Sealand was built by the British during the Second World War. It was used as an army and navy fort. It was located outside Britain’s water border, so it was to be demolished after the end of the war, but somehow it was not destroyed. It is much smaller than a football field, only 4000 square meters. Its platform is known as the Rough Tower.
Made during World War II
HM Fort Roughs was built by the UK government in 1943 as one of its Maunsell Forts during the Second World War. These were done primarily as a defense against important shipping lanes in the surrounding boroughs. It was also useful against German mine-laying aircraft. These Maunsell forts were decommissioned in 1956.
Who owns Sealand?
Paddy Roy Bates captured Sealand in the year 1967. They claimed it through pirate radio channels and declared it a sovereign country. However, for the last 54 years it is working under the United Kingdom Government. The Principality of Sealand is however a disputed small nation.
British workers attempted to enter the Principality of Sealand in 1968 to service their shipping buoys. Bates tried to scare them by firing a few shots as a warning. He was summoned by a UK court. He was not punished because his offense was outside the 3 nautical mile limit of the country’s territorial waters and thus the case could not proceed.