Military Archaeology

But there was better to come....just past the pillbox was this dispersal pen, known as an 'E' pen from it's plan. It was large enough to accommodate two aircraft in separate bays.



Each bay had it's own entrance, and there was an emergency exit to the rear.



The next two shots are taken from above, and show the scale of each pen.





This is a view of the internal air raid shelter within the embankment.

 

...And there was another 'E' pen 50 yards away...





In between the dispersal pens was what seems to be a crew standby building

 

A classic group of wartime standard buildings about to be demolished - but well done for capturing them, Gordon !

Incidentally, Macmerry was used by the Hurricanes of 607 ( Polish ) Squadron, the Lysanders and Blenheims of 614 ( County of Glamorgan ) Squadron, and the Mustangs of 63 and 225 Squadrons.

Maybe not a front-line station, but plenty of activity nonetheless.

( I was going to mention possible storage of mustard gas, but noticed that that snippet was posted on another forum by someone signing himself 'gordon'.... )

 

Cheers Martin.
Think I'm right in saying that Macmerry also saw the formation-and first training school-of the RAF Regiment after 1942?
Any idea who that interloper was, btw?

[ 17. February 2006, 01:18 PM: Message edited by: The_Historian ]

 

Went up to Comrie in Perthshire the other week to look at the old POW camp 21 (formerly Cultybraggan Training Camp). It has recently been declared surplus by the MOD, but I couldn't find anyone in the guardhouse to ask permission to look around.
This is part of a tour run by one of the guys from Subterranea Britannica, so I'll have to whet my appetite on this for the time being:

Cultybraggan Camp

Here's a short note on the camp, for those unfamiliar with the story:

Execution at Camp No. 21

 

Gordon, you have found the most interesting things to photograph and have found them just in time. Please do keep up the good work so that we may continue to benefit from your work, since it would not still be there when we have a chance to come in the future.

 

If you have broadband this is well worth a look.

Free to view Video of WW2 Relics at Skegness

 

For those in the UK I just spotted this in the newspaper - a new 3 part documentary starting on Channel 4 tonight at 9 on the Defence Of Britain.

"In a new hybrid of witness testimony, archive and archaeology, we reveal the full, untold story of the Defence of Britain. In this series surviving Home Guard veterans recall what life was like in the Real “Dad’s Army” and archaeologist Francis Pryor explores the undiscovered archaeology of World War Two Britain.


Sixty years ago Britain braced itself for invasion. So how would this country have withstood the might of Nazi Germany? The TV series “Dad's Army” has weaved an enduring myth, but were the Home Guard really as bumbling as the men portrayed in Walmington on Sea? Now surviving Home Guard veterans explain what life was like in the Real “Dad’s Army,” and demonstrate how they trained to tackle the Nazi’s.

This is the story of the Defence of Britain, and the Real Dad’s Army. "

Click on the link below for more info

The Real Dads Army

 

Oh and one more.

Just received an email from Malaysia detailing what looks like a fascinating site.

The only known WW2 British coastal battery on mainland Malaysia

 

Excellent site on the Malaysia defences. I wonder if they could get any type of funding to really spiff the place up and get the part of it inside the military base annexed and available?

 

Nice site, Ian.
Visited Cramond, near Edinburgh today, intending to go photograph the coastal batteries out on the island. However, the island can only be reached by a causeway at low tide, and I managed to arrive just after it turned ( )
So here's a photo of the concrete pylons which run along the east side of the causeway, and which carried a steel anti-shipping boom across to the island.

Because the island guarded the east approach to Rosyth Naval base, it was heavily fortified. This boom carried on from the east side of the island across to the next island of Inchmickery, and from there to the coastal battery at Charles Hill, Aberdour, in Fife (see page 8 of this thread).

 

You people have got me at it, now...returning this afternoon from a business conference in Kent, nearly leapt from my train seat when I saw a perfect line of concrete tank traps crossing the line in South East London......sorry, no camera though.....

 

Yay! Another convert!!!

 

Maby next time Martin.

 

This reminds me of early issues of After the Battle-
Tanks for the memories in Norfolk

 

It is amazing that they can come and go after having been out of sight for almost fifty years. This is another great link Gordon, thanks.

 

No worries, Ice. And another relic is unearthed.....
WW2 Shelter unearthed at Edgeware School

 

Anyone want to build their very own GHQ Line?

Pillbox Models

Also I have updated my own site with the March update with special thanks to Gordon!

Pillboxesuk March 2006 Update.

 

At last! I'm off to Argos to pick the new wall cabinet to show off my pillbox collection!

 

I think they call this 'the best of both worlds'!
York's wartime bunkers could hide Roman treasures