REIGATE'S wartime history will be uncovered thanks to a grant from the National Lottery.
The Frontline Surrey Hills project has received a £50,000 grant to excavate the site of Reigate Fort, which was part of Britain's defences during the First World War.
The structures and emplacements on Reigate Hill, some of which date back to the 1800s, are still not properly documented or understood.
Experts hope excavating the fort and surrounding area will provide new insights to the fort's role in the nation's military history.
"There is a lot of history here," said Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty director Rob Fairbanks.
"Some is being lost due to trees destroying the archaeology.
"It is vital to document and record it while we can."
Frontline Surrey Hills is dedicated to uncovering and promoting the area's history, with a focus on the First World War ahead of its centenary .
The project – expected to last two years – will offer amateur and professional historians the chance to get involved.
With a large number of pillboxes and outlook posts built around the hill, volunteers will be needed to research the landscape and carry out surveys of existing emplacements.
Nigel Randall, an archaeologist with Surrey County Council's Archaeological Unit (SCAU), said: "There's a lot still to learn about Reigate Fort, both above and below ground.
"This project is an exciting one which we hope many people will want to be involved in."
School children will also benefit, with the Gatton Trust running special trips to the site to see the excavation.
Built in the late 19th century as a defence against French invasion, the fort was called into service again during the First and Second World Wars.
As part of a defensive ring along the North Downs, Field Marshall Montgomery trained troops in the area in the 1940s and the emplacements were used to help spot enemy aircraft.
"This will give an understanding of the importance of the North Downs Way," said Mr Fairbanks. Various regiments have been stationed at the fort over the years. Among them were: The East Surrey Regiment; Sherwood Foresters; The Staffordshire Regiment; 3rd Royal Engineer Field Companies (volunteers); and 3rd Royal Artillery Brigades (volunteers). Reigate Fort on Reigate Hill is managed by the National Trust. The former mobilisation centre is nestled in the slopes of the North Downs overlooks the towns of Reigate and Redhill, and has undergone a great deal restoration. It was built in the late 1890s and was one of 13 forts forming a line of defence, stretching 72 miles along the North Downs to protect London from invasion from the French. In 1906 the fort was decommissioned when the Government felt the Navy was so strong that the threat of invasion no longer existed. In the First World War it was used for storing ammunition and as a lookout, and was recommissioned in the Second World War. The Scout Association used the fort between and after the wars for camping and other activities and it was designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument in 1972. Today the fort is often used by living history groups, who try to bring the First and Second World War experience back to life with rations, uniforms and movements on the site. For information and to volunteer call Paul Bowen on 01483 519422.
