Wed 21 Oct - strong SE winds resulted in a large chunk of the beach at Thorpeness being washed away, revealing some interesting concrete. These turned out to be slabs with embedded iron lengths in them, protruding and angled up at one end. In total there were five of them. I'm sure they are obstacles to prevent German Invasion barges from landing. A good photo of what they would have looked like can be seen in East Anglia at War 1939-45 by D E Johnson. Today (Thur 22nd) they have again been covered by shingle so was lucky to be able to record them. They are however facing the wrong way, which is a bit of a mystery.
At RAF Station Hethel, a remarkable defence post still exists. Admittedly, RAF Hethel is in Norfolk and not Suffolk, but the records for this site do provide some interest in relation to the defence of airfields in Eastern Command. Work on Hethel began in 1941 and the station was opened late 1942 and was actually one of the RAF Stations handed over to the USAAF for the use of its bomber units. The defence post was constructed in accordance with a new policy adopted by Eastern Command. Previously, airfield defences had been built as a result of the Taylor Report and largely consisted of pillboxes and breastworks which were large and conspicuous and vulnerable to air attack. Experience at Crete had shown the need for small inconspicuous field works. The new defences were to now consist of small two man weapon-slits and small machine gun pits constructed in accordance with “Infantry Training, 1937” Supplement No.3 – “The design and lay-out of Field Defences, 1942”. Above...
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