WW1 and WW2 Defences - Suffolk and beyond

On the way back from Minsmere, I walked the tide line and came across quite a few naval scaffolding brackets (see photo). But perhaps most significant was the remains of a scaffolding pole in concrete - part of the base for the scaffolding obstacle set in quick setting concrete? (see website and Bert Kennell's account). Also had a quick look around Goose Hill again and found the following .303 cartridges: Headstamp R L :-Royal Laboratory, Woolwich Arsenal, Kent - one fired by rifle (1928), two fired by machine gun (1928 and 1941) - the 1928 mg fired round must have been either vickers or lewis as the bren was not around then! Headstamp GB :- Greenwood & Batley, Leeds, fired by rifle (1933) Also two .300 - headstamp R  A :- Remington Arms Co, Bridgeport, CT; dates 1941 and 1942. The bottle stop is from a Cobbolds Ale Bottle. Cobbolds was founded in Essex in 1727 and had a big presence in Ipswich. It was acquired by Ridleys Brewery in 2002, itself bought by Greene King in 2005. ...

Well, this post was never intended. With spring migration well under way, went birding (the feathered kind) today, walking from Sizewell up to RSPB Minsmere. A number of WW2 remains can be found along this section of coast, which have inspired the next couple of posts. Firstly in the dunes can be found this dugout - a picture is already on the website. Since my last visit to it however I have discovered Google Sketchup, so offer you this reconstructed cross section. The dug out has been constructed by digging a trench and revetting the sides with corrugated sheets held in place with 2" poles. The roof seems to have been constructed with corrugated sheets nailed onto a 2X1 inch batten. If this is all it was it would not have supported sufficient material to be splinter proof and was probably only topped with sand for camouflage. The dug out was probably only used for cover against the weather or air attack, much in the same way as a slit trench. The spoil has been used to build a f...

Continuing on the Wilford Bridge theme after last weeks discovery, this post is about a training exercise held on Sept 9th 1940. This exercise envisaged a successful enemy sea-borne landing at Bawdsey. This was followed by an airborne landing at Sutton Walks - this airborne force (Donnerwetter Force) was to seize and hold Wilford Bridge, making good the bridgehead over the River Deben. For the purpose of this exercise, Force Donnerwetter consisted of 120 'parachute' troops, 20 bren carriers, 60 motor cyclists, 20 engineers, one vickers mg platoon and two mortars. Force Donnerwetter 'landed' at Sutton Walks at 0830 hrs and by 0930 had seized Wilford Bridge ( 1 ). Reconnaissance units were sent out to hold off the enemy until the main sea-borne force could arrive. Home Force Reconnaissance units were ambushed and destroyed at Wickam Market Bridge ( 2, 2 ) and by a force at Quill Farm ( 3 ). The main British Forces were delayed by a 'fake' despatch rider who told t...

It was quite a thrill to come across this pillbox, which as far as I have been able to ascertain has never been 'officially' recorded before (at least its not on the Defence of Britain data base or Suffolk County Council HER - although both have now been sent details!), but even more surprisingly is a design never recorded before. In all likelihood, it is a one-off unique design. It is basically an irregular hexagon, which housed a six pounder anti-tank gun on the usual holdfast. Standard Bren gun embrasures are on four of the other sides and the smallest side has a rifle embrasure. It had a low level protected entrance on one side plus another low level entrance on one of the other sides, no doubt an access point for the six pounder. On the side with the anti-tank gun embrasure there is a second very narrow embrasure - an observation slit? Its a shell-proof pillbox (approx 40 inches thick). The nearest pillbox that resembles this design is the Eastern Command shell proof vers...

Two type 22 pillboxes still remain from Wilford Bridge WW2 defences and both are of interest. One still has traces of a supporting fire trench visible - both pillbox and trench are visible in an aerial photo (dated 1944) in English Heritages's 'Suffolk's Defended shore'. The pillbox has an L shaped blast wall which is tied into the pillbox with a metal rod - never seen this before. One of the embrasures is also damaged. The second pillbox is identical except it lacks the metal tie rod and also has a second low level embrasure in the blast wall, again something I've not seen before.  On the north east side of the bridge, a new post has been dug into the ground and I suspect this short screw picket (see photo below) was found while digging! One use of these short pickets was in the construction of 'double apron' barbed wire obstacles - they were used for anchoring the diagonals (see website for a diagram of a 'double apron fence'). Tomorrow some notes ...

As promised a few lines on the Second war remains in this area. Any German force that landed in the Bawdsey-Hollesley area would have moved west inland hitting the River Deben. Wilford Bridge was and still is the major crossing point so was heavily defended. Most obvious is the 'Suffolk Square' pillbox on the A1152/B1083 roundabout. Just behind this pillbox the ground rises sharply, with a steep embankment up to the Bromeswell Golf Course. The Golf Course would seem to have destroyed a number of second war remains judging by the amount of concrete etc tipped over this embankment. Clearly identifiable amongst this rubble is the remains of a pillbox blast wall with camouflage paint finish still visible. Also at the bottom of the embankment, some footings for buildings remain. I also came across four angle iron pickets  - the remains of revetting for a weapons-pit? Aerial photos of the area during the war show a complex of defences consisting of Z1 scaffolding, wire obstacles, ant...

Had a couple of days at the National Monuments Record centre in Swindon last week looking at oblique aerial photos of the Suffolk Coast taken during WW2. Have already found some anti-tank cubes at Thorpeness that I was unaware of as a result (despite living in this area for the past 15 yrs!). Took over 300 photos (of photos!), but cannot post any as yet as copyright remains with the NMR but when I've had a good look through them all I'm hopeful of getting permission to put some on the website to illustrate particular points. Took advantage of a beautiful sunny day here on Sun for a walk at Shingle Street, probably one of my favourite spots on the Suffolk Coast. Had a look in a pillbox which I had not been able to get into the past due to bramble (still had to fight my way in!) and was rewarded with some good remains of a turnull mount. Also some remains of Z1 naval scaffolding along the beach. Stopped off at Wilford Bridge on the way home - many WW2 remains, will post over the ...

Came across this earthwork at Westleton walks today and am wondering if it is a gun pit for the six ponder antitank gun (which replaced the 2 pdr). The main pit is approx 90" wide (7.5 ft) by  approx 72 " (6 ft), with two 'arms' running off at an angle (approx 100"). Each arm is approx 16" wide and ends with a wider rectangle approx 24"x15". The rear  is ramped down into the main pit. The pit is 2 ft deep with the spoil used to build up a parapet approx 60" wide at its widest point which adds approx an extra 8" cover. I don't have any measurements for the six pounder so cannot say whether it would fit or not. As with all earthworks at Westleton, would have been dug for training. Below: A photo of the pit and 'arms' outlined in red. The parapet is outlined in green. Bottom photo - a 6 pdr in use in the desert.

A number of pillboxes are within easy walking distance from Judes Ferry, West Row. With the exception of a type 22  guarding the bridge, they are all shell proof type 24's. One has a square slab added onto the roof to disguise the distinctive shape from the air. It is also noticeable how the surrounding peaty soil has 'shrunk' since the pillboxes were constructed, the concrete rafts now standing proud of the field. As mentioned above, a type 22 guards the bridge along with two concrete sandbagged weapons-pits and a spigot mortar. A certain Sgt Rolfe inscribed his name in the concrete mortar base! First image: rear of shell proof type 24 - note how the concrete base raft now stands proud of the field Second image: bren gun embrasure, inside a type 24 Third image: shows how one of the pillboxes has been carefully sited, on a slightly rising contour in an otherwise flat field Fourth image: type 24 with concrete slab roof added as camouflage from aerial observation Fifth image:...