PRN 70616 A possible First World War searchlight position has been identified on allotments to the north of Lincoln city. Anti-aircraft guns and searchlights were usually deployed together, and in small numbers. By June 1916, Lincoln had been provided with two anti aircraft (AA) sites at Canwick, and at Burton Road, each mounting a twelve pounder, twelve cwt AA gun and each, most probably, being accompanied by a searchlight. These sites were under Sheffield AA Command [ref: WO33/828]. A site for a single searchlight would have included a concrete platform on which was mounted the projector itself, some form of accommodation for the crew, a latrine, a cooking facility, and a store for the generator and spares. In February 2008, a 96 year old allotment holder, recorded that he remembered seeing a searchlight in action against a Zeppelin from his allotment in 1916. The site is located at the south end of the allotments backing onto Mount Street, south of Yarborough Crescent, east of Burton Road, and behind the Shell garage at approximately SK9725 7270. There appear to be five distinct elements to the site: (1) A concrete platform ten feet [3.3 metres] wide and at least fifteen feet [4.6 metres] deep, disappearing into debris on the allotments' boundary. (2) A concrete platform three feet by five feet [0.9 metres by 1.5 metres]. (3) A concrete platform eighteen feet [5.5 metres] by three foot six inches [1.07 metres] and at least six inches [15 centimetres] thick. There is a channel cut along the entire length, about six inches [15 centimetres] back from the leading edge. A galvanised iron drum about two feet [60 centimetres] in diameter, and four feet [1.2 metres] high sits in front of the platform but may have no connection. (4) A rectangular dwarf-walled enclosure eight feet by twelve feet [2.44 metres by 3.66 metres], with an apparent entrance at one end. It appears to be constructed from cast concrete slabs measuring fifteen inches [38 centimetres] high, by varying lengths, and containing square holes for fixing bolts. The corners are strengthened by overlapping slabs, and the long walls by wedge-shaped concrete blocks. The 'entrance' has internal returns. (5) A concrete path links (1) and (4), terminating in a platform in front of (4). The site contains large quantities of rubble, from whatever source. It appears that (1) might be the platform for the searchlight itself. The 1919 draft includes a concrete platform 30 feet [9.1 metre] in diameter, and this is significantly smaller than the ideal. (2) could be for an Elsan. (3) is possibly the base for a structure to house a generator, the groove being a drain for spilt diesel. (4) looks like a small crew room, the dwarf wall possibly supporting a timber or corrugated iron super structure. Prior to the appearance of the Nissen hut in 1917, a large number of prefabricated hut types were used, mainly designed to be portable. (5) is a path but it need not be contemporary. The evidence suggests that there was an AA position in the locality during the First World War. There is a live witness [who would have been about five at the time] to the existence of a searchlight here in 1916. The remains can be interpreted tentatively as being what they purport to be. {1}