This post concentrates on Sandymount Covert. The top photo shows how this covert, on rising ground, would have dominated the low laying marshes. It perfectly demonstrates the principal of beach defence being a special case, with defended localities sited on forward slopes to maximise fields of fire and observation over the enemy. 1/7th Middlesex Regt had a Vickers machine gun section located in the area. Nearby at Dingle Great Hill was the location of 409 Coast Battery. This location formed a separate defended locality, sited between Dunwich and Walberswick and was to be defended by personnel from 409 Coast Battery. Later in the war a 'Diver' Battery was sited in this area ('Diver' being the V1 Rockets). Remains today at Sandymount Covert include the concrete bases and sewage system of the huts to accommodate personnel from the Diver Battery and also some weapons-pits. The weapons-pits could either relate to 1/7th Middlesex Regt Vickers mg section or perhaps dug by the personnel of 409 Coast Battery to defend this area. Most are crescent shaped and obviously dug to 'fire trench' dimensions as opposed to slit trenches. I have included a Google Sketchup reconstruction of the crescent shaped weapons-pit, assuming a corrugated steel sheet revetment with angle iron pickets. Angle iron pickets are certainly still present in at least two of the pits. A quick look at the building of 409 Coast Battery showed it was boarded up (I think its a holiday home) and nobody about to ask for permission for a few photos, so I took the opportunity to grab a few which I will shortly post on the website. I only had time to map a few of the weapons-pits, so will have to return to map the rest along with the remains of the 'Diver' camp.
Top: Photo showing Sandymount Covert in the background dominating the low-lying marshes.
Second down: crescent-shaped weapons-pit.
Third down: Angle Iron embedded in the trunk of a sycamore tree.
Bottom: Google sketchup of one of the crescent-shaped weapons-pits.
No comments:
Post a Comment