WW2 Pillboxes UK

Lightbuoy;12460; said:

I'm guessing again here, but would the cables be to hold the blocks together, or perhaps are anchored individually, to prevent a tank from moving just one of the blocks?

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Right m'dear, I've just spent some time on Google to check this out (what else is a girl to do on a friday night? )
And...some stuff...

"Cable of the railway barrier, set in it's concrete anchorage blocks, still guards the main line into Parkeston Quay."
From www.unlockingessexec.gov.uk
"Line of anti-tank blocks to hold a length of rail"
From www.nbcd.org.uk
"often holes at the top for the insertion of iron stakes which would have been lined with barbed wire in the hope that this would get tangled up in the tracks of any light tank trying to mount them"
From www.worcestershire.gov.uk

There's more, but I'm guessing that, as in the case of pillboxes, there would be variations according to the area and the interpreter of the original plans.
Hope that helps.
Cheers
Foxy

There are two pillboxes on the north wall on grimsby docks and near to one of them there is a stone stairs and ramp dont know what that is.


Box one front.

box one right side.

box two front.

box two left side.

and the stairs/launch ramp. (old lifeboat perhaps)


Access to both is easy as you just walk up the beach but you cant get inside any of them as they have been filled with concrete.

Hey Magoo thanks for posting pics and info, that pillbox looks to me as though it's a beach defence type pillbox, it would have been used by roughly four blokes with small arms (rifles and light machine guns).

Bigger version of pretty much the same thing. Coastal Defence Pillbox, Blue Anchor, Somerset (pic by Krela).



b

If i find any more up near me i will post some pics up..

Beach Defences.

Photograph of Brighton beach in 1940, lots of barbed wire and concrete anti tank cubes (and possibly a minefield?).



Above pic taken from.
http://www.20thcenturysparks.org.uk/page_id__39.aspx

Scaffolding used to block landing craft and armoured vehicles.

Lunan bay, Angus.

Beach scaffolding placed on a beach and in the surf so as to prevent hostile forces from landing by boat or vehicle.

This type of defence is very rarely found as most was removed for scrap metal at the end of the war. This example was exposed by 2002 to 2003 storms. (Photo Anne Burgess)

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Above pic and info from.
http://www.pillboxesuk.co.uk/

1940's defences Felixstowe beach.



b

Mr. Martin AMM3C, based at USAAF Dunkeswell, at play at Sidmouth, the scafolding is part of the beach defences. It was intended to slow down enemy landings by preventing tanks from climbing the low seafront walls.

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Above info/snaps from.
http://www.wartimememories.co.uk/photos2.html

b

Really good to see some photos of the beach defences as they were at the time. Especially like the last two pics from my neck of the woods (or the coast!).
Thanks for that, Mr B
Foxy

Great pictures Magoo!

The sea views must be lovely from there

Thanks also to Bishop for the excellent as ever historical input -find this useful in seeing such places in their original context. Well done chaps!

Lb

I went for a walk yesterday, 30th May, to look at more pillboxes in the Axe Valley.

A short distance north of the Axe Bridge, between Musbury and Boshill Cross, sits this delightful Block shuttered T24. I couldn't get close enough to look inside as it was on the opposite side of the stream. Mind you, I'd already tramped across a field and through several cow-pats, so I could have washed my boots off in the water!







Nearer to the bridge is this lovely dilapidated T22 (also Block shuttered). Apart from the Coastal Artillery Searchlight emplacement on the sea front at Seaton, I'd never actually been inside a pillbox before, so being able to do so was really neat. I took a few pics inside but they weren't brilliant as it was very dark and I didn't have my tripod with me, so I set my camera on a slow shutter speed and hoped for the best.









South of the bridge sits this 6pdr Anti-Tank Gun emplacement. These pics were taken on 17th May on a previous visit, and as I was leaving a party of schoolchildren were arriving. I spoke to their teacher and she told me that all the schools in the area teach local WW2 defence studies and that it's also part of their GCSE course. Cool!







In the field to the south are a pair of Vickers MMG emplacements. After taking some photos of one of them yesterday, I had to change the film, so will put the rest up when that's finished and developed. Meanwhile, here are a couple of pics of the top, sunken pillbox.





Cheers
Foxy

Good afternoon Foxy,

Some really interesting WW2 structures there. The curved one is me fave -great to hear that in this day & age of computers & "political correctness", Schools are still teaching children about our important history & places connected with it

Thanks Foxy, enjoyed looking at these pics!

Lb

Cheers Lb,
Your comments are very much appreciated as always.
Yeh, it's great about the schools. Even the youngest kiddies do projects about them, apparently.
I have to say that the more I visit them myself the more I appreciate pillboxes, it that's at all possible. I've really fallen in love with the Boshill Cross T22!
Will go out again soon and visit some more.

Foxy

Hey Lightbuoy
Just realised one of the things about pillboxes that I love so much. Apart from the incredible history behind them, each one is like a miniature piece of architure in it's own right, with all the character and personality that goes with it.
For instance, the T22 at Boshill Cross that I love is like the tiny, romantic cottage in the country with roses around the door, whereas the sunken Vickers MMG is like a cool, racy, clifftop Frank Lloyd Wright building. The 6pdr you like? A piece of Art Deco, methinks! HeeHee.
Cheers
Foxy

Here are the rest of the pics of the Vickers MMG emplacements at Axmouth.

Sitting on one to take a photo of the other one further down the field.



There's an oil drum wedged between the entrance and the outer wall. I think it might be there to stop sheep from getting inside and getting trapped.







The inside taken through the front embrasure.



In the next field south is a T24 pillbox. I took this one on the May 17th visit and had to take it from the road as the field was newly ploughed. On my subsequent visit of 29th May the crops were coming through. There may be a way to get closer, along the river, which I might try accessing on a future visit. It's a bit far away to see properly - you can just about make it out between the two trees in the centre.



Only just realised today that I'd missed another T24 between the 6pdr and the two Vickers pillboxes, and one on the other side of the road, but will go back and try and fill in the gaps another time when I continue the quest!

Cheers
Foxy

Foxylady;13647; said:

In the next field south is a T24 pillbox. I took this one on the May 17th visit and had to take it from the road as the field was newly ploughed. On my subsequent visit of 29th May the crops were coming through. There may be a way to get closer, along the river, which I might try accessing on a future visit. It's a bit far away to see properly - you can just about make it out between the two trees in the centre.

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See you think that's bad, they were spreading flaming muck when I was there!

Hence the photo I posted earlier in this thread...

Cool pic, im guessing you didn't get any nearer then hehehe. that stuff stinks for miles, im surprised you got that close it it. yuck lol. the pill box is good tho.

theres a pillbox type structure in moorhouse not too far away from the old raf ossington site. its got the two pillboxs structures, one each side of the wooden door type gate. will try and get a pic of it later on in the week on one of my drive rounds lol. i presume it was something to do with ossington?

Sal

I thought that was the same one as the 'light mortar fire', Krela. Fortunately, there was no 'enemy activity' the day I went.

Cheers
Foxy

Oh, and at least the farmer didn't give you the usual Devonian greeting...'Gerrorf my laaand' !!!

Foxy

"P.s. -sorry peeps, but I don't know how to get the longitude / latitudes!"

Lat and long is in the bottom right of the Flatearth picture.

Sorry if this has already been said!!