I am preparing a presentation to the Local History Society on 'The Defence of Great Bedwyn'. This is a village in Wiltshire on the Blue Line, between Hungerford and Devizes, and I am setting out to explain the development of the defences in 1940 and 1941. It was defended by the local Home Guard and elements of the Field Force based on Salisbury Plain. I am looking for any additional inputs - such as photos, documents, maps, aerial photos, recollections, photos of the pillboxes in this stretch etc - either that you have or which you can direct me to. I'd also be interested in war-time photos of the following: Wiltshire Home Guard knife-rest road blocks vertical rails or hairpins blocking roads or bridges lewis guns in use by the Home Guard LDV volunteers in the early days LDV or Home Guard with molotov cocktails pillboxes in use in 1940/41 troops being transported in requisitioned buses I have searched Kew (but specific references would be useful), been to Chippenham and have MacKay's book on the Wiltshire Home Guard. Any further suggestions or contributions would be really appreciated and fully credited. regards Tony
Hi Tony and welcome to the forum. I'm affraid its not my area of interest but hopefully someone will be able to help. Perhaps in the meantime you could share some of the information you already have, I know one member will be interested in your research Cheers Andy
This is a thread on Stop line Green might help a little http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/united-kingdom/26289-stop-line-green.html
I have searched Kew (but specific references would be useful), been to Chippenham and have MacKay's book on the Wiltshire Home Guard. Any further suggestions or contributions would be really appreciated and fully credited. regards Tony Hi Tony and welcome. When you mention Chippenham was that to visit the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre, if so do they hold many records regarding the construction of the stop lines? Regards, Nick
Thanks to the three of you for your responses. The best general introduction to the Stop Lines is Colin Alexander's book called 'Ironside's Line' which looks at the GHQ Lines including the Green Line around Bristol and the Red (largely along the Thames)and Blue Line along the Kennet and Avon canal. If you haven't read that I suggest you start there - it is both easy to read and also detailed and scholarly. It also has a good list of references and a gazeteer of sites. I've found enough in various places on Great Bedwyn to allow me to put together the detail of the defences (rudimentary though they were) and to show how they developed through 1940 and 1941. That is what I'm going to set out in my talk, and also illustrate it with my photos from walking the stop lines. This is my first such talk! It is also very topical as they were probably actually being built 70 years ago this month. The Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre have bits hidden away on the stop lines (more the roadblocks rather than the pillboxes) and there are bits and pieces on the defences of Chippenham. But don't expect it all in one place or a comprehensive set of records. Nick - if you get me an email address I can send you what I have on Chippenham. They are jpegs of 2 Mb each because I tend to use my digital camera in archives it being faster and cheaper. Regards Tony
Tony Thank you for your kind offer, I have sent you a pm with my e-mail address. I will also see if I can find a copy of 'Ironside's Line' that you mention. Regards, Nick BTW - Good luck with your talk.
Hi Nick I've found some bits on the defences in Chippenham - mainly roadblocks, nothing on pillboxes. I'll email them to you over the next day or two. Regards Tony
Hi new here and just getting into photographing pillboxes defense line artefacts etc found these around chippenham if this is any help Type of site PILLBOX (VARIANT) Location Railway cutting at Thingley, SW of Chippenham. Area Chippenham, Wiltshire, England Grid reference ST 8991 7046 Period WW2 Condition Extant but condition unknown Materials Clay Brick, Concrete Type of site PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24) Location Milbourne Farm, S of Chippenham. Area Chippenham, Wiltshire, England Grid reference ST 9155 7134 Period WW2 Condition Extant but condition unknown Materials Reinforced Concrete Type of site PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24) Location Rowden Farm, S of Chippenham. Area Chippenham, Wiltshire, England Grid reference ST 9191 7189 Period WW2 Condition Extant but condition unknown Materials Reinforced Concrete Type of site PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24) Location Rowden Farm, on River Avon, S of Chippenham. Area Chippenham, Wiltshire, England Grid reference ST 9186 7250 Period WW2 Condition Extant but condition unknown Materials Reinforced Concrete Type of site PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24) Location Monkton Park, Chippenham. Area Chippenham, Wiltshire, England Grid reference ST 9264 7313 Period WW2 Condition Extant but condition unknown Materials Reinforced Concrete Type of site PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24) Location 28, Sadlers Mead, Chippenham. Area Chippenham, Wiltshire, England Grid reference ST 9242 7347 Period WW2 Condition Extant but condition unknown Materials Reinforced Concrete Type of site PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24) Location Site of Cocklebury railway bridge, on River Avon NE of Chippenham. Area Chippenham, Wiltshire, England Grid reference ST 9332 7379 Period WW2 Condition Extant but condition unknown Materials Reinforced Concrete Type of site ANTI TANK ISLAND Location Chippenham. Area Chippenham, Wiltshire, England Grid reference ST 91 73 Period WW2 Condition Unknown Materials Unknown
Type of site PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24) Location 28, Sadlers Mead, Chippenham. Area Chippenham, Wiltshire, England Grid reference ST 9242 7347 Period WW2 Condition Extant but condition unknown Materials Reinforced Concrete RichAC1 Welcome to the forum, all bar the one above are easily accessable, it's in a back garden. I'm just waiting for the vegatation around some to die down during the winter before photographing them.
Sounds like a bit of gentle persuasion may be needed there hopefully the householders would be OK about it.Just had a look at it on Google Earth ,thats some garden feature to have
Saw this today in Monkton Park. "A bunker on a golf course ." Well a pill-box. Location of it here. Pill Box in Monkton Park Pitch & Putt © chris morton cc-by-sa/2.0 I ought to look here for what type of box it is. Maybe later. Ah . Knew it would be mentioned on here already. Stop Line in Wiltshire "Type of site PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24) Location Monkton Park, Chippenham. Area Chippenham, Wiltshire, England Grid reference ST 9264 7313 Period WW2 Condition Extant but condition unknown Materials Reinforced Concrete"