A series of 61 anti-tank pimples, around 300 anti-tank cylinders and one pillbox along the coast in Pegwell Bay, Kent. On the four roads crossing the Medway in this area each one is covered by a type 28A pillbox and is backed up by a shell proof type 24 pillbox. Around 1500 Moir pillboxes were eventually produced (with blocks cast at Richborough in Kent) and sent to the Western Front in 1918. The most common of these defences were called “pillboxes”, squat concrete forts that were sited at road junctions, canals and other strategic points. The Pillbox Study Group > Pillboxes & Anti-Invasion Defences England ... Kent Moderators:Tim Denton, John Hellis. Its purpose was to provide a number of basic pillbox designs which could be constructed by soldiers and local labour at appropriate defensive locations. Pillboxes that are well dug-in and thick-walled are naturally damp and provide a stable thermal environment that is required by bats that would otherwise hibernate in caves. In addition, there were designs for gun emplacements suitable for either the Ordnance QF … Hankley Common’s Atlantic Wall D-Day Practise Area. MESSAGES. Basingstoke Canal Type 26/Stent Prefab Rescue, Basingstoke Canal Unique GHQ Line A Pillbox Rescue. River Whitewater Shellproof Pillbox Rescue Archaeology, Spigot Mortar Emplacement Rescue Archaeology, Breamore Mill, River Avon, Ringwood Stopline, National Trust North Downs GHQ Line B Pillbox Event. Basingstoke Canal Type 26/Stent Prefab Rescue, Basingstoke Canal Unique GHQ Line A Pillbox Rescue. There are many types of pillbox, the most common being the Type 22 Pillbox, two of which can be seen in Sarre forming an outer perimeter of the defences to the south. Scadbury Park, Chiselhurst, Kent. This is a short article on the GHQ line between the villages of Ashurst (on the Kent and Sussex border) and the village of Penshurst in Kent along the course of the River Medway, both of the villages lie to the west of Tunbridge Wells. All these pillboxes have probably survived because this part of west Kent has not had the terrific growth that most areas of the county have gone through since the end of WW2. Ewshot Pillbox Restoration “Exclusive” September 7th 2013. 21 anti-tank rails connecting two pillboxes, Detling Airfield (Monument) TQ 75 SE 144: A Second World War flame trap was located on Loose Road, Maidstone (Monument) TR 34 SW 477: A Second World War type B Quad pillbox, North Entrance, Dover Western Heights (Building) TQ 85 NW 135 The The roads are the B2176 at Penshurst, the B2188 at Saints Hill, the minor road over the Medway at Chafford bridge and the A264 at Ashurst. View Larger Map. Some pillboxes were equipped with a mounting to support one or more machine guns in an anti-aircraft role. In the following June and July FW3 issued 6 basic designs for rifle and light machine gun, designated Type 22 to Type 27. Saunders W & Smith V, Kent's Defense Heritage, Site KD164 Hoo St. Werburgh to Lodge HIll Line of Pillboxes. The book is free to download and is a fascinating and informative read. James I love pillboxes in the snow nice pics there mate, wooha to the damaged one tho something naughty happened there me thinks? Of those pillboxes I have been inside, the ones on the River Medway have anti-ricochet walls in and the only one I could get into on the River Eden as it enters Penshurst did not have any internal wall. :notworthy: On the snow box. Pillboxes are cast concrete guard posts which included weapons ports. The remaining pillboxes are on private land or the opposite side of the River Medway to the public footpaths. On the four roads crossing the Medway in this area each one is covered by a type 28A pillbox and is backed up by a shell proof type 24 pillbox. The Basingstoke Canal was part of the series of defensive lines and St John’s still retains the remains of two pillboxes right beside Kiln Bridge (above and left).There are also a few remaining examples in the area: a small bulletproof pillbox and other defensive positions at Curzon Bridge in Pirbright and a well-preserved pillbox at Brookwood Bridge below Lock 15. We currently have over 300 members in six countries. We currently have over 300 members in six countries. We provide a specialised solution for generating profit from small health and personal care items, with displays that inspire impulse purchases. The small concrete forts or bunkers were first called pillboxes in an article in the Scotsman newspaper on September 13, 1917. Southern Railway Pillbox, Hook Heath, Woking, Surrey. Next to the eastern entrance of the tunnel you can see the remains of a branch from the main London to Bristol railway line which lead into the hillside into the Corsham Ammunitions Depot and terminated at a half-mile long underground railway station which was used during World War II. I have checked the line to the south of this at Groombridge and as far as I could ascertain this number is repeated here. and is used here courtesy of Steve Thompson. There is also another type 28a pillbox over the River Eden in Penshurst just before the Eden joins the River Medway in the village. This Site. ‘But few know that at the end of 1914 work began on the creation of epic lines of anti-invasion field defences, ready for action in the event of an invasion by the Kaiser’s army and navy. This is a type 24 built into the embankment beside the road and has a protected entrance with only 3 gun embrasures facing forward and none to the rear. Reference was also made to … Kettlebury Hill, Assault Training Observation Bunker. Their walls are usually so thick that demolition is deemed to be more trouble than it is worth. Penshurst village was an anti-tank island on the GHQ line and is about the best preserved in the county of Kent. The only non standard pillbox I have been able to observe is the one just away from the Medway leading to the old waterworks at Saints Hill. These two pillboxes are situated overlooking the River Medway near Yalding and have survived very well. The village of Penshurst was not only an important anti-tank island it is also the place where the GHQ line west along the line of the River Eden joins the branch of the GHQ line coming from Newhaven in Sussex along the course of the River Medway. Nationally, six thousand pillboxes survive of which approximately 150 can be found in Berkshire, many along the length of the Kennet and Avon Canal. With a few minor modifications, suitable pillboxes can be converted to artificial caves for bats. You mentioned you checked with the council but you should report its existence to the Kent HER, it's likely that the school and therefore ultimately the council own the land. The ancient Royal Military Canal was well guarded with troops, pillboxes, and barbed wire. The roads are the B2176 at Penshurst, the B2188 at Saints Hill, the minor road over the Medway at Chafford bridge and the A264 at Ashurst. A two mile long tunnel, built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel through Box Hill. North Downs Way Shellproof Type 24 Variant. FORUMS. Spotter’s Guide to Pillboxes & other anti-invasion structures of WWII. HISTORY: The four pillboxes were constructed in 1940 as part of the Hoo Stop Line; an anti-invasion defended line stretching for approximately eight miles between the River Thames near Cliffe and the River Medway to the south-east of Hoo St Werburgh. In the days after Dunkirk, nearly 18,000 pillboxes were built over a matter of days in the splendid tradition of British make do and mend. North Downs Way Shellproof Type 24 Variant. The PSG does not encourage members to undertake the ad hoc clearance of vegetation from pillboxes, as it can expose them to physical damage and inappropriate use, it may also contravene a variety of statutory regulations including, listed buildings and SSSI designations. The type 28A are all of the square embrasure type to house the Hotchkiss 6 pounder anti-tank gun. I have had five visits along this part of the GHQ line and I have found in the five miles from Penshurst to Ashurst 40 pillboxes and of these 23 lay beside or near public footpaths, this works out to 8 pillboxes to one mile on this part of the GHQ line . Members receive the journal ', Hitler’s threatened British Invasion 1940, Aldershot Command’s 2- Pounder Emplacement, Mowlem 6 Pounder Drum Pillbox Shalford Surrey. The design of the Eden pillboxes are slightly different and the finish does not look so good either inside or outside and they also have a slight dome effect on the roof. any leads on the cause yet? I would imagine it has been bricked up due to its proximity to the school, to prevent people using it as a drugs den and children then having accidents in it. Pillboxes are often camouflaged in order to conceal their location and to maximize the element of surprise. The complete data set is available as a kmz file for Google Earth from. Square and rectangular pillboxes dating to the First World War can be found in Kent, Suffolk and Norfolk; however they are all built with much more substantial walls and roofs. Some pillboxes have been converted to make roosts for bats. We welcome new members to the PSG. Committed To The Study & Preservation Of 20th Century United Kingdom & International Pillboxes & Anti-Invasion Defences. At Chafford bridge there are also several anti-tank obstacles, but since the bridge was replaced with a new one in 2003 many of the best ones have gone, probably into reinforcing of the river bank. Ewshot Pillbox Restoration “Exclusive” September 7th 2013. Some are right beside the river, others are some hundred yards of the way back and some are on higher ground away from the river. Photos of locations at showing remains at Scadbury Park, Kent of pillboxes and other defences built to resist a German invasion in World War 2. We welcome new members to the PSG. The most common of these defences were called “pillboxes”, squat concrete forts that were sited at road junctions, canals and other strategic points. Thousands of concrete pillboxes were built in Kent; 6,500 of the crumbling structures remain standing to this day. With the passage of time it is estimated that less than 6,000 of a total of 28,000 pillboxes built still survive. Its written by Paul Tritton and is called “Tonbridge Fortress”. The infantry pillboxes along this stretch are spaced out in the main to give covering fire to each other. Lower Medway Pillboxes. Crumbling pillboxes, originally camouflaged as farm buildings, cottages or even haystacks, are hidden in undergrowth. On the north Kent coast, in sight of Herne Bay to the west and Margate’s Turner Contemporary art gallery to the east, Reculver is an exposed stretch of beach and cliff where a delightful walk will lead you all the way to the famous fishing town of Whitstable in one direction, and to Birchington-on-Sea in the other. Ashurst FW3/24 PillboxPicture by David Ottway. NOTIFICATIONS. Kettlebury Hill, Assault Training Observation Bunker. 'Incredible' Tudor shipwreck discovered in Kent given protection. Allhallows Pillbox - geograph.org.uk - 268428.jpg 640 × 426; 99 KB Volunteers looking for demolished World War II pillboxes near Whitstable in Kent have … Also, further east between the villages of Teston and East Barming on the Medway this figure of 8 per mile holds good. This underground chamber in Scadbury Park appears at first glance to be an Operational … This example is a Type D trapezoidal Quad of concrete and brick construction, located near the junction of the Citadel and the Western Outworks, facing north-west. Media in category "Pillboxes in Kent" The following 69 files are in this category, out of 69 total. Download Pillbox Database for Google Earth + Web Version. A number of pillboxes were constructed across the Western Heights in the 20th century to cover the approaches to the heights, these are generally inter-visible. Selecting a marker will bring up a link with the name and OSGB Grid Reference of the location; click on the link and you will be taken to an image/s of the location below. Kent County History (2001) War Office document, Hoo Stop Line (reference WO 166/4297): sketch plan and list of infantry and anti-tank pillboxes Posted in Kent, Second World War. Spotter’s Guide to Pillboxes & other anti-invasion structures of WWII. Upon reading up on the pillboxes I found a brilliant book about Tonbridge and its defences during WW2. Depending on how you count the pillboxes I have made the number around the village where the two lines meet at 15 pillboxes of which two are type 28 for Hotchkiss guns. In May 1940, the directorate of Fortifications and Works (FW3) was set up at the War Office under the direction of Major-General G. B. O. Taylor. Iv seen a couple of totally destroyed ones before but never a half wrecked one. This subbstantial box is near Thurnham in Kent: It's actually neat the blue pin on the map saying Elite Arborists but the trees have now been cleared. This map shows the locations of most of the UK Pillboxes that are known to exist today. Hankley Common’s Atlantic Wall D-Day Practise Area. There’s a lot of info on here so it takes a while to load. River Whitewater Shellproof Pillbox Rescue Archaeology, Spigot Mortar Emplacement Rescue Archaeology, Breamore Mill, River Avon, Ringwood Stopline, National Trust North Downs GHQ Line B Pillbox Event. Three of these survive today in the village. DISCUSSIONS. I can recommend this part of the GHQ line for anyone who wants not only to see a good number of well preserved pillboxes but also to enjoy walking in lovely countryside with many pubs along the route. Training was provided in the area for the secret Auxiliary Units, men who would be … of pillboxes which were placed in Sarre during the war. In 1940 a network of defences was hastily built all over the British Isles to prevent an anticipated German invasion. Southern Railway Pillbox, Hook Heath, Woking, Surrey. I have referenced this extensively for the sections of this walk that feature the town centre. Also, I have been only able to view some pillboxes at a distance with binoculars where they lay well away from footpaths but can seen from higher parts of public footpaths. the pillboxes and tank traps hurriedly erected in the summer of 1940, when Hitler was expected to launch an invasion across the English Channel. Download Pillbox Database for Google Earth + Web Version. 9th September 2018. Members receive the journal ', Hitler’s threatened British Invasion 1940, Aldershot Command’s 2- Pounder Emplacement, Mowlem 6 Pounder Drum Pillbox Shalford Surrey. Over 18,000 concrete pillboxes were constructed, and quite a large number still survive. 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