Defence of Britain Project

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by Paul Reed, Oct 8, 2008.

  1. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

  2. GRW

    GRW Pillboxologist

    Cheers Paul. I was actually involved in the project, but because there were only about 5 of us up here (in contrast to the rest of the country), a lot of stuff got missed.
     
  3. ARP Warden

    ARP Warden Junior Member

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  4. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

  5. Steve G

    Steve G Senior Member

    I've been absorbing myself in studying as many of these Pill Box sites ~ on line ~ as I have come across, and I'm finding it hugely frustrating.

    See, pushing forty years ago now, I lived within a few hundred yards of a belter of a Pill Box. Passed it most days and, obviously, had taken a good look inside.

    That one was on the north east side of the railway bridge over Ports Creek, south end of the Highbury Estate, Cosham, Portsmouth. I've never even found it mentioned anywhere.

    Then, just a mile along the creek, as part of the huge Hilsea Lines spread of all sorts of fascinating, if somewhat mysterious, structures, there was another Pill Box.

    This one was at the top of a steep bank. West side of the foot bridge road. It overlooked the road and, I suppose, covered the length of moat running eastwards from the other side of the road.

    Thing is, it's so hidden amongst the trees and undergrowth up there, ye wouldn't know it existed unless ye scrambled up that bank and ran smack into it. Red brick built, as I recall. The eastern one was concrete.

    I'd love to read a proper explanation of those various structures. But then I'd get frustrated again. I'm a bit of a distance, in both time and space, from that area now! :huh:

    Never mind. I have something I'll be offering those Pill Box 'nuts'. We have a genuine, c.1916, IRA one down the road from here. One of certainly two I know of (other one was, sadly, demolished a few years ago) that were set up to help protect the local town from the Black and Tans coming in from the north.

    One of these days I'll stop off there with my camera, tape measure and note book.
     
  6. Capt.Sensible

    Capt.Sensible Well-Known Member

    Hello Steve G,

    I take it the Cosham pillboxes were not recorded by the Defence of Britain Project then? This may be a long shot but you could try searching here on the county council heritage database:
    HeritageGateway - Hampshire

    Okay that appears to be a duff address, try this oneArchaeology & Historic Buildings Record - Historic Environment - Landscape Planning & Heritage

    NB Portsmouth has it's own online resource so you may have to try there - I don't know the area very well!

    Good luck!

    CS:)
     
  7. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    There are two pill boxes in the field oposite my parents house in Kent.....apparently just before they moved there a young child found a hand grenade in one and blew himself up.
     
  8. WotNoChad?

    WotNoChad? Senior Member

    Doing some work on local defences here in Kent and Sussex.

    What are you doing and can I help? I know a few over this side and can take pictures if needed. Unfortunately a lot of the sea defences, typically those right on the shores edge are long since gone.

    Also keep meaning to go down to St. Maggies bay, Dover, one to see if there's any hint of the equipment behind the "sea on fire" ploy is left, but also there's an old gun emplacement atop the cliff which Peter Ustinov was stationed at, which he bought after the war and converted into a home.

    On a mild tangent I have been thinking now might be the time to try and record every single site of WWII interest in Kent in one place, massive task I know but it's what summer afternoons are made for when you've become a middle-aged spod.

    cheers,
     
  9. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    There are two pill boxes in the field oposite my parents house in Kent.....apparently just before they moved there a young child found a hand grenade in one and blew himself up.

    I've just spoken to my Dad and he says the field opposite used to be called Littlestones Airfield that was built before WW2.

    I've just googled it but no returns :unsure:
     
  10. AndyBaldEagle

    AndyBaldEagle Very Senior Member

    I have a book in one of my many 'to be disposed of somehow' boxes titled Pillboxes by Henry Wills who I think may have now passed away. Very interesting book and gives the details as far as i can remember of some of the types used, I think the mainly infantry ones were Type 26/1s.

    I also have smoe picsture of antitank obstacles that are near me together with pics of some of the remaining pill boxes at the old RAF Hornchurch, now called Hornchurch Country Park. The photos werer taken on old camera so I would have to scan em all on!

    Andy
     
  11. Steve G

    Steve G Senior Member

    Well, I've just come back from checking out Capt. S's link and a further scouring of Google. I'm afraid all I've been able to come up with, thus far, is a couple of references to Portsmouth based Pill Boxes having been long since razed!

    (Why do they do that??? What's wrong with them sitting there? Bloody council always were a bunch of useless bandits!)

    It's so frustrating, having grown up surrounded by such things. Now to be living in the age of excellent, digital cameras the size of ten No. 6 and the whole inter net thing. And hundreds and hundreds of miles away from so much of what now fascinates me.
     
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  12. WotNoChad?

    WotNoChad? Senior Member

    On a mild tangent anyone aside from myself ever had a wander around the Ramsgate Tunnels? They're sealed off now but the council is approachable for access if a number of folk want a tour.

    There's a ton of other sites of interest on this web site;
    ramsgate tunnels
     
  13. 51highland

    51highland Very Senior Member

    Thought I would add a couple of pics. Often passed this and never thought about it. Pill box at Newton, near Sudbury, Suffolk.
    Google earth 52 01' 43.58"N - 0 48' - 01.54"E
     

    Attached Files:

  14. Ferahgo

    Ferahgo Senior Member

    Im in Salisbury, Wiltshire, and the Michelin Heritage book says that theres a pillbox up at old sarum castle somewhere, I've scoured the whole site lookingfor the thing and nothings turned up. An interesting fortification is the fort at the end of Brean Point near Bristol. Originally used to defend the area from Napoleon it was also used during the wars. Theres a few pillboxes at the end ot the point, but they are all cut off now, the seas have destroyed the joining rock, but it is still possible to see them. One had a searchlight, another pair had massive shipboard guns etc. The searchlight one had a hinged concrete roof so it could point upwards at aircraft...but the winds have blown it open after it was closed when it was abandoned in the lat forties. It is a fascinating place becasue a lot of x-weapons were tested there, like the rocket powered depth charge...
     
  15. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    I found two this weekend in a field on the Kent coast near Dymchurch.

    Will post pics etc when I've catched up on all the posts :)
     
  16. Steve G

    Steve G Senior Member

    Update on my " IRA " Pillbox. I've since asked half a dozen people and have received half a dozen different opinions! But it is starting to look like this was erected by some form of brit authority, and aimed at WW2 defence. Maybe an extension of the 'homeland' defence idea? Curiouser and curiouser!

    It's still on my 'To Do' list. But, the days are short and full of rats. I tend to pass it as a shadow amidst the shadows just now. Come spring ...

    Andy Bald Eagle? Expect a PM. If ye still have that book to dispose of, it'll be disposed of via my Natwest account very shortly! :D I believe I know of the one and it'll give me something to parouse while I wait for a page to open on this thing ~ Vile Connection!
     

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