Casemate 84

FSG HANDBOOK
draft 1.

Alan Fyson.

Nov. 2008

A WELCOME FROM THE CHAIRMAN.

As the Group has grown over the years it has become more difficult to keep everyone informed. I hope that this handbook will fill that gap. New members may feel somewhat intimidated by the breadth of knowledge displayed by longstanding members, but I would like to assure newcomers that they are very welcome; we are not cliquey or exclusive, and we are only too happy to share our knowledge with them. When you come along to a meeting, don't be shy of asking to meet me, the Secretary, and the other Committee Members.

Bill Clements
Chairman FSG.

1. INTRODUCTION.

Although the Fortress Study Group (FSG) was founded over thirty years ago there has never been a members' handbook. Over time there is a natural tendency for it to be assumed that everyone "knows the ropes" and the background to matters discussed at meetings when, in fact, this may well not be the case. News or policy is sometimes published just once in Casemate when it should have permanent status. New members in particular need a handy guide to what happens, what help they can get, and how to access the wealth of knowledge which is available to them. It is intended this handbook will provide that information.

2. HISTORY.

The Fortress Study Group was founded in 1975 to represent the interests of those actively involved in the study of fortification since the introduction of gunpowder. Since then the membership has grown to over six hundred in 32 countries. Members include professional architects, engineers, archaeologists and historians, retired or serving members of the armed forces as well as professional institutions and those with a casual but enthusiastic interest. The Group is legally an unincorporated association and is a registered charity. It is not subject to tax on its charitable activities and cannot charge or reclaim VAT. Where UK taxpayer members have completed a Gift Aid form the Group can reclaim income tax at the basic rate on their subscriptions.
See Appendix 1 for the constitution.

3. THE COMMITTEE.

The elected officers of the FSG are: the Chairman, the Editor of FORT, the Editor of Casemate, the Reviews Editor, the Treasurer and the Secretary. In addition, the Librarian, the Webmaster and the Archivist are nominated members. Six ordinary elected members complete the Committee.
The Committee meets formally twice a year. Members of the Committee receive travel expenses but no other payments.

4. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING and CONFERENCE.

The AGM takes place in early September, at a different venue in the UK each year (Charity Law requires it to be held in the UK), and is normally held during the annual Conference which is the main event in the FSG calendar.
The AGM is an opportunity to elect new Committee Members, to receive and approve the annual accounts, and to hold the Officers and Committee to account! The Conference, often based on a University or military mess usually starts on a Friday evening and finishes on the Sunday night. The days are spent touring a variety of fortifications, museums etc. while in the evenings there are lectures and the AGM, as well as the opportunity to socialise. An information pack of literature on the places to be visited is always provided. There is normally an optional extra visit on the Monday; this often takes the form of a boat trip. Dress is informal unless specially advised in the joining instructions. Visits to fortifications can be energetic, hazardous, rough and damp: suitable footwear and clothing is essential, and a torch is often useful. While the vast majority of places visited will be readily accessible and suitable for everyone, those less fit and able may have to forgo the occasional site.
If you are a first-timer you can be assured of a warm welcome: do speak up and ask to be introduced to the Chairman, Secretary and the other Committee Members. Mention any special field of interest, and someone will be sure to tell you who is the expert in that field. There is usually a sale of books surplus to the Library and from outside dealers.

5. MEMBERS' DAYS.

Member's days are held annually in March or April and alternate between the North and the South. Southern meetings have been held in London, but latterly at Fort Nelson near Portsmouth. Northern meetings have been in York or Leeds. A small charge is made to cover expenses. These are informal events at which members bring along slides, photographs, DVDs etc or simply give talks on places they have visited. Don't assume that everyone will already know about and have been to the place you recently visited - if you are doubtful you can always contact the organiser and find out!

6. OVERSEAS TOURS.

Every year an overseas Study Tour is undertaken. The venues are sometimes driven by events in that an affiliated group may advise of a special event or anniversary and invite the FSG to participate. To cater for as many pockets as possible, an ambitious (i.e. expensive) tour one year is usually followed in the next year by a more modest event. It is very difficult for the organiser to establish exact costs in advance, as these fluctuate with exchange rates and the numbers who finally commit to the tour. To cover this, an estimate is given which may have to be exceeded. Conversely, any substantial surplus (i.e. over 10%) is returned to the participants. Apart from visits to the near Continent, when a coach is sometimes arranged, it is usually up to the participants to arrange their own flights or other travel to the venue.

Ken Tough acts as FSG Marketing and Finance Manager for overseas Tours when they are organised by overseas affiliates.

It is also possible to join in tours throughout the world which are run by overseas affiliated groups and which are announced in Casemate. Again, it is necessary to make your own travel arrangements to the starting point.

7. FORT.

FORT is a high quality annual academic publication which contains articles about the theory, development, practice, conservation, adaptation and reuse of fortifications and military architecture. For reasons buried in the past, FORT 28 (year 2000) was omitted from the series and at the time of writing remains to be caught up. Some back numbers of FORT are available for sale - see Casemate for details.
Detailed notes on submissions to FORT were published in FORT 35 (2007).

8. CASEMATE.

Casemate is the group's magazine which appears three times a year. It includes news, articles about fortifications, reports of tours, trips and visits, book reviews, and forthcoming events. If you visit a fort when on holiday and think it deserves wider notice, why not write a brief article with a picture or two? If it's the first time you have written anything like that or if you are doubtful about its value, or think that everyone must already know about it, just have a chat with the editor first.
Back issues of all Casemates are available for sale.

9. WEBSITE.

The FSG has its own website at www.fsgfort.org which provides an overview of the group and a "Stop Press" page for the latest events and information. The site also contains the contents list of the current edition of Casemate, together with links to the full text and colour photographs of two of the articles. In addition, on the members' pages, there is an index covering Casemate from number 66 to date with links to the illustrated full-text articles. Details of the contents of the current edition of FORT are similarly available on the public area of the site, together with links to the full text and colour photographs of two of the articles. There is also an index covering FORT from volume 21 to date. Some of the later volumes have links to a few articles. The members' area of the website is password protected. The password is published in the current edition of Casemate. The area contains copies of the minutes of previous AGMs, an index to the books in the FSG library, and also details of recent archaeological excavations in the UK of relevance to the Group.

10. LIBRARY.

The FSG Library consists of books sent for review or donated/bequeathed to the Group. Books can be donated/bequeathed to the Library on the understanding that duplicate or unsuitable items may be sold to raise funds. A donation/bequest form can be obtained from the Librarian. A list of the holdings is published periodically with Casemate or can be obtained from the FSG website. The Library is now at the Royal Armouries, Fort Nelson, Fareham, Hampshire. To consult the Library an appointment must be made in advance with Philip Magrath Curator of Artillery on 01329 848501. There is no loan facility.

11. ARCHIVE.

The FSG holds some material which has been saved from some members' personal collections.
The archive is in Norfolk and can accessed by arrangement with the Hon. Archivist. However, the FSG is unable to accept further donations/bequests of archive material and can only assist in finding suitable repositories/recipients. The material currently held is to be dispersed over a period as the FSG is unable to provide guaranteed long-term secure accommodation or staff to maintain it.

12. MEMBERSHIP.

TIt is important for the long-term viability of the Group to maintain and increase its membership. A leaflet is obtainable from the Membership Secretary and a supply is brought along to meetings. Members are encouraged to leave these at suitable venues and to give them to prospective members.
Honorary Fellows are persons who have given distinguished service to the FSG and who are voted this honour as a mark of appreciation.

13. RESEARCH.

Some will wish to research sites which they visit, either out of curiosity or with a view to eventual publication. In the UK a good starting point is back copies of FORT, Casemate, and FORTRESS, all of which are held in the FSG Library (q.v.) at Fort Nelson. Most of the standard works on fortification are also held there.
For more detailed research, the National Archives at Kew hold many of the official Fort Record Books which were compiled for each fortification; these form the prime source material. The museums of the Royal Artillery at Woolwich and the Royal Engineers at Chatham have detailed material in their archives covering the construction, armament and manning of the UK forts.
Much valuable material is available on the web, particularly the sites of the Palmerston Forts Society at www.palmerstonforts.org.uk, the Pillbox Study Group & UK Fortifications Club at www.pillbox-study-group.org.uk, the site www.ecastles.co.uk, and Subterranea Brittanica at www.subbrit.org.uk.
It may well be that another member has already done the research you are after; why not check with the FSG Secretary and/or put a notice in Casemate? This may save a lot of time and effort which would be wasted in duplication.
To research foreign sites, the FSG Library is again a good starting point. Then go to the FSG website and follow the links to our associated groups abroad. Again, a word with the FSG Secretary and/or a note in Casemate may well pay dividends.

14. PUBLICATION GRANTS.

Some members go on to write books about fortification and allied subjects which are published in the usual way, but finding a publisher who is willing to support a very specialist publication which may have only a limited circulation can be difficult. To assist in the publication of such works which would be of interest to the members, the FSG may make grants (not normally exceeding £1,000) from the Publication Fund to assist in the publication of books on subjects which promote the general aims of the FSG. Further details and application forms can be found on the FSG website or can be obtained from the Secretary.

15. REGIONAL GROUPS.

The only regional group currently operating is the South-West Group. (Hon Sec. Michael Clark mnclark@talk21.com). See Appendix 2 for details of its constitution, which would provide a model for similar groups elsewhere. A network of Regional Representatives has been re-established to give local focal points for information and advice, and to keep an eye on local topics of interest as well as reporting in Casemate.

16. INTERNATIONAL GROUPS.

The FSG has links to a number of international groups: they are listed on the FSG website and regular reports/items appear in Casemate. The FSG has a representative on the International Fortress Council. Members are able to attend visits, seminars and meetings which are publicised in Casemate.

17. USE of the FSG NAME.

Members should not hold themselves up to be representing the FSG in any way unless they are acting with the prior agreement of the Committee. Detailed guidance is given in Appendix 3.

18. SITES and ACCESS.

Prior permission to access a site should always be obtained from the owner. Many owners are happy to allow access but any restrictions they apply (such as avoiding certain areas or publishing site details) should be rigorously observed. If access is refused then the decision must be respected. You should not claim to represent the Group unless you are preparing for a formal visit which has been approved by the committee.

19. SAFETY and RISK ASSESSMENT.

This is a much-maligned field but one where common sense needs to be liberally applied. Clearly no-one needs to do a risk assessment before reading Casemate in the comfort of an armchair or buying a ticket to visit a fort which is open to the public. However, undertaking the organisation of a Tour or even exploring a disused site should be approached in a rather more methodical way.

There are three stages in a risk assessment: listing the reasonably foreseeable risks, assessing the potential injury from each, and then deciding what steps can be taken to mitigate them. For example:
Perhaps a nearby farmer's field has a disused anti-aircraft battery on it which you wish to explore. Having obtained permission to visit, you run a risk of injury from something as simple as tripping over a lump of concrete. The risk may actually be quite high. Would anyone know that you were there if you were unable to walk? The potential is there for a fatality. It could be mitigated by ensuring that someone knew where you were going and when you expected to be back; by going with someone else; and/or by taking a mobile phone with you.

Perhaps you are organising a tour, either an official one, or just a group of friends. The biggest source of danger is likely to be the means of travel. Is the minibus or coach hired from a reputable firm who will supply a qualified professional driver? Or was it borrowed and to be driven by you or one of the group who may or may not be competent to do so? Does that cheap boat paid cash-in-hand to go around the harbour have a licence to take passengers, let alone the safety equipment required?

Simply sitting down and thinking logically about these things could prevent a tragedy, and at its lowest, if anything went wrong, the ability to show that a risk assessment had been carried out would be a strong protection against an accusation of negligence. Always retain a copy of the risk assessment until the event has finished.

20. INSURANCE.

The group holds two insurance policies, one to cover UK activities and one to cover overseas tours. These cover Public Liability and Legal Costs. Travel, medical and personal injury insurance is NOT held and is entirely the responsibility of the individual. Details may be obtained from the Secretary.

21. ORGANISING an AGM/CONFERENCE or OVERSEAS TOUR.

It may be that you volunteer or are persuaded into volunteering to organise a Conference or Tour. Some guidelines and tips for prospective organisers are given in Appendix 4.

1.

The Society shall be named the Fortress Study Group.

2.

The object of the group shall be to advance the education of the public in the study of all aspects of fortifications and their armaments, especially works constructed to mount or resist artillery.
In furtherance of the above object but not further or otherwise the Group shall have the following powers:

3.

4.

5.

The affairs of the Group shall be managed by a Committee, elected at the AGM, that shall consist of the elected officers, ex officio, and by six ordinary Members, each to serve for a period of three years, two retiring each year. No ordinary member will be eligible to stand for re-election until a lapse of one year. The Committee may co-opt additional members for the period up to the next AGM.

6.

The Annual General Meeting shall be held in the UK, and shall usually be combined with the Autumn conference.

7.

8.

Resolutions passed at the AGM shall be binding on the Committee and the Group, except that after their initial agreement any change in the constitution, after approval at an AGM, will take effect unless a simple majority of all members shall, on a postal vote, object; and further, that no amendment to Clause 2, Clause 10 or this present Clause 9 shall be made without the prior approval of the Charity Commissioners, and no amendment or addition or deletion may be made the effect of which would cause the Group at any time to cease to be a charity in law.

9.

The Group may be dissolved by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting, including proxy votes of those unable to attend, and at a Special General Meeting convened for the purpose for which 28 days notice shall have been given. Such a resolution may give instructions for the disposal of any assets held by or in the name of the Group, provided that if any property remains after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities such property shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the Group but shall be given or transferred to such other charitable institution or institutions having objects similar to some or all of the objects of the Group as the Group may with the approval of the Charity Commissioners or other authority having charitable jurisdiction determine.

The Society shall be named the Fortress Study Group South West.

1.

The object of the group shall be to advance the education of the public in the study of all aspects of fortifications and their armaments, especially works constructed to mount or resist artillery.

2.

In furtherance of the above object but not further or otherwise the group shall have the following powers:

3.

Membership shall be open to all interested individuals or institutions.

4.

The elected officers of the society shall be:
Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, and may include Publicity/Newsletter Secretary, Librarian/Archivist and Events Officer.

Officers shall be elected at an Annual General Meeting, usually for a term of three years, which may be extended by a further three year period, although in the case of the Chairman, his/her period of tenure will not exceed six years.

5.

The affairs of the Group shall be managed by a Committee that shall consist of the elected officers and six ordinary members, each to serve for a period of three years, two retiring each year. No ordinary members will be eligible to stand for re-election until after a lapse of one year. The committee may co-opt additional members for the period up to the next AGM.

6.

The Annual General Meeting shall be held in the South West of England, in the third quarter of the year. 28 days notice by post shall be required to every member but non-receipt of such notice shall not invalidate the meeting.

7.

The Secretary shall maintain a list of members with names and addresses and details of their special knowledge and interests.

8.

9.

Resolutions passed the AGM shall be binding on the Committee and the Group.

10.

The Group may be dissolved by a resolution passed by a two thirds majority of those present and voting, including proxy votes of those unable to attend, at a Special General Meeting convened for the purpose of which 28 days' notice shall have been given. Such a resolution may give instructions for the disposal of any assets held by or in the name of the Group, provided that if any property remains after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities, such property shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the Group but shall be given or transferred to such other charitable institution or institutions having objects similar to some or all of the objects of the Group, as the Group may determine.

The FSG has not previously required a policy as to who may use the Group's name and in what circumstances it should or should not be used. Many of the FSG's more active members are semi-officially representing themselves as local or sub groups of the FSG.

To date this informal approach has given rise to no serious problems. To help ensure that this situation continues, the Committee felt that it would be prudent to develop guidelines for members wishing to use the FSG's name. It is not intended to create a bureaucracy or to discourage members from pursuing the group's legitimate aims.

Those using the FSG name or its derivatives, FSG-NE, FSG Database etc will mainly be Committee Members, Regional Representatives or those campaigning on particular issues. The latter may feel the credibility of the FSG name would assist them, for example, to save a site of particular importance. The use of the name is to be positively encouraged where it would lead to an increased public awareness of fortification and thus the FSG and its aims.

The following points should be considered when using the FSG's name:

1. Use of the Name - General.

The FSG's name should be used only in situations covered by Clause 2 of the constitution which states:

"2.

The object of the group shall be to advance the education of the public in the study of all aspects of fortifications and their armaments, especially works constructed to mount or resist artillery.
In furtherance of the above object but not further or otherwise the Group shall have the following powers:

See the Group's information leaflets for further guidance.

2. Use of the Name - Correspondence.

Except in trivial situations or as noted below, only official FSG stationery, obtainable from the Secretary, should be used for correspondence with non-members and outside organisations.
Regional Reps and FSG sub-groups may use their own stationery which should ideally follow the FSG "house style".

3. Use of the Name - Media.

When dealing with the media there is no protection against the journalistic tendency to misquote for effect. Experience has shown it to be a good policy, even for a simple interview, to provide a written press statement. This should clearly state the FSG's position and ideally include a copy of the FSG information leaflet. Members should carefully consider their argument and ensure that personal opinions or anything in conflict with the FSG's aims or charitable status are identified as such.
The Secretary may be able to give further advice and assistance, and in any case, copies of all such press statements should be sent to him.

4. Use of the Name - Approval.

Any member wishing to use the FSG name should advise the Secretary and seek his general approval. If in doubt as to whether the FSG name should be used in a particular case, the Chairman's opinion should be sought. In cases likely to be "controversial" such as objecting to proposed demolitions, the Chairman should be advised as a courtesy. The Casemate Editor should also be informed so that other members can be made aware of the FSG's campaigning activities.

5. Misuse of the FSG Name.

The group has no recourse in the event of inappropriate use of the FSG name, and so the onus is upon members to avoid such use and to promote the FSG. In the event of any adverse press coverage or other misuse, the Chairman should be advised of the circumstances in order that lessons may be drawn from the situation.

Each year the AGM/Conference takes place in a different area and with a different organiser. This is both a strength and a weakness in that a natural variety is introduced, but at the same time there is an inevitable element of "reinventing the wheel" each time with the lack of continuity. These notes are intended to provide some assistance to anyone contemplating the leadership of a conference/tour.

It is a reasonable assumption that anyone undertaking such a project has been a member for some years and will have attended conferences/tours themselves. Usually, they are planned two years in advance to provide preparation time. The leader of the annual conference is co-opted onto the committee for the prior year.

Organising a conference tour is very time-consuming. It helps if you are retired! If possible, you should gather a small group of willing helpers. If you are not retired, this is almost essential. In any case, you need at least one other person who will give a second opinion on plans and venues and proofread documentation for you.

The FSG is a voluntary organisation, and it is assumed that the preparation work for visiting possible sites etc and generally running around will be undertaken without reimbursement. Similarly, you should pay for your own place, and members assisting with stewarding, driving or giving lectures should not expect payment or free/reduced places. If your own circumstances make this impossible, or if there are likely to be exceptional preparatory expenses, you should make this clear at the outset and build them in to the final cost.

Perhaps the first thing to decide on is the approximate geographical area to attempt to cover. The second thing is to decide where to base the conference. University Halls of Residence are the usual venue, but military barracks/messes are sometimes available and are often very cheap by comparison. They do need to be booked provisionally as early as possible. Universities and Colleges are quite used to the concept of groups booking with the numbers remaining a movable feast until quite late in the day. As well as a lecture theatre, a room is needed for book sales by the librarian and possibly dealers.

Unless otherwise advised by the Committee, you should assume numbers as about 50 (one coachload): if the response exceeds this, start a waiting list and see if the numbers eventually justify another coach or a minibus. A minibus may in any case be needed to run a shuttle service to places which the coach cannot get close enough to. Coaches tend to get booked up quite early and prices vary greatly: it is worth casting around for a number of quotes.

It is a good idea to start by making a list of every possible site in the area and doing a little bit of desk/internet research. Some can be eliminated straight away as inaccessible or dangerous or even recently bulldozed! Then start going round visiting them all. If you have a visiting card made up with contact details etc this will save much scribbling and searching for pieces of paper and can be handed to receptionists and security men.

Inevitably, many of the sites to be visited will be open to the public anyway, but FSG members do like to get into sites which are not generally open, or which open only a few days a year! Try and include something for everyone, whatever their favourite period or type of concrete. Some conferences have been leisurely affairs, while others have tried to pack as much in as possible in the time. The choice is really yours as organiser. Some places may have re-enactors or displays which they will lay on by arrangement. Try to stop for lunch somewhere where there are toilets as well as shelter in the event of rain: ideally near a pub or café. Evening lectures (NOT on the Saturday - that is AGM night) can cover the history or aspects of the area covered or unrelated matters of general interest. Again, some members will want plenty of time to socialise, while others want to pack in as much as possible - you can't please them all.

A Monday morning extra trip (at extra cost) for those who can spare the time is traditional, often taking the form of a boat cruise or a visit to somewhere too distant or too specialised for the main tour. Normally this can be done using members' cars and arranging lifts.

Use previous conferences as a guide to documentation: do bear in mind the needs of first-time attendees who will not know the "usual form". It is a good idea to get it proofread by someone who has never been to a conference. The Conference Pack giving details of the sites visited should ideally contain original research, but if this is not possible, ensure that you obtain the agreement of, and acknowledge, the copyright holders of any material which you reproduce.

By the time your Conference flyer appears in Casemate the previous September, it should be possible to make a reasonable estimate of the cost per head, based normally on one coach load. The FSG constitution requires that conferences be self-funding, so the charge should be on a break even basis. Most conferences have made small profits, going to FSG funds, so there is a reserve to meet unexpected losses in order that the organisers will not be left out of pocket. You will need to open a bank account for the event, and the Treasurer will advance funds to pay deposits or to tide things over until you are able to collect money from the attendees. Do carry out a risk assessment, particularly of the travel arrangements (see para. 17).

Most public sites want you to make a booking so that too many groups do not descend at once, and some of the most unlikely places are now wedding venues. Do keep in touch with the sites you have booked between making the arrangements and the actual conference. If you book a venue with a regional office during its winter closing period, it is advisable to check as soon as possible that it is in the diary at the site once it opens for the season.

For the event itself it is a good idea to farm out as much as possible of the clerical work, whipping-in and counting of heads etc to a select band of willing helpers. Keeping an FSG conference on the road has been likened to herding cats - a hand foghorn is a good way of warning that time is up and the coach is leaving! As organiser, you will have quite enough to do on the day simply trouble shooting. Find out at registration who is over 60 and who is a member of English Heritage/CADW/Historic Scotland - this simplifies making entrance payments as you go round. Most places, incidentally, are happy to take the organisers word for the numbers.

Afterwards, don't forget to write thank-you notes to everyone who helped: later, it is sometimes a nice touch to send a copy of the Casemate which reports on the tour to non-members who have been particularly helpful. The Editor will supply you with extra copies if you ask him nicely!

Overseas Tours

These are further complicated by the difficulty of estimating numbers and by currency fluctuations. It is usual to quote a target cost, but to warn that it may be necessary to make further levies on the wallet up to the point of departure. Conversely, if a surplus is eventually made, this is returned to the attendees if it exceeds 10% of the total cost. If it is less than 10%, it is donated to FSG general funds.

It is desired that the documentation accompanying overseas tours be put into a common format so that it can be sold as a stand-alone booklet after the tour. Please consult with the Committee on this before arranging any print run.