WW1 and WW2 Defences - Suffolk and beyond

The last post of the June visit to Norfolk (actually managed to get quite a lot in considering it was not a trip specially to see WW2 defences!).  Both of these locations on the north Norfolk coast had exits off the beach so were well defended. Brancaster in particular would have been well defended as there was also an emergency Coastal battery located here although not much remains now. Type 28 pillboxes for the 2 pounder anti-tank gun covered the exit at both beaches although both are now virtually hidden by vegetation (it was not possible to get a photo of the one at Holme).  Two other pillboxes can be seen at Brancaster, one a unique irregular hexagonal design. Nearby is a pillbox for a medium machine gun, presumably based on the 1936 design sometimes referred to as a Type 27,  but is unusual in that it has no chamfered corners.  The corrugated iron sheet used for shuttering has clearly left its mark! Christopher Bird in Silent Sentinels lists a Type ...

Not done much out and about in Suffolk since the visit to Long Melford so another post from the June visit to Norfolk. I took the opportunity to visit Docking to see a Norcon Pillbox. The name is after the company that came up with the design - it is basically a section of concrete sewer pipe with four or five loopholes cut in the side. It was one of several pre-fabricated pillbox designs intended for quick production that were put forward in the desperate days of the summer of 1940. Although quite a large number were used, few survive today. Christopher Bird in his excellent book 'Silent Sentinels' lists three surviving in Norfolk, two at Docking and one at Weybourne.  Although his photo of the Weybourne example, dated 1990, shows it complete, later photos I've seen show it badly damaged and I could not find it a couple of years ago when I looked, so it may no longer exist. I know of no examples in Suffolk. The pillbox could either be sited on the ground as it was or dug ...

Spent an enjoyable Saturday at Melford Hall, Long Melford. In the morning continued to assist in the survey of the defences in the Hall grounds, which formed part of the Eastern Command Line. In the afternoon became a National Trust Volunteer, helping dig a 1x1 mtr test pit on The Green as part of a TV series looking at the lives of ordinary people through the ages. The lives of the people of Long Melford are to feature in this and the series basically gets as many local people as possible to dig test pits, record and document what they find, under the supervision of professional archeologists. The National Trust property at Long Melford took part hence me becoming a NT volunteer for the afternoon. Anyway back to the WW2 remains. I had already visited last Apr to look Pillbox ‘C5’ (the reference number given to it on the original plans) with NT surveyor Tom MacKinlay. C5 was a shell proof pillbox with a central AA well to drawing CRE 1113.  During this visit we also located t...

The second post from a recent few days in Norfolk looks at the remains at RSPB Titchwell and nearby marshes. The whole area between Hunstanton and the Burnham's have a long history as bombing / target ranges dating from the First War to post second War. Hence making sense of some of remains in the Titchwell area is difficult. Most opinion states that Titchwell was used as Moving Target Range (MTR) for tank gunnery.  It may have also been used as a bombing range - there  is what appears to be a fairly standard quadrant bombing tower at Thornham Point which overlooks Titchwell Marshes.  I am not sure if the tower is second war or post War. There is also the possibility of the area being used as MTR for anti-aircraft gunnery. There is a good post on the whole area on the Airfield Information Exchange Forum. Image 1: Shelter at RSPB Titchwell connected with MTR / bombing range Image 2: Shelter for winch gear that would have pulled the moving targets - RSPB Titchwell Image...