WW1 and WW2 Defences - Suffolk and beyond

This post continues on from my last post, following a part of the Command Line north of Bures towards Sudbury. As stated in my last post, the Command Line follows the railway line from Wakes Colne to Bure, with the anti-tank obstacle being an excavated anti-tank ditch. From Bures the Line follows the River Stour to Sudbury, where the river acts as the tank obstacle. Above: New Popular Edition One Inch OS Map showing River Stour north of Bures The defences do not seem to be as strong along this stretch of the Command Line as in other parts between Sudbury and Lavenham on which I have already posted some details on. There is only a single line of pillboxes, typically two or three bullet proof pillboxes to every shell proof pillbox. Between Long Melford and Lavenham the typical arrangement is a front line of shell proof pillboxes covering the tank obstacle while the bullet proof pillboxes covered the rear of the front line of pillboxes. This is possibly due to the fact ther...

Had a great day this Sunday exploring the Eastern Command Line between Bures and Sudbury, but started off the day by visisting the bent rail block and pillbox at Mount Bures. The Eastern Command Line in Essex ran from the River Colne to Wakes Colne, when it then followed the railway line to Bures and then from Bures it followed the River Stour to Sudbury into Suffolk. Parking in Mount Bures the first pillbox I came across was a standard CRE 1094 - a bullet proof infantry pillbox with an open central well for a AA mount. It guards a bridge under the railway line. Above: CRE 1094 pillbox, Mount Bures Further along the path  a remarkable survival exists (if a little overgrown!!) in the form of a pillbox complete with bent rail block and concrete tank blocks at a crossing point over the railway line. The bent rails block the crossing on the pillbox side while on the other side of the line, eight concrete blocks in two rows block the crossing. Either side of the block, ...