The Royal Marine Siege Regiment 1940-44

Did you know that two 14-inch cross-Channel guns were installed near St Margaret’s at Cliffe in 1940?

These guns were named ‘Winnie’ and ‘Pooh’ and remained operational until September 1944. They were manned by the Royal Marine Siege Regiment; the Regiment was also responsible for three 13.5-inch railway guns (named ‘Sceneshifter’, ‘Piecemaker’ and ‘Gladiator’).

This extract from a wartime edition of The Navy List reveals the organisation of the Siege Regiment at the beginning of 1943. ‘A’ Battery provided the crews for ‘Winnie’ and ‘Pooh’ and ’B’ Battery was responsible for the railway guns.

Read an account by Michael Peretz MBE detailing the activities of The Siege Regiment.

Above: The 14-inch gun ‘Winnie’ in its camouflaged emplacement near St Margaret’s at Cliffe©IWM (H 7918)

Winnie in action