Eastern Command Line: Northern extension

Eastern Command Line: Northern extension - part 3

This is perhaps one of the best pillbox walks I've ever done. Five pillboxes, all in good condition, all accessible and in some pleasant scenery. I started my walk from Three Holes (good general purpose store here to stock up with nibbles, drinks etc). I've already posted before on the Type 28a at Three Holes, so only one photo for this pillbox:

I continued past this pillbox, following a drain along which are situated four Type 24 Shell Proofs and two Type 28a's although unfortunately I only had time to visit three of the Type 24's and one of the Type 28a's.

The image below shows the landscape and the effective anti-tank obstacle the drain would have made. In fact any German Force landing on the north Norfolk Coast and making its way south would also have had to cross the Middle Level Main Drain, which runs in a north-easterly direction from Three Holes.

Next set of images show the three Type 24 shell proof pillboxes. All are in reasonable condition (some have lost quite a bit of their brick shuttering and one has had the brick anti-ricochet wall removed) and clean inside.

Above: Walking from Three Holes, the first of the shell proof Type 24's. Note the brick anti-ricochet wall has been removed.

Above: Second of the shell proof Type 24's

Above: Third of the shell proof Type 24's

Above: Type 28a Pillbox, suffering a bit from subsidence! Note those metal rods again on the inside of the main embrasure - still no idea what they were for!

After the Type 28a had to turn back to the car to continue my journey up north (there is a further Type 24 and 28a along the drain). Heading north from Three Holes I came across another Home Guard store in the next village, Outwell.

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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.

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...

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 ...

WW1 and WW2 Defences - Suffolk and beyond

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