Skip to main content

Ashby HAA Site

A break from Somme posts - back to WW2. This Sun I had a trip up to see this HAA, seeing I have started to add some AA details to the main website. This site was part of the Yarmouth Gun Defended Area and was established in 1941, first with mobile 3.7" guns but these were soon replaced with statics and  equipped with Gun Laying radar. It was located to the north of Lowestoft, no doubt to protect against any enemy aircraft approaching the town from the north and also probably to protect Fritton  which was I think was used to store Depth Charges by the Navy. It later provided HAA protection for Fritton Lake during 79th Armoured Division's trials with DD Tanks from 1943 onwards.


Above: Ashby HAA site today.

The  site is  typical of the 1941 layout for static HAA sites with both the 1941 gun pit and Command Post designs. Quite a lot of the site still survives today including all four gun pits, the Command Post, hard standings and two BCF Huts from the domestic site. It is really sad to see the site slowly being buried by old straw bails, manure and other farm rubbish. 

First set of images show the Command Post:






Images 1-3: The Command Post
Image 4: Interior of the Post - this is the Plotting Room
Image 5: A room like this is on either side of the Post - the steps lead up to the area where the Predictor, Spotting Scope etc were located.

Next set of images show the gun pits - these are the 1941 design and incorporated shelters for the gun crew.





Image 1: One of the gun pits - the gun was on a mount bolted down in the centre of the pit with surrounding recesses for ammunition storage and two crew shelters
Image 2: Two ammunition lockers (left and right recess) and entrance to one of the crew shelters (centre)
Image 3: Entrance to one of the crew shelters
Image 4: Interior of a crew shelter

The final set of images show what remains of the Domestic camp (accommodation, ablutions etc)






Image 1: BCF Hut
Image 2: BCF Hut - only the frame remains of this one
Image 3: Interior of the better preserved hut
Image 4 &5 : Huts were located along the line of the hedge row and remains of the bases can still be seen. 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Eastern Command Line - a lazy post

As the title suggests, just a lazy post today, a few pics of CRE Colchester design pillboxes in the Sudbury area to round of the thread on this May visit. Also one pic of concrete road block cylinders now being used as part of river bank defences. This is the first time I have come across this type of road block in Suffolk although I suspect it was probably used quite widely on this Stop Line, perhaps I will come across more examples / references in time. These pictures do show a timeless landscape - traditional floodplain meadows still used for grazing, with the Second World War clearly marking its presence. Lets just hope both the pillboxes and  grazing meadows will be preserved.
Post a Comment
Read more

RAF Hethel Defence Post

At RAF Station Hethel, a remarkable defence post still exists.  Admittedly, RAF Hethel is in Norfolk and not Suffolk, but the records for this site do provide some interest in relation to the defence of airfields in Eastern Command. Work on Hethel began in 1941 and the station was opened late 1942 and was actually one of the RAF Stations handed over to the USAAF for the use of its bomber units. The defence post was constructed in accordance with a new policy adopted by Eastern Command. Previously, airfield defences had been built as a result of the Taylor Report and largely consisted of pillboxes and breastworks which were large and conspicuous and vulnerable to air attack. Experience at Crete had shown the need for small inconspicuous field works. The new defences were to now consist of small two man weapon-slits and small machine gun pits constructed in accordance with “Infantry Training, 1937” Supplement No.3 – “The design and lay-out of Field Defences, 1942”. Above...
Post a Comment
Read more

Anti-tank ditch

December 31st Decided to visit the anti-tank ditch at Aldringham Walks this afternoon. It was constructed between late 1940 and early 1941 and ran from (north to south) Sizewell to the north of Thorpeness Mere. Some of its length is still visible today (see map and bottom photo)). The war diary of 9th Cameronians (15th Div) mentions the construction of the ditch in Margaret Wood (vicinity of No 12 Platoon, B Coy).  The diary also mentions a pillbox being destroyed by the RE in No 12 platoons area, but no luck in finding any remains this time. The diary would also indicate the ditch was a combined obstacle with Z1 scaffolding. The top left photo shows the remains of a weapons pit/shell slit; six pieces of angle iron revetment still exist - one of the pieces is clearly visible in the photo. Perhaps this is part of No 12 platoons position. Many years ago when beating up the young woodland I found a Yorkshire billhook with the WO arrow dated 1946, so this area would appear to have ...
Post a Comment
Read more