WW1 and WW2 Defences - Suffolk and beyond

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 trai...

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

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 a...

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 tr...

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 an...