Sitting high above the Needles at the very western tip of the Isle of Wight, with a bird’s-eye views of the Solent and unspoilt countryside, is the Needles Old Battery, its history brought to life in artwork on site by the late comic artist, Geoff Campion. A Victorian fort built in 1862 for a war that never took place, it became known as one of ‘Palmerston’s Follies’ after the politician that commissioned it, but was called into action during both World Wars.
Owned by the National Trust, The Battery’s multi-layered story is brought to life in a series of atmospheric rooms that show just what it was like to work here for Victorian gunners through to Second World War officers.
The displays at the site include large illustrations by comic artist Geoff Campion, revamped in 2023, some printed on postcards.
Geoff’s artworks at the site illustrate the part it played in the history of modern Britain, too.
Geoff Campion, Comic Artist
Geoff Campion (19th November 1916 – 18 December 1997) was born in Coventry. He became a tax inspector, but when he was serving in World War Two as a staff officer in the East India Command, he started contributing cartoons to army magazine, Jambo.
Back in England, he answered an advertisement for a comic artist by Amalgamated Press in 1948. He got the job, and started out doing humorous cartoons for Knockout, but was soon drafted as artist for a new series of western comics, Cowboy Comics Library. His artwork was so outstanding he soon became the best in the genre, although he drew many other genres as well.
His many credits for various Amalgamated Press/IPC titles including Comet, Sun, Lion, and, later, Battle Action and Tiger, include work on series such as “D-Day Dawson”, “Jet Ace Logan”, “Johnny Cougar” and “Spellbinder”.
Exploring The Needles Battery
Also at the Old Battery, on the Parade Ground, stand two original guns, hauled up from the seas below where they were thrown years ago. Follow the underground tunnel as it twists and turns deep into the chalky cliffs and you’ll find a searchlight emplacement with views high above the Needles rocks and as far as Dorset on a clear day.
Further up the headland stands the New Battery. Here a small exhibition and a recreation of one of the rooms, reveals the astonishing and little-known story of Britain’s Cold War ‘race for space’, when British-made rockets were tested here under conditions of great secrecy – the work there also captured by Geoff.
• The Needles Old Battery and New Battery is at West High Down, Alum Bay, Isle of Wight PO39 0JH
• The National Trust: Needles Old Battery
• Derelict Places: Beneath the Battery (not open to the public)
• downthetubes: Geoff Campion-related Items
• downthetubes: Comic Spotlight: “Turville’s Touchstone”, aka “The Spellbinder”, from Lion
• Lambiek: Geoff Campion Profile
• Book Palace: Geoff Campion Art for Sale
Our thanks to comic fan Wes Cardy for drawing our attention to Geoff’s work
- About the Author
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: British Comics, Comic Art, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Exhibitions
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