centre for drug addicts.