Searching for Pillbox sites.

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by cptpies, Jun 26, 2009.

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  1. cptpies

    cptpies Member

    Hi

    I'm the author of the Google Earth Defence of Britain overlay and I'm on the lookout for anti invasion sites that are not listed in the original DoB database. I've been adding user submitted sites steadily to the Google Earth overlay for the past couple of years and finding them myself through various sources. I'd like to ask anybody who knows of a pillbox or other sites to check if it is in my overlay and if not let me know so I can include it. You can get the overlay from the link in my signature. I pass on all information on unlisted sites to the relevant County Historical Environment Record.

    Either post here or mail me at defenceofbritain@hotmail.co.uk

    Cheers

    Steve
     
  2. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hi Steve,

    Ref the other one I mentioned on the Littlestones thread heres the link:
    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/great-britain/16366-pre-invasion-defence.html

    Regarding the other two requests. Do you mean the bend after Jefferstone Gardens? If so I walk my dog there and confirm that bit of open space is a car parking area to a playing/recreational field.

    Ref the Caravan Park pill box can you be a bit more discriptive as I can't find the pillbox. Incidently the big buildings next to the caravan site belong to the MOD. It's a Army Cadet Centre.

    Cheers
    Andy
     
  3. 52nd Airborne

    52nd Airborne Green Jacket Brat

    Steve, I've got a pillbox to add to your list, when I'm on the right shift I'll get you a photo. The Pillbox in question is located on a railway embankment between Christchurch Road (A35) & Southbourne Road, Pokesdown (Bournemouth).
     
  4. MyOldDad

    MyOldDad Senior Member

    Hi Steve,
    I posted this some time ago regarding two previously unrecorded spigot mortar emplacements:

    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/great-britain/15639-2-spigot-mortar-emplacements-previously-unrecorded.html

    There are also another two in the vicinity (all 4 now recorded on the SMR and are said to be part of the 'River Forth to Loch Lubnaig Stop Line'):

    Stirling Council: Services we provide » All your planning information » Archaeology » Sites and Monuments Record

    Stirling Council: Services we provide » All your planning information » Archaeology » Sites and Monuments Record

    Regards,
    Tom.
     
  5. GRW

    GRW Pillboxologist

  6. englandphil

    englandphil Very Senior Member

    Steve, the first one is not a pillbox as such, but it is an old WW2 H.A.A. Battery site.

    Latitude 53°23'13.49"N
    Longitude 2°41'26.94"W

    Note, that the oblong building at the bottom of the picture was part of an Italian Prisoner of war cap.

    Secondly, and one i remember from being a nipper is a pill box alongside the canal at mrket drayton

    http://www3.shropshire-cc.gov.uk/roots/images/tyr_a10a.jpg



    and finally, you may also find the link to this site interesting
    Military Sites - NorthWest Exploration Forum



    Phil
     
  7. cptpies

    cptpies Member

    Andy: Thanks for the info, The thing by the sea looks like a tank of some sort and as suggested may be PLUTO related. It's not likely to be defense related and is too big to be a flame fougasse as somebody else suggested. The pillbox in the caravan park is at the very western end between the last two southerly caravans. It may of course be an awning or a paved area. It's hard to tell on the aerial imagery but the shadows look right.

    52nd airborne: Have you got a lat long for the location? I took a quick glance at the railway in the area you mentioned but can't see an obvious structure.

    Tom & Gordon: Thanks for the links, I'll be honest and say I have neglected Scotland somwewhat as the GE imagery has not been Hi-Res until a few weeks ago. But those sites will keep me busy for a while.

    Phil: Thanks for the HAA site. I'm including these in the overlay although they weren't in the original DoB database, but so many still exist that it would be a crime not to. The Market Drayton box is already in the DoB but there's another one by the A53 bridge not listed that I found on Geograph.
     
  8. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hi Steve,

    Think I got it (Next to the red car?). I will check it when I'm down there in August.

    Cheers
    A
     
  9. GRW

    GRW Pillboxologist

  10. 52nd Airborne

    52nd Airborne Green Jacket Brat

    52nd airborne: Have you got a lat long for the location? I took a quick glance at the railway in the area you mentioned but can't see an obvious structure.

    Steve,

    The pillbox is Christchurch side of Southbourne Road, I took a look at it on Sunday, the pillbox is heavily covered in Ivy.

    50°43´53.97"N
    1° 49´09.47"W
     
  11. cptpies

    cptpies Member

    Steve,

    The pillbox is Christchurch side of Southbourne Road, I took a look at it on Sunday, the pillbox is heavily covered in Ivy.

    50°43´53.97"N
    1° 49´09.47"W

    Thanks 52nd Airborne,

    I still can't see it on GE, probably due to the Ivy. Why don't you create a placemark and mail it to me at defenceofbritain@hotmail.co.uk

    Cheers

    Steve
     
  12. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Some shots of a pillbox discovered at Appledore in Kent. The location is left of the bridge as you cross the Military Canal to enter the village.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  13. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    From inside...

    Covering the bridge into Appledore
    [​IMG]

    Field to the front across the canal.
    [​IMG]

    Covering the canal.
    [​IMG]

    And the road into Appledore.
    [​IMG]
     
  14. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Here's the other one you asked for on the caravan site on Jefferstone Lane.
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  15. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    And a local chap told me about this one just outside Ivychurch (You can see the church in the background). Not sure of it's purpose as the entrance was almost on the road side. Some of the slits looked across a rather large field -possibly a potential DZ/LZ?
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    Paul Reed likes this.
  16. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    If you follow google earth from St Mary's Bay Station (Jefferstone Lane) Minature Railways towards Romney you may be able to see that there's a rather large pillbox at the side of the railway. Unfortunatley I was on the train and we passed it before I knew it. I'm not sure if can be reached though for a picture.

    Cheers
    Andy
     
  17. cptpies

    cptpies Member

    Cheers Andy

    I love the way that one in the caravan park has been done up! The one at Appledore is already listed in the DoB as is the one near the railway. That's actually a coastal artillery battery. I can't spot the one at Ivychurch and it's not in the DoB. Have you got an exact location for it?

    Cheers

    Steve
     
  18. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Cheers Andy

    I love the way that one in the caravan park has been done up! The one at Appledore is already listed in the DoB as is the one near the railway. That's actually a coastal artillery battery. I can't spot the one at Ivychurch and it's not in the DoB. Have you got an exact location for it?

    Cheers

    Steve

    Funny you should say that...I got hold of some info whilst I was away that says there was some naval guns in an emplacement on the coast near the end of Jefferstone Lane.

    Ref pillbox location-my mistake it's south east of St-Mary-in-the-Marsh. Sos
     
  19. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    Great photos, Andy.
     
  20. cptpies

    cptpies Member

    Funny you should say that...I got hold of some info whilst I was away that says there was some naval guns in an emplacement on the coast near the end of Jefferstone Lane.

    Ref pillbox location-my mistake it's south east of St-Mary-in-the-Marsh. Sos


    Got it now. Probably sited as a defense against paras or gliders. Not many around here like this as the main defence line was the Royal Military Canal for obvious reasons.
     

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