It is probably not appreciated what an interesting and diverse subject it can be-literally a study in itself. It has much in common with Army-based defences, as you can never be sure what you are going to find! I’ve divided the subject into two sections: a short history, followed by […]
WWII Defensive Structures
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An Anderson shelter still in-situ at Ness Battery, Stromness, Orkney. How to set up your Anderson Shelter Download a PDF of these instructions
This post shows some types of Anti-Tank obstacles that were used during the war.
In the late 1930s as threat of war with Germany grew so did the general anticipation that if war came it would involve an aerial bombing campaign. The railway companies were faced with the prospect of keeping vital buildings, such as signal boxes, operational despite the threat of damage from […]
The Auxiliary Units or GHQ Auxiliary Units were specially trained, highly secret units created by the United Kingdom government during the Second World War, with the aim of resisting the expected occupation of the United Kingdom by Nazi Germany, after a planned invasion codenamed Operation Sea Lion. Having had the […]
The reason for their construction on or very near Airfields is to provide the ‘Station Commander’ with a secure location from which he could direct the defence of ‘his’ property via landlines and runners in the event of being attacked by hostile ground forces. Officially known as the Type 11008/41 […]
Trenches from both world wars are pretty rare to find in good condition after nearly 100 years in the open air.
Key Facts See Poynings Flame Fougasse page for more details
Loopholed Walls are one of the less common forms of surviving defences as they are often bricked up or filled in to prevent the walls collapsing. Another well known Loophole wall survives in Elstead Village in Surrey NGR: SU937406, this was part of GHQ Line B defences around the village […]
When invasion panic ensued in 1940 road blocks were thrown up everywhere, mainly to the detriment of the public, who walked into them at night or simply drove into them in their cars; individuals were even shot at occasionally – hardly surprising given the tense situation after Dunkirk. Blocks at […]
Whilst rummaging through files recently at the Public Record Office I came across substantial material on the Spigot Mortar, a weapon which was, as will be seen, controversial at least, certainly in Southern Command on which this article generally concentrates. Although not available to counteract a German invasion in 1940 […]
The Stanton air-raid shelter was manufactured by the Stanton Ironworks Co Ltd near Nottingham (the iron connection is in the mould pattern). They could be built in any length but usually consisted of 18 precast concrete arched-shaped units (each one in two parts), bolted together to form a standard (after […]