WW2 Pillboxes UK

[Bishop]

Mr Graybags wrote.

Finally got into the one at Silk Mills Bridge, Taunton

Ah yes I've read about these pillboxes. Odd looking buggers.
http://www.somersetpillboxes.co.uk/silk_mills.htm

From Somerset pillboxes other defences page.

DEFENCE POST These structures were built to protect important installations, e.g. Ordnance Factories, Supply Depots, etc. The lower section of the post was built of brick, the centre section of reinforced concrete and the upper section of brick. There are four very wide embrasures, one in each side of the centre section. The post has a low level protected entrance and on the outside of the upper section there is a bracket to which telephone wire was once attached. The open upper section of the post, which was reached by an outside fixed ladder, was probably used as a light anti-aircraft position for defence against low flying enemy aircraft. Some variants of the Defence Post did not have an upper section.

B

 

[krela]

Nice example of a 6Pdr Gunpit here:

 

[cardiffrail]

Nice.

Found a couple just east of Hungerford (Hungerford Common) between the canal and railway, and another on the lane from there to the A4. Bit full of mud and animal waste tho. http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=51.4117&lon=-1.4972&scale=25000&icon=x

 

[krela]

That pillbox that Bishop mentioned a few posts ago is actually a pretty rare variant on a type 26 pillbox called the 'Stent' pillbox (named after the company which prefabricated the concrete shuttering for it).

There's probably no more than 50 surviving nationwide.

More pics:

 

[Bishop]

Found this link by chance, quite an interesting page on how
the Bren light machine gun was fixed into an embrasure.

http://www.nbcd.org.uk/blog/detail.asp?ID=92

B

 

[Bishop]

Vickers medium machine gun pillbox interior, concrete table (or plinth)
is for the machine gun's tripod.

First world war re-enactment bloke with a Vickers mmg.

6 Pdr gun mount.

The 6 pounder gun (57mm) was an antique from the first world war, bottom
pic looks to me like a naval version.

B

 

[Lightbuoy]

Ahh, so that's what those iron cotton bobbin looking things are for!!! Saw a few at Beacon Hill the other weekend. So out goes my theory of knitting for the war effort on an industrial scale then!!!
Even though those weapons look pretty old, I still wouldn't fancy the idea of being near these today! -they could have your eye out or something!!!

 

[Bishop]

Mr LB wrote.

So out goes my theory of knitting for the war effort on an industrial scale then!!!

Lol, good one.

B

 

[sheep2405]

There is a nice looking one at Staverton airport I noticed when I was working this week, going up to have a look next sunday if anyone is interested in joining me. PM me and ill give you my contact details.

S

 

[Bishop]

Hey Sheep if you're after grid refs for all the pillboxes and airfield
defences around Staverton have a look on the Defence of Britain
database/archive.

http://www.britarch.ac.uk/projects/dob/index.html

This one sounds the most interesting to me, Type 23s are a bit rare (well in this part of the UK).

Pillbox, possibly type 23. May have remains of barbed wire fences around it.
(Source: Field Visit 2001/05/__)

Type of site PILLBOX
Location E of the E boundary of Staverton Airport.
Area Staverton, Gloucestershire, England
Grid reference SO 894 215 (Scale: 1:50000 , 1996)
Period WW2
Condition Good
Materials Concrete

Did read something once about a trainee pilot during WW2 who stalled on
take off in a Tiger Moth bi-plane and then crashed into one of Staverton's
perimiter pillboxes, thats got to hurt.

B

 

[sheep2405]

Im pretty sure thats the one Im going to have a look at next week your welcome to come with me if you want. Let me know and we will arrange it.

S

 

[Bishop]

Walton in Gordano, North Somerset. Right in the middle of the
village across the road from the village shop is this little pillbox
built to defend the cross roads.

Its not part of a system of pillboxes, guess it was constructed
by the local Home Guard?

B

 

[sheep2405]

Thanks for the site bishop, didnt get as far as Staverton today bur found a nice one a bit north of Sharpness instaed

S

 

[Lightbuoy]

Hey B,

That must be the nicest looking pill box I've ever seen!
If they'd needed planning permission to build these back in WW2, then I'm sure this would have passed with flying colours!!!

Lb

P.s. -Fieldy & me went to HMS Ganges Navy site at the weekend. Massive site right on the coast. Keep an eye out for some pics!!

 

[Bishop]

Sheep2405 wrote.

found a nice one a bit north of Sharpness instead

Hey Sheep did you get any pics of it? Still planning to see that Type 23?

Lightbuoy wrote.

That must be the nicest looking pill box I've ever seen!

Yeah I really like this one too, myself and Krela were visiting a few heavy anti
aircraft sites in North Somerset and this was only a mile or so down the road
so we thought we'd have a look, much smarter than I expected, blends in well.

Just wait till you see the ones from Minehead.

Guarding a bridge by the canal, Bradford on Avon.

Bricked up entrance to a Type 24 built to defend a rail bridge, Bradford on Avon.

B

 

[Foxylady]

Went to Sidmouth last Friday to look at the Napoli, and was walking through Connaught Gardens when I came across this.

Prettified & touristy with a blue plaque on it, unfortunately, but my friend who'd driven me over told me that there's a line of defence structures all along the Axe Valley. I'll try & check it out at some point.

 

[krela]

there's a line of defence structures all along the Axe Valley. I'll try & check it out at some point.

Yes that'll be the southern reaches of the Taunton Stopline. There should also be a decent line of coastal defences running all the way along the south coast, although most will be gone by now.

 

[Bishop]

Earlier in the week I added a WW2 pillboxes and defences section to the
military galleries, heres a few examples.

Double decker pillbox on the Taunton Stop line near Ilton, Somerset. Photo
by Krela.

Troops using a pillbox.

B

 

[Bishop]

Pillbox camouflaged as a news kiosk in the centre of Brighton.

Found this piece below by chance, quite amusing imo.

Typical of their work was the pillbox which by the end of the summer of 1940 had been constructed in the centre of Preston Circus, Brighton, and which had adopted the ‘role’ of a newsagents. The disguise was apparently sufficiently real to confuse a Brighton Councilor who, outraged, tabled a question enquiring who had authorised the newsagent to set up business in such a prominent location - a matter reported without comment in the Brighton & Hove Herald!

Above from UK Forts Club page on camouflage officers at work in Sussex.
http://www.ukfortsclub.org.uk/aldis/71/71_1.html

B

 

[Foxylady]

I've been looking for local pillboxes in the CBA Defence of Britain Archives & went for a recce today to check out a structure built into the cliff on the seafront. I think it was used as a lifeguard point many years ago, but is now, unfortunately, rather trashed (a recent occurance as was boarded up the last time I saw it). There is no evidence of it having been a pillbox, apart from a small hole which could have been a gun portal.
Anyway, as I was taking photos I looked up to the top of the cliff & noticed something that definitely looked variant-shaped, so I climbed the cliff steps to find out. It's been quite well disguised, with a wall built into either side of it & forming a bend next to the road. The portals have been filled in with stone cladding to match the wall, but they are unmistakably there if you're looking for them, with large rectangular slabs above them.
I'll post a pic or two on this post as soon as they've been d&p'd.
Cheers
Foxy