WW2 Defences - Suffolk

15th Div Operating Instruction No 10

2012-02-07T12:11:00.000-08:00

Took a walk down to Shingle Street / Hollesley Marshes today. I noted that some scrub had been cleared around a couple of the pillboxes, so had another look inside. Although I've been in them before I noticed something new in one of them that relates to the title of this post.

15th Division Operating Instruction (Beach Defence) No 10 Apr 16th notes the following:

Unoccupied Pillboxes:

Surplus pillboxes for which no personnel are available to man after “stand to” constitute a danger should they be occupied by the enemy. The loopholes of all surplus pillboxes within two miles of the coast will be filled with concrete under arrangements of C.R.E.

Commanders of No’s 1,2,3 & 4 sub-sectors will forward lists to this H.Q (copy to C.R.E) giving exact sites of all such pillboxes by 21 Apr 1941.

Although the photos below show that this order was clearly carried out on this pillbox, there is dating evidence on the inside of two of the blocked embrasures I had not noticed before. On the inside a very neat job had been carried out blocking the loopholes with a rendered finish which the people carrying out the work had marked with "June 1941" and "Bristol Garland 1941" - not sure if that is a name or not!

Above: Image 1 and 2 clearly show the loopholes have been blocked with cement as per Operating Instruction No 10. Images 3 and 4 show where the rendered finished has been marked with the date 1941.

To finish off with a couple of more shots of pillboxes I have blogged on before at Hollesley / Simpsons Marsh but it is always nice to take new pictures in differing light / weather conditions!

Top image shows a Type 22 with a flying buttress - Hollesley Marshes which has had scrub around it cleared since my last visit.

Bottom image shows a Type 22 at nearby Simpsons Marsh with presumably the remains of the bridge that once allowed access to it. Note the screw picket in the foreground.

Pre War Pillbox Design

2012-01-26T13:44:00.000-08:00

This post is in answer to a comment I received from my last post from Hong Kong. I must admit I was pleased to see my blog entries being read from so far away! Anyway unfortunately I don't think I can really answer Kwong's questions in much detail but the following is as much as I know on inter-war design for pillboxes. The 1936 RE Manual gives three drawings for concrete machine gun emplacements, the first being the familiar 1936 Design referred to in Kwong's comment, variations of which were used in pillbox construction in the UK during 1940 (esp in Norfolk, Taunton Stop Line, GHQ Line in Surrey / Kent) and as Kwong suggests in Hong Kong as well.

Above: The familiar 1936 design for a machine gun emplacement.

The other two examples of concrete machine gun posts include one of which is built into the shell of a house. The other is described as an emplacement with medium cover where concealment is necessary. I don't think this was a practical design (although please feel free to correct me) because as far as I understand it, the air space in this design, which was intended to help in the absorption of the shock of shell impact, was very hard to achieve in construction.

Above: Top - concrete machine gun emplacement design for construction within the shell of a house. Bottom - concrete machine gun emplacement where concealment was important. Note the air space, designed to reduce concussion from shell blast.

The manual gives several other designs for machine gun emplacements but these were all field work emplacements designed for trench systems.

Above: Three designs for machine gun emplacements which would have been incorporated into trench systems.

The 1933 Manual Kwong refers to was a Field Engineering manual - i.e. only deals with field works and not concrete emplacements, which were only considered necessary for protracted defence.

The 1925 Manual Field Works does refer to reinforced concrete emplacements dealt with in Military Engineering Vol II (Defences) but unfortunately I don't have a copy of this.

Trenches again - Westleton

2012-01-17T00:10:00.000-08:00

Made the most of a beautiful sunny day yesterday recording at Westleton Walks. I am nearing the completion of recording on this particular site after three years of exploring. The next task, as already mentioned in previous posts will to be and try and bring it all together and and interpret the remains.The next couple of posts will look at the most interesting features recorded today, again all training earthworks.

Y Shaped Trench:

Perhaps the best trench remaining on the Walks. It is approx 5ft wide and over 5ft deep in places. There is a weapons-pit on each of the 'long arms' of the Y. It bears some resemblance to an earthwork shown in the 1925 manual Field Works (All Arms). Nearby is another large pit, with remains of angle iron revetting, connected to a crawl trench (see plan). This looks to wide for a weapons-pit, perhaps the remains of a dugout?

Above: GPS plan of Y shaped trench and Y shaped defended post, Manual Of Field Works (All Arms) 1925. The pictures of the trench taken last year (remains of snow on ground!).

Trench and pits

Not far away is another trench system. The first part of the trench is over 3 1/2 ft deep but then continues as a much shallower crawl trench, ending in a weapons-pit. Two short crawl trenches run off the main trench. In the immediate area are a series of slits and a pit dug into an existing bank (the bank is shown by a dotted line on the plan).

Above: GPS plans of trench and pits and a detailed plan of the trench. Photo shows the deepest part of the trench.

Westleton 30.12.2011

2011-12-31T08:32:00.000-08:00

Spent yesterday mapping at Westleton. By the end of March I hope to have the main Kruschen site mapped at Westleton so may be able to start making some sense of the data collected so far. However I will probably not have time to map the bit of the Kruschen site remaining at Dunwich. There will also be mapping to complete at Westleton in areas not part of the Kruschen site.

Three features of some curiosity mapped today.

Firstly three pits created by deepening an existing old boundary ditch. I am not sure of the age of the boundary ditch but it is certainly not any time recently!

Above: Map of a crawl trench system along with three pits dug by deepening an existing boundary ditch (shown by the dotted line). The crawl trench is of interest in that its is the first I've seen which incorporates a V shaped weapons-slit. Photo shows pit dug in existing boundary ditch.

Secondly a series of slits dug alongside the anti-tank ditch.

Above: Plot of slits alongside the anti-tank ditch. Photo shows one of the slits and the anti-tank ditch. This section of the ditch was not dug as part of Kruschen but was excavated in early 1941 and ran from Minsmere to Dunwich.

Thirdly, when I went to map what I thought were only two slits that I had found previously, I ended up mapping 21! It just goes to show how easily they can be missed and the value of repeat visits. What puzzles me is the layout - I cannot see what it was hoped to achieve in training with them (except possibly just giving troops a chance to dig a 6 ft X 2 ft slit). They are way too close together to represent any kind of unit defence post or even for PAD. The ground was certainly shelled during live firing exercises (as the shell fragment shows) but presumably not when these slits were being dug! This is going to be the biggest headache when it comes to making sense of the data - deciding which earthworks were part of Exercise Kruschen and which were not. For the vast majority of the one or two man slits I've mapped to date, it will probably not be possible to come to a conclusion! Even so I think it still of value to map what is in effect the remains of a major training area, more or less undisturbed since the end of the War.

Above: Plot of 21 slits, which I can make no sense of the layout. Two photos show my bag in one of the slits, showing just how well preserved some of them are. Last photo shows a fragment of shell, indicating live firing in the area.

Finally thanks to all who have viewed the blog / website (which has now had 21,000 hits!!) and wishing you all the best for the New Year.

WW2 Mechanical Earth Moving Equipment - Part 3

2011-12-22T11:26:00.000-08:00

Either the weather or other things have prevented me from getting out and recording in the field so it's a good opportunity to post Part 3 in the Earth Moving equipment thread.

This post will concentrate on some of the attachments for the base RB machine used by the Army for defence works etc.

Dragline

This was considered to be the most universal equipment. It consisted of a long boom, or jib, and specially designed drag bucket. It is not positive in action but is rapid in operation. It requires a great deal of skill to operate.

The bucket is thrown (or cast much the same way as in an angler casting a fly) by swinging the jib with the bucket held well up. The hoist and drag ropes were released allowing the bucket to fall forward of a vertical line from the top of the jib. The swing of the jib was checked at a point in line with the fall of the bucket. The drag rope was wound in dragging the bucket forwards to the base of the jib.

It could only be operated in soft materials and was ideal for dredging under water. This equipment would certainly have been used to widen and deepen existing ditches on Suffolk's coastal marshes to from anti-tank ditches. It may well have been used for digging anti-tank ditches elsewhere as well, much of the soil along the Suffolk coastal strip being sandy.

Back Actor

This consisted of a digging shovel, downward and backward towards the machine, similar to the drag line but was positive in action. The bucket was attached to a bucket or dipper arm, which was mounted on a stout boom. The forward edge of the bucket is fitted with teeth and side cutters.It could be used to dig deep trenches or pits and can operate in fairly hard soils but it was not as rapid as the Dragline. This equipment may also have been used for anti-tank ditch construction in Suffolk although I have as yet found no specific reference to its use.

In Sept 1940 135 Excavator Coy R.E carried out experiments using excavators (Back Actors) to dig down to unexploded bombs.For example a 50 kg bomb buried 12 1/2 ft in clay was excavated, brought to the surface and defused in two hrs by 135 Coy; it would have taken five men with picks and shovels approx two and a half days. Chief Engineer GHQ recommended that sub-units consisting of one Dragline and one Back Actor be employed for bomb disposal. Twelve sub units were required by Oct 31st of which six were required by Eastern Command. The War Diary of 135 Coy would suggest that Earth Augers were eventually used for bomb disposal works rather than Back Actors.

Skimmer

This equipment was used for excavating material at or above the level of the base of the machine. It could cut accurately within fine limits. It consisted of a short boom and bucket. The bucket is open at the forward end. The bottom is hinged at the forward end and secured by a trip at the rear. The bucket slides forwards and backwards along the boom on rollers. It is operated by lowering the boom to the digging position. The drag rope was then taken up drawing the bucket forward along the boom into the soil, filling the bucket. The bucket was emptied by operating the trip, allowing the bottom of the bucket to fall open on its hinge.

WW2 Mechanical Earth Moving Equipment - Part 2

2011-12-12T00:32:00.000-08:00

This post will look at the excavator. The base machine built by Ruston Bucyrus was the standardised machine used by the British Army during WW2. The normal base machines used were:

10 Roston Bucyrus

19 Roston Bucyrus

22 Ruston Bucyrus

37 Ruston Bucyrus

The RB 10 and RB 19 were normally employed in the field due ease of mobility. The RB 22 and 37 were considerably heavier and required special transport to move.

Above: Roston Bucyrus 19 Base Machine

All were powered by a diesel oil engine. The RB 19, 22 and 37 were started by compressed air - a small petrol driven donkey engine operating a compressor. The RB 10 was equipped with an electric self-starter assembly.

10 RB

Type of Engine: 3 VRON

Horse Power: 30

Weight of Base Machine: 9 tons

Ground Pressure lbs./sq.ft.: 1,440

Rated Capacity of Bucket: 3/8 cu.yd.

19 RB

Type of Engine: 3 VRON

Horse Power: 55

Weight of Base Machine: 17 tons

Ground Pressure lbs./sq.ft.: 1,650

Rated Capacity of Bucket: 5/8 cu.yd.

All the machines were fitted with three rope drums, or winches, which operated the jib or derricking rope, hoist rope and drag rope. Interchangeable front-end equipments were available for the base machines enabling the unit to be used for a variety of purposes.

Transporting Excavators

The only trailer normally available for the movemment of excavators was the Roston Bucyrus Trailer. It would take a load of up to 20 tons. It consisted of a triangular girder frame fitted with a removable platform. The front wheel assembly was detachable allowing the apex of the railer to be lowered to the ground. The usual prime mover was an A.E.C Matador or Scammell.

To transport excavators, the platform was removed and the front wheel assembly detached. A timber ramp was put in place allowing the excavator to travel onto the trailer. The apex of the frame was then jacked up allowing the front wheel assembly to be slid back into position. With the platform in place the trailer could be used to tow any size tractor as well.

Above: Top - Excavator mounting trailer ramp. Bottom - 19 RB mounted on RB trailer attached to prime mover.

Subsequent posts on this thread will look at the various front-end equipments available to the base machine - dragline, back actor, skimmer and face shovel

WW2 Mechanical Earth Moving Equipment - Part 1

2011-11-28T13:08:00.000-08:00

Firstly I accept that I am going to labelled a first class anorak with this post. Declaring you have an interest in pillboxes is bad enough but tractors etc?? Anyway the reason for this post follows on from my visit to the TNA last week - highly successful with the highlight being the potential matching of many earthworks I found last winter to a training exercise held in 1943 (that's for future posts though!).

Anyway back to tractors - in one War Diary of Engineers involved firstly in the constrcution of anti-tank ditches on the GHQ line in Essex, before moving to Suffolk, a list of mechanical equipment was given. So I thought this post (and one or two subsequent) may be of interest to give a flavour of the machinery used to construct the anti-invasion defences in Britain. This is part 1 - the D4 and D8 tractor.

No 2 section 135 Mechanical Engineers commenced work on the GHQ Line in Essex on June 18th 1940 with:

2 RB19 Dragline
5 RB10 Dragline
1 1/14 Smith Shovel
1 D8 tractor and grader
4 D4 tractor and bulldozer.

This post will cover the D4 and D8 tractor and grader. I hope to do the RB 10 and 19 in future posts. I have yet to find out what a Smith Shovel is - if anyone knows I would be extremely grateful if you would leave comment.

The most widely used 'caterpillar self-laying' tractor equipment by the Army during WW2 were the D4, D6, D7 and D8 tractors.

So sticking to the D4 and D8 mentioned in the War Diary, here is the technical information (you may want to hit the refresh button on your browsers now!!):

Horse Power: 35

Speeds forward:

1 - 1.7 mph; 2 - 2.4 mph; 3 - 3 mph; 4 - 3.7 mph; 5 - 5.5 mph

Speeds reverse:

1 - 1.9 mph

Drawbar Pull: 7,852 lbs

Fuel Tank capacity: 25 gallons

Weight: 10,240 lbs

Ground Pressure 860 lbs./sq.ft

Above: Two D4 tractors loaded on a S.M.T 20-ton trailer

Horse power: 120

Speeds forward:

1- 1.6 mph; 2 - 2.2mph; 3 - 2.6 mph; 4 - 3.0 mph; 5 - 3.6 mph; 6 - 4.0 mph

Speeds reverse:

1 - 1.6 mph; 2 - 2.2 mph

Drawbar Pull: 26,208 lbs

Fuel Tank capacity: 50 gallons

Weight: 34,170 lbs

Ground Pressure: 1,152 lbs./sq.ft

Above: D8 tractor with towing winch

Bulldozer refers to a special alloy high tensile straight steel blade, concave in the vertical plane. A bulldozer blade is permanently set at right angles to the centre line of the tractor. It can be lowered or raised in a vertical plane and could be used for pushing or dozing soils etc in forward direction. It was somewhat limited in its scope compared to the Angledozer which could be set at an angle up to 30 deg or tilted.

Above: Hydraulically Controlled Bulldozer Blade (photo shows it mounted on a D4 tractor, illustrations on a D7)

A grader was similar to a dozer blade but lighter. The War Diary only notes "D8 tractor and grader" so I assume this refers to an elevating grader No48 which was most likely to be towed by a D8. This machine was built up over a stout girder mounted on heavy iron wheels with steel tyres. A wide carrier belt was mounted on the centre of the arch, at right angle to the direction of travel. A steel plough disc loaded soil onto the conveyor belt which which could be discharged into accompanying trailers. A No 48 Grader needed a tractor with up to 120 HP to tow it.

Above: An elevating grader, towed by a D8 tractor, loading Athey Wagons in tandem, drawn by a D8 tractor.

Anyway that's the highlight of the technical details. I am not sure how these tractors would have been used in anti-tank ditch construction but they were certainly used later for levelling sites for camps and aerodromes.

A plea to anyone who may know the answer to this question which would be useful for Part 2 of this blog:

What is skimmer shovel equipment?

More evidence of live firing exercises - Westleton

2011-11-21T13:53:00.000-08:00

Had a couple of hours spare this Sunday so spent a pleasant sunny afternoon at Westleton. Decided to check some bare ground again, expecting to find a few bits and pieces after any rain (or what little we have had this year) since my last visit in spring.

Found another mass of 303 cartridges, all fired by a Bren Gun. Nearby were some badly eroded weapons-pits, which next to I found another few 303's.

In the main group I uncovered 134 fired cartridges, many more undoubtedly still present just under the surface. Of these 109 were manufactured by Winchester Repeating Arms and dated 1942; three by Defence Industries, Verdun, Canada, dated 1942; two by Greenwood & Batley, Leeds, dated 1940; three by ICI, Kynoch Standish, nr Wigan, 1940; two by ICI, Kynoch, Yeading, Middlesex, 1941; one by Royal Laboratory, Woolwich Arsenal, Kent, 1940; 14 unidentified and three I am puzzled about. The stamps on these cartridges are RL 28 and K 29. I assume that RL and K refers to the manufacturer (Royal Laboratories and ICI Kynoch) and 28 and 29 the date of manufacture (i.e. 1928 and 1929). Both these dates would have been even before the Bren Gun was invented! My question is why was such old ammunition still being used in 1942/43?

Above: the cartridges found this Sunday. Note the purple ring on the primer anulus on the cartridge on the bottom photo (indicating a normal ball round) still clearly visible after all these years.

I assume that these cartridges were fired as part of the new Battle Drill training (rather than just firing at targets as on a range). The Instructors' Handbook on Fieldcraft and Battle Drill, issued by C.I.C Home Forces, 1942, emphasise the importance of using live ammunition in Battle Drill training. I am exploring the possibility of a third website, Military training in Suffolk, WW2, but with two other sites currently 'works in progress' I am not sure if this a good idea just at the moment! Anyway I am building up a good data base of evidence of training.

Above: Traces of weapons-pits clearly visible in the shadows of the afternoon sunshine.

Another visit to the Archives this Wed/Thur with far more documents that I want to look at than I will have time for!!

Diver Battery T5, RSPB Minsmere

2011-11-18T13:09:00.000-08:00

This post is a good illustration of when recording by GPS can break down. The remains of the camp for this Diver battery is largely under tree cover which certainly affects the accuracy of GPS. Also in many cases only part of the concrete bases on which huts were built upon are visible - the rest hidden by years of leaf litter. The reduced accuracy of GPS under tree cover and having to guess some of the corners of the concrete bases means only a best guess of the outline of the camp can be produced.

Above:
Image 1: Location map of Diver Battery T5 and LAA Battery TD3

Image 2 - GPS plot of the remains of the domestic camp, Diver battery T5.

Image 3 - Nail used for fastening corrugated iron sheets to wooden battens.

Image 4 and 5 - some of the remains of concrete bases on which wooden huts would have been erected upon.

Some interesting remains of the sewage / sullage system can be seen including part of a 9" glazed stoneware pipe (if you are into drains!!).

Above Images - remains of the camp sewage / sullage system.

The battery itself was equipped with four 3.7" MkIIC, Predictor AA No. 10 and Radar AA No.3 Mk V. The location statement of Diver batteries for Oct 1944 notes a Light Anti-aircraft battery associated with T5 - battery TD3 equipped with 8 X 40mm and two 3.7" MkIIC.

I must admit I have done no research to date on the activity of these Diver batteries - I am for the moment just concentrating on searching for their remains. This will have to be something I rectify in the future!

11th November

2011-11-10T22:23:00.000-08:00

Never got round to looking into these, visited during the summer, Ramsholt Churchyard. Today seems a good time for this post.

HMS Spartiate was RN establishment based in St Enoch Hotel, Glasgow. it was responsible for the security and safety of the River Clyde. A large number of motor boats were commandeered to form the River Clyde Patrol, crewed largely by local yachtsmen, many operating as volunteers. Chief Stoker Chambers died of illness.

I have not been able to find anything out about Private Stackhouse. The CWGC lists his age as unknown.

More Trenches, Westleton Heath

2011-10-31T13:41:00.000-07:00

As the vegetation begins to die back, it's back to trench mapping field work. As in previous years this will form the baulk of posts over the winter. Unless you are really interested in practice field works, these posts could be quite boring as one hole in the ground looks like another! So I thought I would start with what I think is an interesting survival. What makes this crawl trench system interesting is the surviving wire pickets. A line of long screw pickets and short pickets remain, without doubt the remains of a double apron wire fence. So assuming this earth work was dug for training purposes (to date I have found no Field force localities in the area), it would seem likely that wire was erected as part of the training in constructing this defence post.

Above: GPS plan showing the Crawl Trench system and the remains of the double apron fence. Bottom photo shows the general area - the trench system is in the area of the gorse scrub and its easy to see how the position, located on the high ground, dominates the area.

I actually found this trench during the summer, deciding to visit an area I had never found any signs of earthworks in the past. Apart from a few isolated V shaped weapon-slits this is still the only earthwork I have found in this area to date. There is also no evidence of any live firing exercises (i.e no evidence of shell fragments or .303 cartridges).

Above:

Image 1 - Pit with Crawl trench. The pit could have been a dug-out, mortar pit or anti-aircraft gun pit (i.e Bren or Lewis on an AA mount).

Image 2 & 3: Long screw pickets.

Image 4: Short screw pickets - the diagonal wires of the apron fence would have run from the long pickets to the short pickets. These diagonal wires would have supported the apron wires.

Image 5: Shows my tape acting as a diagonal wire (unfortunately the long picket is bent!). The distance between the base of the two pickets is 5 ft.

Image 6: A sketch of the double apron fence.

Anyway will try and stick in the occasional non "Westleton crawl-trench" post between now and Feb. Other work planned for this winter is some more work on the Eastern Command Line and hopefully a resumption of my annual trip to the Somme in March (really missed not going last March!).

Check out the website - have begun to post some links to film dating from WW2. Also revisit the post on the Demonstration of Obstacle crossings (Part 3 I think for a link to film showing a scissor bridge). I love the footage of British troops in the exercise dressed up as Germans!

Corps Line : Ixworth - Euston

2011-10-25T23:41:00.000-07:00

The last post on the section of the Corps Line from Elmswell to Euston which I visited back in September. This post will look at the remains of the line from Ixworth to Euston. Along this section of the line, the River Black Bourn formed the anti-tank obstacle and the line followed this river from Ixworth to Barnham.

Above: Corps Line, Ixworth to Barnham

Going north from Ixworth the first remaining pillbox can be found at Ixworth Thorpe, which was a defended place with 24 members of the Home Guard from "C" Coy, 2 Battalion Suffolk Home Guard.

Above: Type 24 pillbox, Ixworth Thorpe, incorporated into a haystack on my visit!

Next up is a pillbox guarding a bridge over the Black Bourn at Fakenham Magna. This is completely overgrown and being in a private garden, there was no access to it.

Pillbox guarding a river crossing at Fakenham Magna. The pillbox is completely covered in vegetation and is just behind the bridge on the left hand side of the photo.

South of Euston are two more pillboxes. On is unusual as it still has remains of what appears to be black camouflage paint. The paint presumably would have helped hide the embrasures and its is notable that the paint is from approx embrasure level to the roof.

Above : Two Type 24 pillboxes just south of Euston. The first two images show black camouflage paint still visible on one of the pillboxes, presumably to help hide the black shadow effect of the embrasures.

At Euston another Type 24 pillbox and a few concrete cylinders can be seen by a bridge, remains of a roadblock. Euston itself was a defended place with at 1941 a garrison of 10 Home Guard from "E" Coy, 2 Battalion Suffolk Home Guard.

Above: Type 24 pillbox and remains of a road block, Euston

Corps Line: Elmswell-Ixworth Part 2

2011-10-12T11:29:00.000-07:00

This post will look at some of the remains of the Corps Line from Stowlangtoft to Ixworth. Ixworth itself was a Category B Nodal Point (I need to update the website page on Nodal Points to explain the categories for Eastern Command) and was garrisoned by men from "C" Coy, 2nd Battalion Suffolk Home Guard. As at 1941 the garrison strength was listed as 49 men with 34 rifles, six Browning light automatic rifles, three machine guns, two sub machine guns and two Northover projectors. In addition it was considered that an additional company of infantry and one troop of anti-tank guns would be necessary to hold Ixworth if it was attacked. From Ixworth north to Euston (to be covered in future posts) the River Black Bourn forms an obvious anti-tank obstacle.

At Stowlangtoft (a category C Nodal Point and in 1941 garrisoned by 28 men also from "C" Coy 2nd Battalion Suffolk Home Guard, with 20 rifles, two Browning light automatics and one machine gun) two Type 22 pillboxes can be seen. Both are overgrown with vegetation, one partially destroyed and one complete. In the complete pillbox some highly evocative graffiti can be seen: "THERE'LL ALWAYS BE AN ENGLAND AUG: 21 1940". I assume the damage to the partially destroyed pillbox was again a result of training during the War. These pillboxes, along with the one north of Stanton Street (see previous post) and the one north of Bridge Farm were obviously sited to cover the local road network, the A1088 leading to the Nodal point of Ixworth.

Above: Image 1 - over grown Type 22, Stowlangtoft
Image 2: "THERE'LL ALWAYS BE AN ENGLAND"
Image 3: Due to the road signs, the ivy is kept in trim and cannot hide the fact that there is a pillbox underneath it all!
Image 4: Inside of the ivy covered pillbox, clearly damaged presumably by wartime training. Note the wood shuttering used for the roof, the only one in the area as all the rest used corrugated iron sheets.
Image 5: Type 24, Bridge Farm just south of Ixworth.

Although work on the Inland Stop Lines was halted in Sept 1940, work on fortifying Nodal Points continued into 1941. My time in Ixworth was all too brief, a flying visit to look at sites already recorded on the Defence of Britain data base. As far as I know, no pillboxes survive in Ixworth or its surrounds, the only remains being that of road blocks. I visited two sites with recorded road block remains and had the pleasant surprise of coming across a third not on the data base.

But first the two sites already recorded. The first is near the old Priory and consists of several concrete cylinders that have now been incorporated into the river bank defences. The second, at the site of an old windmill, just to the south of Ixworth, consists of a number of concrete cylinders that have obviously been gathered from the surrounding area.

The site I came across and is not on the copy of the DOB data base I have is at Fulmer Bridge, Grimstone End. It consists of three cylinders by the side of a small bridge. It would be nice to think that these cylinders are where they were left during 1940, ready to close the road block - but I suppose they could equally have been put in their current position by the farmer to block off the gap between his gate and the bridge railings.This whole area is worthy of further exploration and to quote you know who: "I'll be back!"

Image 6: Concrete road block cylinders now incorporated into the river bank to help prevent erosion.

Image 7 and 8: Concrete road block cylinders, old windmill south of Ixworth

Image 9: Concrete road block cylinders, Fulmer Bridge at Grimstone End.

Corps Line - Suffolk: Elmswell - Ixworth Part 1

2011-10-02T05:27:00.000-07:00

The first of a few posts on the Corps Line. This ran from River Orwell to Ipswich - hence River Gipping to Haughley - hence approx Tostock - hence river line to junction with Little Ouse NW of Euston.

This Stop Line is often referred to the east arm of the Eastern Command Line, however I have found no reference to this in files at TNA so will refer to it as the Corps Line as the documents I've seen do so.

Of the Stop Lines in Suffolk the Command Line and the Corps Line were the only ones planned to be developed into defensive lines with priority being given to the Command Line. As work was more or less halted on inland Stop Lines in Sept / Oct 1940 the Corps Line was probably never developed as planned. It is certainly much weaker than the Command Line with 'bullet proof' Type 22 and 24 pillboxes only which were also much less densely sited than on the Command line. The Corps Line would also seem never to have reached the stage of development in depth as on the Command Line.

Below: The Corps Line from Elmswell to Ixworth.

This post will look at some of the remaining defences in the area Elmswell to (excl) Stowlangtoft with Part 2 looking at Stowlangtoft to Ixworth. The railway line between Haughley to Elmswell appears to be the planned anti-tank obstacle but between Elmswell and Stowlangtoft the pillboxes seem sited to cover the A1088 rather than any anti-tank obstacle - it is likely that this stage of construction of the Stop Line (i.e a continuous anti-tank obstacle) was never completed.

The fist set of photos show standard anti-tank 'pimples' blocking a crossing over the rail line. In the third photo two larger blocks can be seen which would have taken a metal rail to block the actual crossing point. Just to the west of the block is a bullet proof Type 24 pillbox.

The next pillbox is just to the south of Norton again a bullet proof Type 24..

The pillbox at Stanton Steeet has been partially demolished probably during the War as part of training. The Corrugated Iron sheet used for shuttering the roof is clearly visible along with the reinforcement rods used in the roof. All of the pillboxes in this area have been constructed with wood external shuttering and internal brick shuttering - which can be seen in the images below.

The photo below is of the pillbox just north of Stanton Street.

Carnaby Airfield - East Yorkshire

2011-09-27T23:27:00.000-07:00

On my recent trips upto Yorkshire, Carnaby Airfield was one site I visited. Some more posts from Yorkshire to follow as well as some posts on the Corps Line in Suffolk.

Work on constructing Carnaby aerodrome was started in the early years of the War. It was opened in 1944- the following text is from www.airfields-in-yorkshire.co.uk:

" Carnaby opened in March 1944 as an emergency landing ground for Bomber Command to enable crippled bombers a safe place to land near the coast.

Carnaby Moor, near Bridlington was ideal. A single runway almost 2 miles long and over 700ft wide was constructed. The airfield had to be available in any weather and as well as an anti skid bitumen surface for the runway, FIDO (Fog Investigation Dispersal Operation), a device of petrol burners used to burn off fog, was installed. The system used lighted petrol to lift the fog from the airfield thus enabling aircraft to land safely.

Carnaby's wartime service was short but in it's operational life over 1400 emergency landings were recorded.

The base closed in March 1946 and was left to the elements until the outbreak of the Korean War, where the RAF increased its pilot training programme and Carnaby opened again in 1953 becoming a relief landing ground for Driffield.

Again, life to Carnaby was short lived and the base closed in 1954.

It wasn't until 1958 that Carnaby became operational again, this time deemed as a Thor missile site. 150 squadron was reformed and designated the Thor unit.

1963 saw the base close for the last time and the site was left to decay. In 1972 the site was brought by Bridlington Council and was turned into an industrial estate, as it is today. The main runway is now the road through the estate, the only real clue to its existence as an airfield. Very little remains today but you can still see parts of the taxiways. "

Above: Carnaby Industrial Estate on the site of Carnaby Airfield.

FIDO consisted of injecting petrol through pressurised pipes either side of the runway, which was then fired by burners set at certain intervals along the pipeline. It was estimated that visibility could be increased by 200 to 2,000 feet. Only three emergency airfields were constructed during the War, all equipped with FIDO (Woodbridge in Suffolk was also an emergency runway). FIDO was also installed at 12 other airfields which included Tuddenham in Suffolk.

FIDO was utilised on several occasions at Carnaby, which resulted in rumours in local villages that the runways had caught fire! During Dec 1944 about 100 American Fortresses landed and parked up in a double row alongside the airfield, unable to land at their East Anglian airfields due to fog. They all took off safely the following day.

Above: Artists impression of FIDO in operation

My mother remembers seeing missiles pointing out to sea while travelling to work on the train from Bridlington to Beverley. As Thor's were stored horizontally on transporter-erector trailers under cover of a retractable missile shelter I assume these must have been Bloodhound surface to air missiles sited to protect the Thor's - one major weakness of Thor was the launch sequence took 15 minutes making them vulnerable to attack before they could be launched.

Above: Thor ICBM (photographed at nearby Driffield) and Bloodhound SAM

On my visit I came across three remaining buildings although I don't know from which part of the airfields history they date from. Some standings/taxiways and remains of manholes/pipes in nearby fields can also be seen. Are the pipes/manholes the remains of FIDO??

Image 1 - 4: Remains of building, presumably a workshop.

Image 5 & 6: Remains of second building still surviving.

Image 7: Remains of the third building that can still be seen.

Image 8: Surviving standing / taxiway

Image 9 & 10: Pipes/ manholes in nearby fields - remains of FIDO?

Atwick, East Yorkshire

2011-09-11T09:30:00.000-07:00

During my recent visit up to Yorkshire, I visited Atwick. As with much of the Yorkshire coast south of Bridlington, it is eroding fast here, and as with many sites along this stretch of coast, the front line defences have disappeared. The pillboxes surviving today were part of the rear line of defences.

It is easy to see why this stretch of coast was heavily defended - as a sketch I came across at TNA shows - the whole beach from Bridlington to Spurn was suitable for landings, the cliffs would have easily been passable to German infantry, with suitable gaps along the coast for tanks.

Above: A sketch of the beaches along the Yorkshire Coast (TNA) - the red areas are suitable for landings, the green areas not - and below a view of the beach at Atwick looking north towards Bridlington and Flamborough Head.

The surviving pillboxes are all of the Northern Command lozenge design. One which has its entrance sealed has all its wooden weapons-shelves in place. Also surviving in the area are two partially sunken posts, presumably these would be Command Posts (platoon or company HQ's?). They are not identical, one being larger with two rooms, the other smaller with one room only. They are the only ones I've seen along this stretch of coast and I don't know if others exist. They are not shell proof with additional protection given by covering with earth as images 7 and 8 below clearly show.

Atwick 'gap' was blocked with anti-tank cubes but the only remains of these now have been heaped up to act as sea defences.

Image 1-4: Lozenge pillbox with wooden weapons shelves still intact.

Images 5-6: The smaller of the two sunken posts, with pillbox in background (image 6)

Images 7-8: The larger of the sunken posts, with lozenge pillbox in background.

Image 9: The pillbox near the second sunken post.

Image 10: Remains of tank blocks, Atwick gap, now part of the sea defences.

Eastern Command Line: North of Bury St Edmunds

2011-09-04T11:48:00.000-07:00

Recently back from a trip up to Yorkshire visiting family (so expect some more posts from Yorkshire!). Anyway on the way up I stopped off just north of Bury St Edmund's to take a quick look at some pillboxes on the Eastern Command Line. Not really time for a detailed search but a quick recce of the ground for reference to a future visit. That saying, still some nice pillboxes seen. Here the anti-tank obstacle is the River Lark, which the Command Line followed from Bury St Edmond's until it met the GHQ Stop Line in Camridgeshire at the River Great Ouse. The pillboxes are all of the Eastern Command CRE design - 1094, 1113 and 1116. Note the Serial No reference referred to for the pillboxes etc is the reference given in the original Engineers plans for the Command Line.

Above: River Lark - the anti-tank obstacle

A couple of the pillboxes are of interest. One has metal rods fixed above the embrasure - for what purpose I don't know and it is the only pillbox I have seen this on so far.

Above: Pillbox to design CRE 1094, Serial No N28. Note metal rods above embrasure.

Another has some of the corrugated iron sheets used for the roof shuttering still in place. The condition of the sheets is quite remarkable. I also liked the touch of using rounded brick shuttering for the weapons-shelf of the embrasures - showing a nice touch to detail by whoever constructed the pillbox!

Above: Pillbox to design CRE 1113. Note corrugated iron sheet used for roof shuttering still in place and the rounded bricks used for the shuttering of the weapons-shelf. Serial No N26.

All key crossings over the Command Line were covered with anti-tank guns. The 6pdr anti-tank gun pillbox which covers Flempton Bridge is now almost buried in spoil with a boat perched on top!

Above: Crossing over Command Line Serial No 9 (Flempton Staunch) with 6 pdr pillbox Serial No NA5 (to design CRE 1116) now covered in spoil with a boat on top!! This pillbox covered the crossing.

The final pics below show some of the other pillboxes in the area I managed to get to.

Image 1-3: Pillbox to design CRE1113 but not the AA version. It has a blast wall (instead of a low level protected entrance) which appears to have been joined to one side of the pillbox. Serial No N33a.

Image 4&5: Pillbox to design CRE1113 agian not the AA version. Corrugated Iron sheets have clearly been used for the roof shuttering. Serial No N24.

Image 5&6: Pillbox to design CRE1113 - the AA version with a central AA well. Serial No N29. Last photo shows the River lark with pillbox in distance.

Dunwich - two destroyed Pillboxes

2011-08-15T23:54:00.000-07:00

Had a look at the remains of two pillboxes this weekend on Dingle Marshes, Dunwich. The remains are of two 'Suffolk Square' type pillboxes and in 1940 were the left hand boundary of 'B' Company, 2/4th South Lancashire Regt. Dunwich would have been a key locality to defend as here was an exit from the beach (along with Walberswick further to the north) that any German troops landing in the area would need to seize. To the north of Dunwich the low lying marshes had been flooded as an anti-tank obstacle and to the south Dunwich cliffs provided a natural anti-tank obstacle. The 'front line' at Dunwich in 1940 was defended by three sections of 'B' Coy with medium machine gun support from the 2nd Battalion Princess Louise's Kensington Regt.

The remains of the pillboxes would suggest they were sunk into the ground at almost embrasure level. They have been reinforced and the local resource, shingle, is clearly evident in their construction. I am not sure when they were destroyed - either it would have been post war clearance (however not likely given their location and they would not have been in the way of anything) or as part of training during the war. If it was part of training perhaps it was Assault Engineers from 79th Armoured Div again (they certainly blew up structures in the Westleton area which I've already blogged on) or perhaps as part of the new battle drill training for assault on pillboxes.

I could not find much evidence of any supporting earth works with the exception of one probable weapons-pit which, if it is, was sited to cover the rear of the position. Other remains in the area include the shell proof twin Vickers mg pillbox and some anti-tank cubes incorporated into the sea defences, which I have also blogged on previously.

Finally thanks to Suffolk Wildlife Trust for permission to visit the remains on their Dingle Marshes reserve.

Image 1: Fire plan, 'B' Coy, 2/4th South Lancs, Dunwich
Image 2: Field of fire of Bren Gun, section post in the vicinity of the two destroyed pillboxes
Image 2: Field of fire of Bren Gun, section post to the west of the two destroyed pillboxes
Image 4: One of the destroyed pillboxes, the remains of the chamfered blast wall clearly visible.
Image 5: Photo show reinforcement used in the construction along with plenty of shingle
Image 6: Photo showing both destroyed pillboxes
Image 7: Probable weapons pit sited to cover the rear of the position

Shingle Street - Shingle Extraction, minefields and Donald Duck tanks

2011-08-10T22:43:00.000-07:00

Another visit to Shingle Street recently, to take another look at some concrete road ways which I think are military. On my last visit to TNA I came across a document which may explain their purpose - for shingle extraction.

There was an increasing need for ballast in 1943/44 due to the construction of new aerodromes for USAAF bombers and fighters and also for repairs to existing runways. The Air Ministry had been drawing ballast from Shingle Street to meet this priority work and in July 1944 wanted to open up further pits. This required opening up a gap in a minefield in the vicinity of the tank blocks between the two most northerly Martello Towers (the blocks still survive). Eastern Command carried out a recce of the beach and concluded it would be necessary to clear all five minefields in the area before shingle extraction could continue as further shingle extraction would result in disturbance of the minefields. It was estimated that it would take one platoon of Field Company RE's three months to clear the five minefields. Eastern Command only had one Bomb Disposal Company available, which were on a course of Company Training.

Above: Concrete tracks and proposed new extraction area, Shingle Street

Top two images show the track south of Shingle Street. Bottom two images show track to north of Shingle Street which was reinforced.

The Air Ministry Superintending Engineer considered that only a path had to be cleared to allow for the construction of 10 ft roadway. The plan was to take only shingle brought up by each successive tide. The Air Ministry was working in consultation with various other bodies including the Coast Guards and East Suffolk Rivers Catchment Board, who were very concerned about the danger of coastal erosion. On Aug 8th Eastern Command stated that to clear the pathway for the track would only take 14 days (although still maintained that all five minefields would need to be cleared) and the available resources to do this were now available if the Air Ministry were willing to accept the risks.

Above: The tank blocks which were in the location of the proposed new shingle extraction area and minefields to be cleared. Note remains of barbed wire screw pickets in bottom photo.

On Aug 12th the Air Ministry stated that in view of the circumstances they would not be proceeding with the scheme.

While I think these tracks are military and if so probably constructed for shingle extraction, it should be remembered the military were present from the start of the war. The Regional Commissioner ordered the evacuation of Shingle Street on Jun 22nd 1940 - necessary as the beach had been mined, ditches widened to form anti-tank ditches and the bridge at the Dumb-Boy sluice mined to be blown in the event of invasion. If invasion occurred in the area the village would soon be completely isolated. A combined high explosive / chemical bomb was dropped during a test on Mar 23rd 1943 and on at least one occasion trails with Duplex Drive tanks (nicknamed the Donald Duck tank) were carried out by 79th Armoured Division.

Above: Duplex Drive Valentine tank. Although the DD tanks that took place on D Day were Shermans, they were originally fitted to Valentines and 79th Armoured Division training would almost certainly have been carried out with a Valentine.

South of the tank blocks I came across a series of linear depressions in three lines - are these remaining evidence of the minefields in the area? (perhaps mines that had exploded for some reason and not replaced). Reminds me of the similar series of depressions at Minsmere Dunes.

Above: The lines of linear depressions clearly show up from the air. Bottom image shows GPS plot.

Anti-invasion role of Fighter Command, Bomber Command and Coastal Command now on website.www.pillboxes-suffolk.webeden.co.uk

Brancaster and Holme

2011-07-31T07:57:00.000-07:00

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 24 in the area I but could not find this.

At Holme a home guard store and a few pedestals for the Spigot mortar can be seen.

The final picture is of a double light machine gun pillbox unique to Norfolk - this one is at Wells. They were often sited in pairs. Well that's it for Norfolk.

Royal Naval assessment and operational planning in the event of invasion now on the website pillboxes-suffolk.webeden.co.uk

Image 1 & 2: Unique irregular hexagonal pillbox, Brancaster

Image 3: Pillbox for medium machine gun, Brancaster

Image 4: Type 28 pillbox for 2 pounder anti-tank gun, Brancaster. Might be a bit more accessible in winter!

Image 5: Home Guard store, Holme

Image 6 & 7: Spigot mortar pedestals, Holme.

Image 8: Twin light machine gun pillbox, Wells.

Norcon Pillbox

2011-07-18T12:49:00.000-07:00

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 in. In either case it required sandbagged protection to make it bullet proof and Eastern Command considered it an ideal pillbox due to rapidity of construction. It was intended to form part of a defence along side heavier pillboxes.

However trials by C.R.E 18th Division noted the following:

It was unwieldy to move about requiring tackle to unload from vehicles.
When it was rolled, even with spokes, it broke quite easily
With 1 1/2 layer of sandbags externally, a burst from a mg penetrated to a depth of 1.5" and it was obvious that a second burst would have completed the penetration.

The Chief Engineer, Eastern Command disagreed. He thought it should be an easy matter for any RE Field Company to unload. He pointed out it was not intended to be used as a hoop (you've got to admit he had a point on this!!) and that the mg was presumably fired from a tripod otherwise the chances of a burst hitting the same spot twice would be remote. Eastern Command considered it provided better protection than many sandbagged only positions that had been constructed.

Trials were also carried out on mounting it on a three ton lorry as a mobile blockhouse, but it was too wide and also even if it could be made to sit on a lorry it would not be bullet proof without the sandbag protection.

The Norcon pillbox was normally provided with a corrugated iron and timber roof capped with earth. However the two at Docking have a concrete roof - I do not know if it would have been capped with earth. Nearby are two Home Guard stores.

Next couple of posts will also probably be from the Norfolk trip.

Image 1 and 2: Drawings of the Norcon Pillbox.

Image 3: Norcon Pillbox, Docking, unusually provided with a concrete roof.

Image 4: A 'sketch' to represent how it would have looked with sandbagged protection. The sandbags over the embrasures would have been supported with timber. I am not sure if the roof would have been capped with earth.

Image 5 & 6: Home Guard stores.

Eastern Command Line - NT Melford Hall

2011-07-10T06:21:00.000-07:00

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 the position of the 2 pounder anti-tank gun (serial No F74 on the original plans).This time we wanted to try and find Pillbox ‘C6’ which I realized was on the property after my April visit. We found the approx location of the pillbox – now just a pile of rubble so obviously it had been demolished in the early 70’s to make way for the A134 bypass. Luckily the official records document this as " AA 3'6" " so we know it would have been the same design as C5.

We also found the location of anti-tank gun serial No F73. Its location was described in original documents as “Under lime tree in Melford Park” – and yes the lime tree still exists amongst the ancient pollarded oaks! A depression is nearby which maybe the in-filled remains of part of the position. With various contacts with the NT we hope to continue surveying the wider area next winter.

Another very productive visit to The National Archives. I hope now to add plenty of material to the website on invasion / War with Germany planning from the 1930’s onwards. I found this very informative as to describing how things got to where they were in Jun 1940 with regards to the defence against invasion. First page, on the war planning in the 1930’s, almost ready to be posted.

Finally thanks to the NT for the invite to see these defence works.

Image 1-3: C5 photographed in April

Image 4 & 5: The remains of C6

image 6: The Lime tree under which the 2 pounder anti-tank gun F73 was to be located

image 7: View from under the Lime tree- the trees in the background would not have been there in 1940 (or they would have been cleared to give the gun a line of fire) - the gun would have presumably covered the road bridge in Long Melford.

Titchwell Moving Target Range (MTR) - Norfolk

2011-07-02T00:07:00.000-07:00

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 3: Remains of a shelter connected with Titchwell Target Range

Image 4: Standard quadrant bombing tower, Thornham Point

Image 5: View from the tower overlooking Thornham/Titchwell Marshes

Image 6: Curved asbestos hut - Titchwell target Range
Image 7 to 9: Remains of two light tanks apparently used for target practice. They are probably light tanks dating from the 1930's.
Image 10 to 12: Remains of shelter on Brancaster Marshes presumably connected to the ranges in the area. It is a thin walled structure divided into two rooms with a small fire place in the corner of each room.
Image 13: Some of the tank shells recovered during recent sea wall works at RSPB Titchwell. It is interesting to note that in 1944 CE Eastern Command faced the same problem at the Boyton AFV Range (now coincidently also an RSPB Reserve) in that a large quantity of M61 HE shells failed to explode on the range. The Catchment Board needed to carry out repairs on the sea wall but would not allow workers on site until the shells had been cleared. As a result the Commander of the range had to carry out 'first aid' repairs on the sea wall in the first instance.

Bawdsey Beach - a pillbox lost due to coastal erosion

2011-06-27T12:48:00.000-07:00

It is fascinating to visit this beach each year as coastal erosion is so fast. I decided to spend today, the last of a few days off work, in this area, in the hope of a cool coastal breeze to find some relief from the sweltering heat if nothing else. I also wanted to check the beach for any other signs of anti-invasion defences exposed due to erosion (i.e. dragons teeth, scaffolding etc) but got more than I bargained for!

The amount of beach lost in a year was quite amazing, taking with it a First War Pillbox that was several metres from the cliff top when I photographed it last May. This pillbox was incorporated into the Second War anti-invasion defences as two Turnbull mounts for light machine guns had been erected in its embrasures. There is a unique one-off designed Second War pillbox just to the south (a combined Type 22 and 23) - how much longer has this got?

Another pillbox, a Second War Type 22, is fast becoming buried in shingle.

A lot more anti-boat scaffolding was in evidence on the beach, no doubt the remains of that still situated in shingle which I also photographed last May.

Also found what looks like a small iron cannon ball - possibly grapeshot dating from the Napoleonic era - well you never know, what with their being a Martello Tower nearby!

You can look up the full posts of this area last Apr/May on the blog for more pics of the beach as it was then!

Image 1 & 2: Circular WW1 Pillbox that has sadly fallen off the cliff

Image 3: The same pillbox as above photographed in May 2010.

Image 4 & 5: Type 22 slowly becoming buried in shingle.

Image 6: The same pillbox photographed in 2009 (note the chip off the roof if you don't believe me!)

Image 7: Remains of anti-boat scaffolding

Image 8: What I presume is the remains of the above scaffolding still situated in shingle in 2010.

Image 9: Unique example of a combined Type 22 & 23 but for how much longer?

Image 10: Napoleonic grapeshot??

Image 11: Some of the numerous swallows and martins breeding in the remains of pillboxes/coastal defence battery in this area!

Heacham and Hunstanton - Norfolk

2011-06-25T03:06:00.000-07:00

A few days in Norfolk this last week allowed an opportunity to visit a few Second War sites, the subject of the next few posts.

Many exits from the beaches on the north Norfolk Coast were planned to be covered by anti-tank guns mounted in pillboxes. Type 28's can be found at Holme, Brancaster and Weybourne for example. This post looks at two covering one of the beach exits at Heacham. In Suffolk no anti-tank gun pillboxes were constructed as part of the beach defences although 6 pounder anti-tank guns were mounted in a static role to cover the beaches and exits.

A bridge crossing a ditch at Heacham south beach is covered by a Type 28 and Type 28a, with a spigot mortar also added. The bridge itself has anti-tank blocks to allow a rail barrier to be put in place. The Type 28 is used today as a storage shed and has a locked door and embrasures blocked. The Type 28a is unusual in that it has been modified so that there are separate entrances to the anti-tank gun chamber and infantry chamber.

Also included in this post is the Coast Guard lookout constructed pre First War but undoubtedly used as a lookout / observation post during the Second War. By its side is a small brick built naval type pillbox.

Image 1: View of the two pillboxes and bridge, south beach exit at Heacham

Image 2: Type 28 with Type 28a in the background.

Image 3: Type 28 with spigot mortar

Image 4: Type 28a. These differ from Type 28's by the addition of an infantry chamber with two embrasures for light machine guns.

Image 5: Interior of infantry chamber, Type 28a with the two lmg embrasures.

Image 6: Rear of Type 28a showing the modified design with separate entrances for the anti-tank gun chamber and infantry chamber.

Image 7: Wide embrasure for the two pounder anti-tank gun.

Image 8: One of the anti-tank blocks on the bridge, overlooked by the Type 28a pillbox.

Image 9: Bridge with anti-tank blocks.

Image 10 and 11: Coast Guard lookout and naval type pillbox, Hunstanton.

RAF Station 373 Part 3

2011-06-16T11:46:00.000-07:00

These pics are all from one of the accommodation sites. As they clearly show, the remains of this site will not be around for much longer! Both blog and website now over 10,000 hits so thanks to all who have looked!

RAF Station 373 Part 2

2011-06-15T12:25:00.000-07:00

Some of the buildings and runways / taxi tracks still remain at this site. Some of the buildings are still in remarkably good condition and are still used as sheds etc. Some are in an advanced state of collapse and will not be around for much longer. This post (and one to follow) has some pics of the remaining evidence.

Image 1: Part of the runway

Image 2: Access track to possibly an accommodation site although all the buildings have now been removed / demolished (site 10/11 on map on post 1)

Image 3: Remaining Nissan Hut (Site 13 on map on post 1)

Image 4: Remaining hut still in use, Harrow farm

Image 5-8: Remaining huts near Harrow Farm

Image 9-12: Pump station for water supply

RAF Station 373 - Part 1

2011-06-10T22:36:00.000-07:00

Construction of this airfield began in Sept 1942. Located near Theberton / Saxmundham and Leiston it was known after all three places although it is best known as Leiston airfield. Initially to be for the use of RAF Fighter Command, it was allocated to the USAAF as a fighter base, for fighter escorts provided for USAAF bombing missions.

The airfield has the 'A' runway layout with a taxi track around the perimeter. The workshops, domestic quarters etc were laid out around the perimeter.

In Nov 1943, 358th Group arrived with P-47Ds but these were replaced with P-51s from 357th Group during Jan1944. This Group had several marked successes - for e.g. the Group claimed 20 enemy fighters shot down for the loss of three P-51s on a mission in Jun 1944 and on Jan 14th 1945 the Group shot down 48 enemy fighters for the loss three. For both these actions the Group received a Distinguished Unit Citation.

Every year a memorial service is held in memory of the USAAF pilots who operated from this airfield which ends with a flypast of a P-51.

Image 1: war time aerial of the airfield
Image 2: Map of airfield at the airfield memorial
Image 3: Typical airfield layouts - Station 373 is based on the 'A' layout
Image 4-6: From the airfield memorial
Image 6 & 8: P-51 taking part in this May's annual memorial service

Twin Vickers MG Pillbox, Beach Farm - Benacre

2011-06-02T12:11:00.000-07:00

Following on from a recent comment on the blog, I thought I'd post the photos of the twin Vickers Machine gun pillbox, Benacre - visited in April but just never got round to posting. I think the pillbox was also used as an Observer Corps post after the war; safety rails for the observation post still visible although the underground post has been infilled. Several Suffolk Square Pillboxes can also be seen in the area (think I have already posted on these, but lose track these days) as well as some remains of concrete tank blocks on the track which exits the beach.

Coastal erosion continues to reveal the drainage system of military camps in the area, no doubt something new revealed (as well as lost) every year.

Kessingland Coastal Battery now on website. Next post shortly on RAF Station 373.

Image 1 & 2: Twin Vickers machine gun pillbox. Other surviving examples can be seen at Blythburgh and Dunwich. Note rails of ROC post on top.
Image 3: Telephone mast(?), ROC post
Image 4 -7: Showing the two gun positions separated by a anti-ricochet wall, the tables on which the Vickers mg would have sat on and the fields of fire from the embrasures.
Image 8: Remains of tank traps on the track leading off the beach.
Image 9: Section of 4" glazed stoneware drain pipe
Image 10: Remains of drain manhole

Eastern Command Line - Lavenham Part 3

2011-05-30T00:54:00.000-07:00

This post will look at some of the pillboxes which were designed for the Command Line. Already covered on the last two posts are a couple of the 6 pounder gun pillboxes, probably to design C.R.E 1116. The other two designs are C.R.E 1113 - a shell proof pillbox for a section with Bren gun, designed to be sited on the front line to command the anti-tank obstacle. The other design is C.E.E 1094, a bullet proof pillbox for one section with a Bren gun, sited to cover the front line pots from attack from the rear by parachutists.

Image 1-4: A shell proof pillbox, prob to design C.R.E 1113. Instead of the low level protected entrance, this one has a separate blast wall with embrasure.

Image 5: Another example of C.R.E 1113. This one has an 'L' shaped blast wall.

Image 6: An example of a bullet proof pillbox, prob to design C.R.E 1094.

Image 7: An anti-aircraft central well in a C.R.E 1094 pillbox. There are examples of both the shell proof and bullet proof pillbox with and without the central well although no indication in the surviving documents that they were designated a different design number.

Image 8: Interior of a C.R.E 1094

Image 9: Surviving permanent part of a rail block. The rails would have been blocked with a waggon block.

Eastern Command Line (and German POW) : Lavenham part 3

2011-05-22T00:32:00.000-07:00

Another post on this visit, now way back in the past in April! First up is another probable CRE 1116 - on this one all the embrasures and the entrance are blocked (although just enough of a gap to hold a camera for an internal photo!) but it is identical to the one at Slough Farm. Also close by is a very well preserved Spigot Mortar position.

Next up is some unusual graffiti - if you are lucky you occasionally come across some evidence of who built the pillbox or troops billeted nearby. But on this occasion the names are German and the date 1946! German POW's were still present in Britain up to 1948 (400,000 in 1946, 150,000 in 1947 with the last repatriated by Nov 1948) . The post-war British Government at first deliberately ignored the Geneva Convention by refusing to repatriate POW's. They were often forced to work on farms (and perhaps clearing the Anti-invasion defences?) in conditions often described as slave labour and fraternisation with the home population was forbidden. Saying this, conditions were probably better than those German POW's who had to clear the minefields etc in France when many were killed. The situation became more relaxed by Christmas 1946 and in the end many actually decided to settle in Britain. I have come across a reference to POW camps still in Britain in 1946/7 but have not yet checked it out so have no idea where these two Germans would have been imprisoned.

I also located the positions of some of the 2 pounder anti-tank gun positions prepared. Included in this post is the easiest one to visualise. A pillbox is also recorded in the official documents as being nearby - nothing remains of this except perhaps some concrete rubble present today.

One more post on Lavenham to come.

Image 1-3: Prob. CRE 1116 6 pounder gun pillbox, Lavenham. Image 2 shows how it would have covered the bridge crossing the rail line.
Image 4 & 5: Spigot Mortar position near the above pillbox.
Image 6 & 7. What I assume is German POW graffiti. Trier (Image 7) is a city on the banks of the Moselle River, the oldest city in Germany.
Image 8: Field of fire from a 2 pounder anti-tank gun position sited to cover the Command Line.

Eastern Command Line: lavenham - Part 2

2011-05-08T04:51:00.000-07:00

There are two interesting Type 22 pillboxes in the lavenham area, close to each other but quite different in character. One is a first line position pillbox on the Command Line while the other is on the rear line. All the other pillboxes in this area are of the new designs for the Command Line (C.R.E 1116, 1113 and 1096). Neither of these two seem to be on the list of the Command Line pillboxes.

The one on the first line position would appear to have embrasures designed to take a Turnbull mount (a cradle designed to hold a light machine gun), of which two have been fitted. It is bullet proof, with an internal anti-ricochet wall and a low level protected entrance, typical on this part of the Command Line. The two machine guns in these mounts would have covered a crossing over the Command line. The remaining embrasures have metal plates fitted to make them bullet proof. As the Turnbull mount was not introduced until late 1940, could this pillbox have been built after the initial work on the Command Line was completed? Although why it is not shell proof like other first line pillboxes is a mystery.

The second pillbox is also bullet proof and again has a low level protected entrance. However the embrasures are much narrower (with four 'steps' and a metal plate for reinforcement on the last 'step'). It was presumably thought less likely that a stray bullet could enter through these embrasures as there is no internal anti-ricochet wall.

Images 1-5: Type 22 on first line position with Turnbull mounts fitted in two embrasures.

Images 6-7: Type 22 on rear line position with narrow embrasures and no internal anti-ricochet wall.

Eastern Command Line: lavenham

2011-05-02T05:15:00.000-07:00

In April I spent a pleasant day at Lavenham. So a few posts to follow on this visit starting with this 6 pdr anti-tank gun pillbox at Slough Farm. It was sited to control the approach to, as well a crossing over, the Command Line. The anti-tank obstacle was the railway line, with deep cuttings in places, as well as sections of anti-tank ditch where the railway line did not provide an adequate obstacle.

It is probably to design C.R.E 1116, one of three new designs of pillboxes to be used on the Command Line. It is obviously based on the Type 28a but was designed to house a static 6 pounder gun and not the 2 pounder gun. There is a holdfast for the gun and the main embrasure is narrower than that on a Type 28a designed for the 2 pounder. The other two differences are the low level protected entrance which is a common feature on pillboxes on the Command Line and a lack of internal Anti-Ricochet wall separating the infantry light machine gun embrasures from the gun embrasure.

According to the official documents, the serial number of this pillbox was "CA3", but the white stencil on the holdfast clearly has an "B" as well as a "3" marked. The gun was never mounted and the main embrasure was blocked up and two small rifle embrasures added instead, which both are angled.

Image 1: Holdfast and embrasure for 6 pdr gun and embrasure for light machine gun. Main embrasure has been blocked up and two rifle embrasures added.

Image 2: Holdfast with white stencil showing "B" and a "3".

Image 3: Main embrasure from the outside, now blocked up and two rifle embrasures added.

Image 4: Close up of the rifle embrasures, note how they have been strongly angled.

Image 5: The approach to the Command Line this pillbox controlled (the pillbox is located on the left hand side of the bridge).

Barking Tye Pillboxes

2011-04-25T10:35:00.000-07:00

There is some interesting correspondence at SRO between a resident of Barking Tye and the Parish Council, dating from 1992, on these pillboxes. One resident of the village was particularly keen to see them demolished as he considered them to detract from the Tye ('Tye' means a settlement built around a common or green). Correspondence with English Heritage at the time suggested that EH were only interested in designating pillboxes to be of 'Historical Interest' if they were good examples of disguised ones, a particular or unusual structure or those with a proven defence role. (I don't think things have changed).

These two at Barking Tye are not unusual (they are a Type 22 and Type 23, both common) or part of any defence position / stop line. The village was not a Nodal point, or on a key reinforcement route or other essential traffic route. So what was their role?

According to the correspondence anti-aircraft guns and a search light were stationed on the Tye, no doubt part of nearby RAF Wattisham's AA defences. It is also feasible they could be to guard against airborne/paratroop landings in the vicinity of the Aerodrome. Certainly single Type 23's and 22's can also be found at other search light sites in Suffolk.

The correspondent who was hoping for their removal had also costed the job. A demolition company would charge (1991) using a breaker and 360 deg machine £1400 plus vat for each pillbox. However he had been in touch with 212 Squadron Royal Engineers at Wattisham who would be prepared to do the job at minimal cost as a training exercise. The question of these pillboxes had been discussed at Parish Council meetings over a number of years. Thankfully the Parish Council decided unanimously to retain them, so I was able to visit nearly 20 years on!

Image 1: Type 23, Barking Tye

Iamge 2: Type 22, Barking Tye

Image 3: Type 22 with Type 23 in background (LH side) on the Tye

Trimley - Unique Suffolk Square Pillbox

2011-04-17T00:54:00.000-07:00

The third and final post in the visit to Trimley a couple of weeks ago concerns what may be a unique surviving 'Suffolk Square' type pillbox. It's a typical 'Suffolk Square' with the exception of an open Anti-Aircraft chamber added on, much the same as a Type 23 pillbox. It is bullet proof with walls of 1 ft 3 inches thick. Like all 'Suffolk Squares' it lacks an anti-ricochet wall. It's in good condition, especially the brick shuttering in the interior of the pillbox. Clearly visible is the word 'Coronet' - a quick search on the web revealed this is manufactured by Hanson Bricks Measham Works and if it is the same firm its still manufacturing bricks today.

Image 1 - 3: The exterior of the pillbox.

Image 4: The open AA chamber.

Image 5: Pre-cast rifle embrasure on the open AA chamber.

Image 6-7: Interior of the pillbox.

Image 8: Coronet Brick.

GCI Radar - Trimley

2011-04-10T13:17:00.000-07:00

Following on from my last post on H2 - HAA emplacement, Trimley, I also visited the site of the GCI (Ground Controlled Interceptor) Radar site at Trimley on the same day. I must admit I do not know that much about WW2 Radar so most of the details for this post come from Wickidpedia.

Chain Home Radar sites only picked up raiders as they came in over the sea. Once they had crossed the British Coast, tracking was entirely reliant on the Observer Corps. To improve on this situation, the RAF established a network of 'Ground Controlled Interceptor' Radar stations. These stations were able to direct search lights onto enemy raiders but more importantly vector night fighters to a close proximity of the raiders so they could be engaged. GCI was up and running from 1941 but I think the Trimley site was only operational from early 1943.

I presume the remains at Trimley toady are of the the main operational building plus some of the domestic huts.

One more post on the Trimley visit to come - as far as I know a unique 'Suffolk Square' Pillbox in that it has an AA well attached much the same as a Type 23 Pillbox.

Images 1- 11: Presumably the main Operations Building

Images 12-17: Remains of the Domestic site

Image 18: large concrete rubble remains

Image 19: Remains of the wire defence - barbed wire and screw pickets

Coastal Erosion

2011-04-05T13:00:00.000-07:00

Just found this amazing photo taken in 1979 of a pillbox at Covehithe. Its from geograph and as the caption with it says it must now be 70-100 mtrs out to sea. Makes you realise how quickly we could soon lose other WW2 fortifications along this stretch of the Coast.

Reproduced under creative commons licence
Attributed to Pillbox taken by the sea by Adrian S Pye

Pillbox taken by the sea (Adrian S Pye) / CC BY-SA 2.0

Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery: H2 Trimley

2011-04-03T23:40:00.000-07:00

This battery was part of the Harwich / Felixstowe AA defences and within the Harwich Gun Defended Area (GDA). The battery was originally armed with four 3.7" guns. Towards the end of the war the site was earmarked to receive 5.25" naval guns (Land Service). The 5.25" was introduced into land service in 1942, with originally twin equipments. Subsequently two types of single gun equipment were developed - one for an AA role and one for a twin AA/Coastal Defence role.

For the first time the following features were available in British AA artillery: electric firing, air blast gear, hydraulic power operated traversing, elevating, loading tray and ramming gears.

It also performed better than the 3.7" guns. Max height range (90 deg) was 55,600 ft (41,000 for the 3.7"); effective ceiling (which is limited by type of predictor and fuse) with Predictor No.10 was 43,000 ft (23,500 ft for the 3.7"); lethal radius of burst for Category A damage (prevention of accurate bombing ) was 100 ft (55ft for the 3.7") and category B damage (failure of aircraft to return to base) was 70 ft (35ft for the 3.7").

Four guns were mounted in concrete lined pits on a Mk 1A mounting. A rectangular open back mild steel shield was provided for each gun. A power house, gun store and shelter were situated below ground adjacent to each gun.

Much still remains of this site including the four gun pits, engine room/stores, command post and radar tower

Image 1: The remains of H2 5.25" HAA Battery

Image 2-4: The Command Post

Image 5: Command post and ramped radar tower

Image 6-7: Ramped radar tower

Image 8: View of battery from top of radar tower

Image 9: Generator room and stores etc

Image 10 & 11: Markers for water and electricity cable

Image 12: Gun pit with attached underground power house, shelter and gun store

Image 13: Gun pit with ammunition lockers

Image 14 & 15: Presumably road blocks, including some at nearby farm. Dimensions do not match that of the standard 'pimple' given in Field Engineering manuals.

Recording Trenches - Westleton

2011-03-28T09:27:00.000-07:00

Spent two very enjoyable half days at Westleton. On Sunday, met up with David Sims to record a crawl trench system I have already mapped. However this time we mapped it with the traditional method of tape (using a 50 mtr tape) and offsets. This was a learning exercise for me. Mapping this way produces a more accurate plan than the way I usually map with a GPS. However it is very time consuming - it took two of us 4 hrs to map the system as opposed to just under an hour I sepnt using a GPS sometime last year.

On Mon spent a half day mapping another crawl trench system just using the GPS this time. I compared two methods of recoding by GPS:

(1) by marking changes in direction of the trench with way points then 'joining up the dots'.

(2) by recording the trench using a track.

Of the two methods I find using way points to be the most accurate. However if way points are too close together odd results can arise so it pays to make a rough sketch as well to help in producing the plan.

So any conclusions? Recording by tape and offsets is the most accurate and picks up all the twists and turns in a trench system. Using a GPS and 'joining up the dots' (way points) can make the trench system appear much more linear than it is in reality. However it's a very fast way of recoding and does provide an accurate enough record for my purpose.

The system mapped on Monday would again have been for training purposes, presumably dates from 1943 onwards.

Image 1: David Sims recording with 50 mtr tape and offsets

Image 2: Map of the crawl trench system recorded on Monday - both 'joining the dots' with way points and using a track are shown.

Image 3: Crawl trench leading into a weapons-slit

Image 4: Weapons-slit within the crawl trench system

Image 5: Crawl trench

Image 6: Two of quite a few circular pits which may be shell holes from live firing exercises

Image 7: 303 bullet embedded in wood - find quite a few of these!!

Sizewell WW2 Defence Remains

2011-03-24T14:38:00.000-07:00

A quick visit after work yesterday to record some more ant-tank cubes. These have actually been visible for over six months now, I first noticed them sometime last year after a storm but have only just now got round to recording them. Another small fragment of the once formidable WW2 defences in this area.

Image 1: Sketch map of remains of WW2 Defences, Sizewell Power Station area.

Image 2: The 'new' anti-tank cubes exposed by storms last year.

Image 3: 'Suffolk Square' pillbox, Sizewell Cliffs.

Image 4: Turnbull mount - note the rough fit - the pre cast embrasure has been chiseled away to incorporate the mount.

Image 5: What appears to be the remains of a short section of fire trench on the cliff top.

Concrete structures - Westleton Walks

2011-03-21T13:52:00.000-07:00

Work still continues in trying to build up a picture of the remains of this Second War training area. Today met up with David Sims to have a probe around one of the destroyed concrete structures (after of course getting permission). I have already blogged on these structures - part of a 'replica' battlefield in order to train infantry in attacking German 'Hedgehogs'.

The purpose of the investigation this morning was to determine if these structures could ever have been manned during training or were they entirely just to replicate German fortifications? A dig in the interior of the best preserved structure revealed it's concrete floor. The distance from the floor to the roof interior was only 45". This would indicate that these structures were never intended to be manned.

So the conclusion from today's work is a strong indication that Exercise Kruschen training was either entirely demonstration or "one-sided exercises". "One sided exercises", as the name suggests, involved only one side represented by troops (in this case would have been the attacking side). The enemy would be represented by the "director" of the exercise and such exercises were useful in training troops as the "director" could predetermine certain situations.

Image 1 and 2: The best preserved concrete structure at Westleton Walks.

Image 3: The exposed concrete floor (or raft on which the structure was constructed on).

Image 4: The excavation!

Another small step forward in matching field work to surviving documentary evidence!

Diver Battery T13 - Walberswick

2011-03-17T00:33:00.000-07:00

Been away on sabbatical to Syria for the last four weeks so no work on the blog or websites recently! This post relates to mapping the surviving camp area for this battery which I carried out in Jan but have not yet got round to posting.

This battery was a HAA battery i.e. equipped with 4 X 3.7" Mk II C guns, AA No 3 Mk V radar and AA No 10 Predictor. The deployment of batteries to the Diver strip was a hurried affair and at first there was some difficulty in providing sufficient materials to construct the command posts, camp structures, generator and ammunition shelters etc. One AA Brigade diary notes that a target date of Dec 15th 1944 was set to complete winter quarters (Phase I) for the battery crews. It notes that approx 20 tradesmen from AA Command Construction and 80 unskilled men from light AA Regt's/Search Light Regt's were provided to construct each camp. This phase was completed by Dec 1944 although huts still needed wooden floors and interior decoration. In many cases the battery crew completed this work themselves in the hours of darkness.

Phase II, the provision of offices, stores, motor transport repair bays, guard rooms etc was set for completion by 15 Jan 1945.

Electricity was to be provided by 30 KVA generators. In most cases water for camps could not be provided by water mains and had to be brought to site by cart. Central bath houses were under construction which would serve a number of battery sites.

Although T13 was not part of the AA Brigade from which the above comments of "Winterisation" of camps relate to, circumstances would undoubtedly have been the same for all Diver batteries in Suffolk.

The plan below shows the remaining concrete bases on which the nuts would have been constructed on for T13's camp. Also remaining are some soak pits and a grease trap. Nearby are four large gun pits in line, which at first I thought would be for the four 3.7" guns. However I now believe this was not the case but this is for another post!

Image 1: Plan of remains of camp, Diver Battery T13

Image 2: One of the remaining concrete bases on which a hut would have been erected on.

Image 3: A grease trap - part of the sullage system

Image 4: That strange 'fencing again' - which I have posted about on previous posts on Diver batteries - note the steel rope also visible in this photo.

Image 5; View of the camp area (situated in the scrub behind the telegraph pole).

Image 6: 2" mortar round for an illumination flare found in the area.

Tank Range (??) - Minsmere; unidentified concrete structures

2011-01-30T12:40:00.000-08:00

These two structures are a bit of a mystery. The surviving structure clearly resembles something from the First War - many similar structures were built by both the Germans and British in low lying areas such as Flanders where it was not possible to dig trenches. They were normally used as Command Posts or troop shelters. However these are in Suffolk! They clearly do not relate to defences constructed in Suffolk during the First War as they are not shown on a Luftwaffe aerial photo I have a copy of dating from the Summer of 1940. I am also certain they are not on an RAF photo taken sometime in 1941 (although this is less clear than the Luftwaffe photo).

The only reference I have come across that refers to these structures is a memo from HQ 21 Army Group giving permission for 79th Armoured Division Assault Royal Engineers to make use of "the concrete structures referred to on Scotts Hall A Tk range as you see fit" - i.e. blow them up as part of training!! This memo is dated 2 Nov 1943.

Presumably 'Tk' refers to tank and these structures were within the area of this tank range. However they do not resemble any block house associated with a tank range that I have seen before - the surviving structure certainly was not a block house in which winch gear for targets was housed in. They may have been shelters in which to observe ranging?

The amount of reinforcing that has gone into constructing these is phenomenal - as shown by the rough floor plan and the photos. They surely would have been proof against even the German 88mm firing at close range! The structures do not appear to be identical - although not much can be ascertained from the destroyed structure it would appear to have a flat roof.

These remain a mystery for the moment!!

Image 1 & 2: Destroyed structure - note the amount of reinforcing, the thickness of the concrete and the apparent flat roof.

Image 3-5: Exterior of second, intact, concrete structure

Images 6 & 7: Interior of intact concrete structure.

Image 8: Entrance to intact structure.

Image 9: Weapons damage to intact structure

Image 10: Sketch plan of intact structure

Rubbish dump, Walberswick!

2011-01-25T12:37:00.000-08:00

Some heathland restoration at Walberswick has revealed what appears to be a rubbish dump with many old bottles and bits of pottery. Also nearby what I assume is a WW2 earthwork - proof of military presence is provided by a large angle iron picket and a short screw picket which I came across.

At least one piece of pottery is war time (and is similar to that I've already posted on, found at Westleton). Its stamped Alfred Meakin and dated 1942. This pottery was set up in 1875 and operated from Royal Albert, Victoria and Highgate Potteries in Tunstall (Stoke on Trent). It was bought by the Johnson Family in 1908 and was known as Alfred Meakin (Tunstall) Ltd until acquired by Myott, Son & Co ltd in 1976. In 1991 it was acquired by the Churchill Group.

Image 1: Presumably a WW2 earthwork

Image 2: Large angle iron picket

Image 3: Pottery and enamelled mug and sieve - do these date from the war??

Image 4: Alfred Meakin pottery stamp

Image 5: GPS plan of presumed military earthwork

Sutton Heath - Woodbridge Cold war Airbase

2011-01-17T04:26:00.000-08:00

Spent a fruitless Sun searching another area of Sutton Heath for any signs of training. Did not even find any anti-landing trenches on this part of the heath. However did take these photos of the Cold War airbase at Woodbridge, now closed. The Guard post is of interest - basically constructed of sunken sewer pipes with a concrete roof supported by brick pillars. Access was through a metal hatch in the roof. Also there is a pipe leading underground - either some sort of shelter or was it an underground escape passage? Whether the post relates to the airfield here during WW2 or the Cold War I do not know - such crude constructions were used in both periods (e.g. the Norcon pillbox for WW2 or the Yarnold Sangar for the Cold War era).

Image 1-4: A crude guard post constructed of sunken sewer-pipes
Image 5: Road Blocks
Image 6: Watch Tower
Image 7: Braithwaite Water Tank
Image 8: Munition igloos and Braithwaite Water Tank
Image 9: Another Guard Post and munition igloos

Bofors 40mm Gun Pits?- Operation Diver Welter Site TA2

2011-01-13T13:39:00.000-08:00

I have found little information on Operation Diver in Suffolk (defence against V1 Flying Bombs) except for the relevant AA War Diaries at TNA. Combining this with reference to a Military Training Pamphlet (Gun Drill for 40-MM A.A. Gun and Predictor A.A. No.3 - Land Service, W.O Feb 1945) and field work is the subject of this post. BUT I must admit I am still uncertain if my findings are correct!!!

In a recent post on Welter Site TA2 I mentioned four possible gun pits. These do seem to fit quite well with the illustration of a gun pit for the 40 mm Bofors. The object of any gun pit was to give protection to the gun crew and the gun. However would this have been necessary in Britain during 1944/45?- there was no threat of enemy troops and slit trenches were dug on Diver sites for protection of gunners from aircraft or the flying bombs themselves. Certainly some photos I have seen on 40mm's employed on Operation Diver were not dug in.

A problem I soon hit was finding similar pits at another Diver Site (or at least I think it's a Diver site!) - except this site was a HAA site (i.e. only had four 3.7" HAA Guns) and not a Welter site (i.e. mix of 3.7" guns and 40mm guns). This site will be the subject of the next few posts - it also has an unanswered question on gun pits!.

Anyway, back to the pits. The manual gives examples of two pits - one for the Mk 1 and American supplied guns and one for the Mk 2,3 and 4 guns. The pits I found resemble those for the Mk 1. The manual gives the the dimensions as 14 ft across at the widest point by 19 ft long. In addition there is a ramp down into the pit. The pits were initially to be dug 2 ft deep although the height of the walls could be added to by digging borrow pits.

It is now almost impossible to get accurate measurements from the pits I've come across - erosion, forestry operations and even rabbits have all had an their impact over the last 65 odd years. However, my best estimate of dimensions from the best preserved pit is 15 ft across at the widest point by 23 ft long (which includes what I think is the ramp down). The depth is about 2 ft.

The pits, as shown on the GPS plot on the earlier post on this site are laid out in a horse shoe. I still have no idea on the layout of Welter Sites - probably no standard layout existed. I am slightly sceptical that any guns employed on Operation Diver were employed in the horse shoe pattern - all the evidence I've seen so far would suggest they were laid out in a line.

So after all that no conclusion - the pits still remain a mystery!!

Image 1: Pits for 40mm Bofors (a is for Mk 1 and b and c are stage 1 and 2 in digging for the Mk 2,3 and 4).

Image 2: Pit for 40mm Bofors, Mk 1

Image 3: Pit at site of Welter Battery TA 2 which closely resembles that of the pit for the Mk 1 in the manual.

Image 4: 40mm Bofors employed on Operation Diver on the South Coast - note lack of digging in and linear deployment.

Image 5: 40mm Bofors employed on Operation Diver.

Image 6: Diagram of 40mm Bofors - Gun Drill for 40mm AA Gun and Predictor AA No 3, WO, 1945

Image 6 and 7: Bedford Tractor for 40mm Gun - Gun Drill for 40mm AA Gun and Predictor AA No 3, WO 1945

More anti-landing trenches, Aldringham Walks

2011-01-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

Some rather more mundane (but still enjoyable) recording last weekend after the excitement of the defence works near Walberswick described in my last post. Its 1 1/2 yrs since I started on the trenches at Aldringham (still a few to go) - the ones recorded today are only fragments remaining on the edge of the site, most covered in dense bracken and scrub as the photo shows. However did come across the base for a large hut / shed (Romney or curved asbestos type hut) and those concrete metal filled cones again that I've already posted on. Also the remains of just the concrete on two cones - the first I've found to date. Still no idea of their purpose!

Finally a sullage or cess pit (or is it?) that has got me wondering - its deeper than normal and there is no 4" glazed stone-ware inlet pipe. But I'm still convinced its nothing more sinister than part of the sewage system for the near-by Diver battery.

Photo 1: Bracken covered anti-landing trench
Photo 2: GPS plan of trenches mapped
Photo 3: Base of hut with concrete filled metal cone at entrance
Photo 4: base of hut - concrete filled metal cone at each end of entrance
Photo 5: Concrete filled metal cone
Photo 6: Concrete casts (without the metal cone)
Photo 7: Sullage / cess pit?

Walberswick - some 1941 defence works?

2011-01-04T13:32:00.000-08:00

Some interesting finds recently in the area to the rear of Walberswick. During 1940 defences along the Suffolk Coast had only really been developed to a linear strip along the coast line with platoon localities sited to cover the main exits from the beaches. With the relief of 55th Div by first 42nd Div and then 15th Div in 1941, work was stepped up on developing more depth to the defence. The image below shows the platoon localities of 2/4th South lancs (55th Div) and 10th Cameronians (15th Div). As can be seen a chain of defences had been constructed in the rear of Walberswick by 1941.

Platoon localities 1940 and 1941

In addition an anti-tank ditch had been dug just to the west of Westwood Lodge (or Blythbrough Lodge) from Westwood Marshes to the Blyth Estuary.

In the area of Westwood Lodge, a large ditch can be seen - presumably part of the anti-tank ditch and I came across a section of trench overlooking the ditch. This is in the area of No 16 platoon , 10th Cams.

On the Estuary side, near Hill Covert I came across a remarkable survival - almost certainly a section post dug to full fire trench / communication trench specifications. I think it consisted of four sections of fire trench linked by communication trench. This was in the vicinity of No 18 platoon (or possibly No 7 platoon).

Surviving earth works with a defence role are extremely rare - much more common survivals are those with a training role. If both these are genuine defence works an interesting question arises over the difference in the two sections of trench. The one overlooking the ditch is either heavily eroded or dug to much narrower dimensions than those in the Hill Covert area. Perhaps the section overlooking the ditch was an infantry observation post instead of a fire trench?

Finally an interesting collection of what appear to be weapons-slits and pits around the tumulus near the small car park on the B1387. Attached is a GPS plot with main field of fire marked for each trench. No idea if these are WW2 earthworks and, if they are, whether they had a defence or training role. Such is the nature of field work, finding holes in the ground, with no solid documentary evidence to state their purpose!

Image 1: Ditch - probably remains of anti-tank ditch
Image 2: GPS plot of trench and anti-tank ditch
Image 3: Zig-zag trench clearly visible
Image 4: View from trench overlooking anti-tank ditch
Image 5:GPS plot of section post, near Hill Covert
Image 6: Section of communication trench
Image 7: Communication trench leading to fire trench
Image 8: Fire trench - Manual of Field Engineering, Vol I 1933
Image 9: GPS plot of weapons-pits near tumulus.

Christmas on the Yorkshire Coast

2010-12-27T09:22:00.000-08:00

Managed to beat the weather and make it up to Bridlington, Yorks to spend Christmas with family. Found time to take in some pillboxes while walking locally. Included were the old favourites at Fraisthorpe, but remarkably came across a pillbox that seems not to have been recorded before - the attached photo probably shows why as its now virtually buried in the dunes!

Image 1: Previously unrecorded Twin Vickers 'Eared' Machine Gun pillbox, near Fraisthorpe

Image 2: 'Eared' Pillbox, Fraisthorpe

Image 3: Cubes and 'Eared' Pillbox, Fraisthorpe

Image 4: Lozenge Pillbox, Flamborough Head near Danes Dyke

Image 5: Same as image 4 but looking south over Bridlington Bay

Image 6: View form lmg embrasure, overlooking Bridlington Bay

Image 7: Pillbox dereliction, beach.

Walberswick, East Hill - Anti-landing trenches

2010-12-16T11:54:00.000-08:00

Made a visit to East Hill, Walberswick last Sun. Hard work up there due to the amount of gorse scrub but did come across some anti-landing trenches. Condition varied from some exceptionally well preserved sections in woodland to sections now infilled. Also a few shallow remains of weapons-pits, but need to go back to map these and do a more comprehensive search for others.

Image 1: GPS map of surviving trenches

Image 2: A section of the best preserved trench

Blythburgh Twin Vickers MG Pillboxes

2010-12-10T12:32:00.000-08:00

Freezing fog last Monday did not put me off on getting out, so decided to check out the remains of a Diver Battery in the Walberswick area (the best remains of a Diver Battery I have found so far but that’s for a later post as still have not finished mapping all the remains yet). Anyway, decided to try to get some pics of two pillboxes at Blythburgh designed to house two Vickers MG’s each. They did look quite attractive in the freezing fog but as usual the camera failed to capture the ambiance!

I could imagine a German raiding party encountering these two – with four Vickers they could through out 1,000 rounds per minute at rapid fire. At rapid fire, each gun would get through 16 belts of ammunition every 15 minutes (30 minutes normal rate). Would have been a headache to keep these guns supplied in ammunition if invasion had been for real in this area.

The photos shows how the guns in these pillboxes would have dominated the ground. One can only imagine the discomfort of the gun crews with the noise and fumes let alone those on the receiving end!

The design of the pillboxes seems to be unique to Suffolk. They are shell proof with an L shaped blast wall. As well as these two I only know of the one at Benacre and one at Dunwich still surviving.

Image 1: Location of pillboxes with approx arc of fire

Image 2: Pillboxes in freezing fog

Image 3: Pillboxes on a somewhat better day!

Image 4 and 5: Area that the pillbox MG's covered

Images 6-8: More views of the pillboxes

Image 9: Concrete table on which the Vickers MG would have sat on

Westleton Walks - More Practice Trenches

2010-12-05T13:46:00.000-08:00

With the short winter days, no time for travelling far so mapped these weapons-slits and crawl trenches at Westleton today. No doubt practice trenches but who dug them? In this area they are few and far between compared to the main training area, so were they Home Guard or Field Forces practice trenches? Not really sure if recording these is of much interest to anyone but I enjoy it and feel there should at least be some record kept. Being at least 65 yrs old, I doubt many will be visible 65 yrs later!!

Image 1: GPS Map of trenches mapped today

Iamge 2 & 3: Photos of two of the Weapons-slits and trenches - as usual phots of earthworks never quite turn out but if you look hard enough you should be able to make out the crawl trenches and weapons-slits!!

Diver Welter Site TA2

2010-11-29T04:13:00.000-08:00

I have already posted on the remains of the concrete bases for huts for this HAA battery. However following my last visit to TNA I have found some additional information on the site. It formed part of the Diver Strip, but was not a standard HAA site but known as a 'Welter Site'. The 'TA' series of Welter sites had two 3.7" HAA guns and 11 Bofors 40mm LAA guns.

Above: Location of Welter Site TA2

For Diver sites, radar could sweep an area with an arc of 30-110 deg. and had a range of up to 30,000 yards. The range that HAA sites could engage targets was 5,000 yards, for Welter sites it was 3,500 yards. Targets picked up on radar would be selected if they were likely to pass through the circle which would put them in range of the guns.

Although I am aware that the layout of most Diver HAA sites was with the four guns arranged in a straight line, I have not yet found any details on the layout of Welter sites (if anyone has any details I would love to hear from you).

Above: Layout of a Diver Site (based on aerial photo) with guns arranged in a line with accommodation huts, stores, workshops etc nearby.

Last weekend I made a return visit to the site, mainly to map the remaining traces of the anti-landing trenches nearby. These have been in-filled and remain only as depressions. I also came across some large pits/depressions which possibly could be the remains of some of the gun positions.

Above Top: GPS plan of remains in area of Welter Site TA2.
Above Bottom: One of four depressions, perhaps remains of gun positions?

Following this I had a walk in the area and found another site with a substantial number of practice slit and crawl trenches. so all in all a very productive day!

Above: Remains of weapons-slit, Westleton Heath

Anti-landing trenches, Westleton Walks

2010-11-21T12:49:00.000-08:00

Spent a pleasant Monday last week mapping the anti-landing trenches at Westleton Walks. These trenches are unusual compared to those I've mapped to date. Although laid out in the grid pattern, they have been dug in two forms:

the usual form I've seen, with spoil in heaps a little back from the trench
the spoil placed as a 'lip' to the trench

Above: Google sketchup representations of anti-landing ditches. Top is typical with soil in heaps set back from the trench. Bottom shows the spoil placed in 'lips' - the first time I've come across this.

In one stretch of trench, it changes from spoil in heaps to a lip mid way. In another stretch, the lip is only one one side for part of the trench, with a much shallower depth of trench along this section.

Above: GPS map of anti-landing trenches, Westleton Walks

I have an aerial photo of these trenches taken in 1946 (not sure of copyright so cannot post it) and it clearly shows the ditches in this form at least at the end of the War. My only thoughts so far to explain the above is that possibly the usual form (spoil in heaps) was dug by excavator while the spoil in lips sections dug by hand. Maybe the short section with a lip on only one side was never completed (or possibly part in-filled from one side post War?).

The aerial photo also sadly shows that these are only partial remains of the anti-landing obstacles. I did come across shallow depressions which I thought at the time may be in-filled ditches - will have to go back at some point and map these and over lay them on the aerial photo to be sure.

After mapping the ditches, a little explore revealed a typical 6'x2' slit trench and 6'x4' weapons-pit along with a few bits of angle iron and the remains of a 4" mortar round. Also many circular depressions, probably shell holes. The aerial photo also shows what appear to be shell holes. These are the first positive remains I've found for training in this particular area of Westleton Walks to date.

Below:

Image 1: Anti-landing ditch with spoil placed in 'lips'

Image 2: Anti-landing trench with spoil placed in mounds

Image 3: Section of trench which changes from spoil in 'lips' to spoil in mounds mid way along its length

Image 4: Section of anti-landing trench with two bits of angle iron nearby

Image 5: Remains of 4" mortar round

54th Div - Demonstration of Obstacle Crossings Sudbourne (Nov 1942) - Part 4

2010-11-16T12:24:00.000-08:00

For this post, reference is again needed to the above barrage trace. I have added the anti-tank ditch to the trace which I recorded by GPS on the site visit. Note that there are a number of breaks in the ditch – could these be the remains of crossings created by this demonstration?

With reference to the barrage map the line AA marks where the ditch was crossed by fascine, line BB a crossing was created by an explosive charge, line CC crossing was by a scissors bridge and line DD, EE and FF crossing was by digging ramps by hand. On the lines DD, EE and FF the second minefield was crossed with the aid of ‘snakes’. Lanes were to be made through the second belt of wire with Bangalore Torpedoes.

The third part of this blog looked at the first phase of the demonstration (barrage and creating lanes through first minefield and belt of wire). The second phase of the demonstration was the crossing of the ditch and second bet of wire and minefield. At zero hour two squadrons of tanks of Royal Armoured Corps were to set off and ditch charges and Bangalore Torpedoes detonated. Tanks were then to advance to their objective and take a hull down position to support the infantry attack on the final objective. At zero plus nine the infantry were to set off.

Methods of crossing ditch:

Fascines: These were basically bundles of small diameter wood. Fascines were traditionally used for strengthening earth works, revetting river banks etc but were used since at least Roman times for crossing obstacles. Tanks carried them for this purpose in the First War and the practice was continued in the Second war. I have come across one specification of fascines made from chestnut paling rolled around 2” tubular scaffolding.

Scissor bridge: a bridge that was transported and laid by a tank (either a Covenanter or Cruiser Mark V). The carrier tank could then disengage from the bridge allowing other vehicles to cross. The bridge could span a gap of 30 feet and carry a tracked load of up to 30 tons.

Click on the following link to see a scissor bridge in action during training somewhere in the UK in 1941:
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=78720

Its an exercise showing a river crossing but clearly shows how the bridge would have worked.

Method of clearing lanes through second wire obstacle:

Bangalore Torpedo: these had also been around since the First War. It was basically a prepared charge used for breaching wire obstacles. It consisted of a steel tube of 1.5 inches diameter which was filled with high explosive. It came in six foot sections which could be connected up. A bullet shaped nose was fitted to the lead section to ease the passage of the tube over the ground. It was basically then just pushed under wire obstacles and blown by a detonating cord. The photo show US troops training in the UK with Bangalore Torpedoes.

Method of clearing lanes through second minefield:

Snakes: basically similar to Bangalore Torpedoes (and also I think known as Vehicle-Emplaced Bangalore pole charges) except they were put in place by tanks and used for clearing lanes through minefields. Snakes could be up to 400 feet in length, contained 800 lbs of explosive and could clear a gap 30 foot wide.

Unfortunately the one thing lacking from the War Diaries on this demonstration is a report on the outcome and conclusions drawn from the exercise. Well that’s it on this demonstration for now although I may well return to it in future as I still want to explore the site further for any other remains of training in this area.

References for this series of blogs came from:

54^th Div, 163^rd Brigade and 7^th Borders papers, TNA

Lonesentry.com

Thinkdefence.co.uk

Wikipedia

Field Engineering and Mine Warfare, pamphlet No 3, Demolitions Part 1, 1953 – WO

Tactical handling of Tanks in co-operation with Infantry, 1949, (Provisional) - WO

Skylighters Blog

54th Div - Demonstration of Obstacle Crossings Sudbourne (Nov 1942) - Part 3

2010-11-12T12:55:00.000-08:00

The above image shows the barrage trace for the exercise. The fire plan was for 25 pdrs and 6” Howitzers to open fire at zero on the opening line for 2 minutes. Is was then to lift at 200 yards per minute. A 'trace' would be issued to the various artillery units taking part and would have simply been placed over a map.

The above shows an example of a trace with two 'lanes' for batteries.

Smoke cover was to be provided by 3” mortars.

Although this exercise was not about artillery training it does provide an example of how barrages were orgainized. Barrages were of two types:

· The wheel method – this ensures that infantry or tanks are brought onto the objective by the barrage. The disadvantage is that troops/tanks have to move at different paces. In the illustration below, lifts are at 100 yards per minute along the greatest distance (line BF), the lift will be less than 100 yards on line AE

· The Echelon method – in each lane the lifts are equal so the pace of advance of troops/tanks is also equal. The disadvantage of this method is that infantry/tanks are not brought onto the objective at the same time.

The barrage in the exercise is an echelon barrage with two lanes.

The start of the demonstration was to take the following form:

· Royal Engineer parties to prepare bridges over the drainage ditch

· Royal Engineer parties to move forward and cut and mark six lanes through the first belt of wire 12 feet wide.

· Lanes to be cleared and marked through first minefield by prodding (three lanes, each lane18 feet wide) and use of polish mine detector (three lanes, each lane 18 feet wide).

This was to be completed in 35 minutes – and following this was to be the crossing of the anti-tank ditch and second minefield. This will be the subject of the next and final post of this exercise.

Above: Polish mine detector (in use in by 8th Army -IWM). Development of this detector was started in Poland pre War but was interrupted by the outbreak of War. A final design was completed by Jozef Kosacki in late 1941 and 'gifted' to the British Army (Source: Wickipedia).

54th Div - Demonstration of Obstacle Crossings, Sudbourne (Nov 1942) - Part 2,

2010-11-07T12:10:00.000-08:00

This post will look at the scenario of the demonstration and the site as it exists today. The War Diaries note that the site for the demonstration was chosen in order to provide a good view point for spectators of the demonstration rather than ground which would be suitable from a tactical point if it was for real.

The scenario for the attack was that enemy forces had been driven off 'Grandstand Ridge' and had fallen back to prepared positions on 'Forest Ridge' where they were holding defended localities. 163rd Brigade had forward posts established on 'Grandstand Ridge' and for the purpose of the demonstration, 198th Infantry Brigade was to attack through 163rd Brigade and capture 'Forest Ridge' with a view to driving the enemy out of Tunstall Forest.

The demonstration was to take the form of:

Royal Engineers to prepare crossings over drainage ditch and marking and clearing lanes through the first minefield.
Royal Engineers to prepare crossings over anti-tank ditch.
Tanks then to cross start line (with one tank carrying fascine for crossing anti-tank ditch), pass through lanes and use 'snakes' for clearing second minefield. To overwhelm forward enemy posts then occupy hull down positions to cover infantry advance to final objective.
Infantry to follow tanks and capture 'Forest Ridge'.
A barrage was to be laid down to cover Royal Engineers in their work in preparing crossings over obstacle and to support the tanks to the second minefield.

Although the demonstration was carried out in daylight, it was assumed that the work in clearing the first minefield and preparing crossings over the anti-tank ditch took place during the darkness of early morning, troops taking part being issued with dark glasses. The actual 'attack' went in at 'dawn' (actually 1215 pm for the demonstration).

It is worth quoting the following from Military Training Pamphlet 'Tactical handling of Tanks in co-operation with Infantry' - Provisional 1949:

'The first essential in any deliberate attack will almost always be the breaching of those obstacles, natural or artificial, which form part of the enemy defences. To effect this, breaching teams, composed normally of assault engineers and specialized armoured troops, must be detailed, as well as the necessary arms to provide protection by supporting fire and smoke whilst the actual operation is being carried out'. The above demonstration clearly illustrates this statement and in fact it could equally apply to tactics developed by the end of the First War.

The pamphlet also notes that the infantry momentum must be kept up and the assault on the final objective would be aided by the fire support of tanks.

Next post on this demonstration will look in more detail at barrages, fascines, Bangalore Torpedoes and snakes.

Troops taking part in the exercise included:

One squadron 156 R.A.C

One squadron 157 R.A.C

19 Field Regt

Three Troops 168 Field Regt

75 Med Regt

One section 598 Field Company

One battalion 198 Inf Brigade (7th Borders)

Image 1: Sketch of demonstration site with start line 'Grandstand Ridge' and objective 'Forest Ridge' added. An enclosure was erected on 'Grandstand Ridge' for spectators to view the demonstration. The circled numbers are the positions from which the following images were taken:
(1) Image taken from 'Grandstand Ridge' looking over the demonstration site towards 'Forest Ridge'.
(2) Image taken from the slope leading up to 'Forest Ridge' looking back towards 'Grandstand Ridge'.
(3) Image taken from anti-tank ditch, looking towards 'Forest Ridge'
(4) Part of the 'imaginary' battle field, looking from an enemy defended locality over Fazeboons towards 'Grandstand' Ridge. Briefings for the demonstration were held at Fazeboons.
(5) The drainage ditch

54th Div - Demonstration of Obstacle Crossings, Sudbourne (Nov 1942) - Part 1

2010-11-01T12:50:00.000-07:00

Although the individual War Diaries of Home Forces contain frequent reference to training exercises and demonstrations, it's rare that a full record exists. Mostly it's just the aims of the exercise. The records of one exercise that I've already mentioned (Exercise Kruschen) contain aims of the exercise as well as a detailed summary of findings but sadly the maps are missing. The records that remain of the exercise which is the subject of this blog contain aims and a good map (including the 'echelon' barrage trace - more on this on a later blog). The area on which the demonstration took place has changed little from 1942 (a bit more forest cover) and is freely accessible so it makes a good study. I think that this exercise should be viewed in conjunction with Kruschen (and later exercises held by 79th Armoured Division - the beginning of planning for 'D' Day and dealing with German defences which troops would have to face).

The aim of the demonstration was to show some of the methods to deal with obstacles that would face troops in battle. The demonstration was supposed to show an attack on a brigade front but difficulties in getting enough tanks and ammunition shortages limited the demonstration to a one battalion front, with 'imaginary' troops and obstacles on the flanks.

The obstacles to be tackled were:

belt of wire with successive entanglements
minefield, 60 yards deep consisting of 10 rows of Mk IV anti-tank mines at 7 yds spacing
existing drainage ditch
anti-tank ditch, 'V' shaped and 15 ft wide and 9 ft deep
second belt of wire
second minefield, 110 yards deep consisting of 12 rows of Mk IV anti-tank mines at 12 yds spacing

These obstacles were prepared by 591 Field Company. In addition an enclosure was constructed for those to attend the demonstration. Perhaps the importance of this exercise can be judged from the fact that a second anti-tank ditch was constructed (to the north of the demonstration site) for troops taking part to practise on.

Last Sunday I visited the site. The anti-tank ditch still exists, (along with some anti-landing trenches) and good views can be had of the 'battlefield'. In future blogs I hope to concentrate on individual details of the demonstration as well as some photos of the site today.

Image 1: Sketch of demonstration site (with barrage trace)

Image 2: Sketch imposed on Google Earth

Image 3: GPS of remains found to date - the anti-tank ditch (and a section of anti-landing trenches)