HAA Battery, Ferry Road, Hayling Island. Ngr SZ 699994 On Sinah common at Hayling Island in Hampshire (map ref SZ699994), a Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery has been preserved as a memorial to the six gunners that died defending the Portmouth area from a heavy air raid that took place in April […]
Yearly Archives: 2013
20 posts
Wartime Survivors at Sherfield on Loddon, Hampshire. A pair of tall type 22 pillboxes can be found just east of the A33 Basingstoke to reading rd. at Sherfield on Loddon in Hampshire. One sits at floods farm north of the River Loddon at ngr: su684584 This can be seen both from […]
River Whitewater GHQ Line A Defences. Ngr SU740611 Close to Heckfield Bridge near Bramshill in Hampshire are two very original and sound surving type 25 pillboxes. The full height example which can be easily seen from the road has its inner and outer galvanise steel shuttering and the retaining bolts holding […]
A Preserved Spigot Mortar Base Elvetham Heath, Fleet, Hampshire Ngr SU791550 Preserving WW2 defence remains is unusual but not unheard of but this is an exception where time and trouble has ensured history has been saved for future generations. During development work on the new Elvetham Heath estate at Fleet […]
Kent Canal Defence PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/22): S0008247 (Extant) Beside the Royal Military Canal at Appledore in Kent is this FW3/22 Pillbox, it is situated about a mile south of the town beside the road bridge. By Peter Shute
Allhallows Defences & The Battle of Britain June 1940: as German forces had now rolled up Europe and pushed the beleaguered British back home from Dunkirk, the defence of the British Isles became a paramount concern. The country’s coastal defences were strengthened, with many miles of barbed wire springing up. Some […]
Eastney Barracks,Ferry Rd and Beach Defences. SZ666987 The Loopholed wall can be seen surrounding part of the Royal Marines Barracks at Eastney in Portsmouth, this particular section is at the junction of St George’s Road and Cromwell Road leading to the main Royal Gate. Its location is close to […]
Watchers or defence post, Chichester Harbour. Ngr SZ751987 This very unusual structure was found on the far east side of Hayling Island very close to the sailing club at Sandy Point, the defence post overlooks the Emsworth channel which leads into the entrance way of Chichester Harbour and close to […]
Military Concrete Remains on Hazeley Heath, Hartley Wintney, Hampshire. NGR SU764577 Situated on Hazeley Heath Common near Hartley Wintney are some unusual concrete structures that date from pre WW2. The concrete relics are fully accessible to the public and are at the end of a short concrete road leading from the main […]
Ngr SU832554 This type 22 variant pillbox situated alongside the main south coast line at Cove near Farnborough would have given all round fire covering the adjacent railway bridge and Cove Rd. Its position is close to Fleet Pond bridge and also faces northwest on to the A3013 Fleet to Farnborough road, […]
Taylors Gate Guard House Defence. Ngr SU667564 Although it is not accessible due to its location on Ministry of Defence (MOD) land, the unusual guard house pillbox can be observed close to Taylors Gate from outside and on the adjacent public footpath. The unusual defence protects the entrance from the A33 Rd to […]
Un-Recorded Railblock and Pillbox East of Aldershot Ngr SU889439 An un recorded part of the east defence ring for Aldershot survives on the old and row removed rail line at Tongham. Early 2009 I walked the footpath where the Ash Green to Aldershot spur line once ran, this is now […]
Canal Crossing Road Block Ngr SU852527 These substantial road block posts can be found on the north side of Claycart Bridge at Aldershot, the bridge was a used as a military crossing over the Basingstoke Canal from the training areas south east of Aldershot. Originally two small rectangular pillboxes […]
There are at least half a dozen of the common type 22 pillboxes that can be found dotted around the island, some are accesible others are not, the majority can be found by walking along the south west coast close to Hayling Island golf course. With the exception of the pillboxes on […]
Aldershots Anti-Aircraft Post Ngr SU856513 This very basic, unusual and rare Anti-Aircraft Defence Post is located centre of playing fields adjacent to the A325 Farnborough to Farnham main road. During the war this gun emplacement would have given limited defensive firepower against low flying enemy aircraft attacking the nearby Army […]
Aldershot Ring Defence, Pillbox, Basingstoke Canal. Ngr SU 860522 An unusual small rectangular pillbox can be found beside the Basingstoke Canal to the west of Aldershot military town. The small pillbox has a twin embrasure front wall which faces south east covering the A325 Farnborough to Farnham Rd and Canal […]
Concealed and Disguised Pillboxes at Beaulieu, New Forest, Hampshire. eDoB Online Map – S0012705 Ngr SU387023 Many people will recognise this unusual building as one that features on the cover of Henry Wills “Pillboxes” book. The camouflaged pillbox sits in the garden of the Mill House and covers the bridge […]
Unrecorded Defended Barn, Test Valley, Hampshire. eDoB Online Map – e09865 Ngr: SU377392 I came across this very unusual and rare defended building while driving cross country back from Winchester. The small brick and stone clad barn is situated at fields edge beside a quiet country lane at Fullerton near Wherwell, […]
This unusual hexagonal pillbox can be found behind a hedgerow not far from the entrance to the Imperial War Museum at Duxford in Cambridgeshire. I believe it is the one listed on the DOB at Grid Ref: TL454458. It is listed as a Type24 and also as a Type 27. […]
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