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Oct 23, 2021 17 tweets 15 min read Read on X
When I tweeted yesterday, I never dreamed that today would turn out to be such an epic voyage of discovery! My brain is still frazzled, so I'll add to this thread over the coming days as I untangle today's findings. #swwSussex 1/ ImageImageImageImage
This pillbox is one of many still extant as part of the defence of Rye and Winchelsea. It stands on private land; we had permission to visit. The tables are designed for the Vickers machine gun and are similar to those at Rye Harbour: 2/ ImageImageImageImage
Armed with documents, we searched for supporting defence works; we found an earthwork cut into the river bank off to one flank. Most of the pillbox's embrasures were blocked up; this earthwork would've been in the line of fire otherwise. 3/ ImageImage
Also on private land is a Type 22 pillbox. Overlooking the River Brede, this forms part of the Royal Military Canal stop line. The high mound upon which it stands was the site of an old gun battery. The external blast wall is in danger of collapse. 4/ ImageImageImageImage
A close inspection of the embrasures shows they've been modified. The external surface was originally flat (as seen inside) but rough stepping has been chiselled out of the concrete blockwork to reduce ricochets. 5/ ImageImageImageImage
Archive research shows this pillbox is serial no. A3/7, but we also have a section post (for a section of 8-10 men) listed here. A quick search found some slit trenches; in June 1940 these were more for protection from bombardment, so where was the actual section post? 6/ ImageImageImage
We quickly found the section post out on the flank - the floodbank had been excavated to create a section of crenellated fire trench. A rare find - and good to verify archive documents with the landscape! This in itself was amazing, but there was even more to come... 7/ ImageImageImageImage
The last three sites we visited were pillboxes, all of this design which is only seen in the Rye/Winchelsea area. I wrote about this design in my blog: pillbox.org.uk/blog/251725/ 8/ ImageImageImageImage
This pillbox has been partially demolished, possibly as an army training exercise. The four walls have been blown out yet the roof still stands, giving an idea of the punishment it could withstand. 9/ ImageImageImageImage
The damage does give us a very good idea of the construction techniques used though. Lengths of the local narrow gauge tramway were used to bolster the roof stanchions. Reinforcement was prefabricated welded mesh. 10/ ImageImageImageImage
A surprise met us in the next pillbox - it was being used for storage so we couldn't get in beyond the door. The owner is going to empty it soon and we'll be back to photograph the ceiling - as it has a range card painted on it! 11/ ImageImageImage
It's the only wartime range card I know of in East Sussex! I skewed the photo's perspective to flatten it out, but it's still hard to read the markings. Documents confirm that Company HQ ('CHQ') is actually 420 yds away! 12/ ImageImage
Our last stop was somebody's house - what lay behind the door down the steps in the kitchen?

A PILLBOX!

Currently used for storage, it's being renovated. (Photos posted with owner's permission). 13/ ImageImageImageImage
Just inside the door we found the pillbox's serial number partly covered. I suspect it reads 3635/2 as I believe its neighbour was 3635/1. Again, a rare survival in a coastal pillbox as this wall is sheltered from the weather. 14/ ImageImage
The pillbox was built abutting the house, access via the yard, but a recent extension merged the two. What's absolutely fascinating about the extension is that the architect's 'blockhouse' design was actually inspired by the pillbox! 15/ ImageImage
This thread covers a single day in which we discovered some amazing features that have opened our eyes to new avenues of research. Any one of these discoveries on their own would make a great day! 16/ ImageImageImageImage
Thanks to the landowners & Barry @ryeharbour_NR for arranging! We'll be working with @ryeharbour_NR on a series of projects with some of these sites from next year, so watch this space! 17/17

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More from @sussexPillbox

Oct 18, 2021
In 1940 Bishopstone Station had a pillbox built on its roof, cleverly camouflaged into the Art Deco architecture. In December 2020 I was granted access; read my blog for more detail! pillbox.org.uk/blog/251798/ #swwSussex @MrTimDunn 1/6 ImageImageImageImage
Opened in 1938, the station building stands above a railway cutting. It's not immediately obvious that the pillbox actually has four embrasures. I build a 3D model a few years ago to help interpret the layout and siting. 2/6 ImageImageImageImage
The pillbox is only accessible via the roof, so scaffolding is required. Amazing to finally get close after longfully gazing up from ground level for years! 3/6 ImageImageImageImage
Read 7 tweets
Nov 17, 2019
THREAD: clearing a heavily-overgrown pillbox somewhere in #swwSussex. An amazing day organised by @suspol_heritage with @UnseenSussex. A professional tree surgeon undertook the tree removal and minor landscaping. 1/7
One tree stump was removed to prevent further growth that would affect the pillbox. The Bobcat also scraped back the ground surface to help open up the embrasures again. 2/7
We had cleaned the interior some weeks ago, but there was still plenty of mud, especially in the socket to hold the Bren tripod leg. Clearing these out allowed the Bren gun to be set up. 3/7
Read 8 tweets
Aug 17, 2019
THREAD: Big thanks to our team of volunteers who did an amazing job cleaning the exterior of a pillbox today! It stands on private property and had not previously been recorded. #swwSussex 1/7
Prior archive research gave us some good leads. A 1940 document told us this was pillbox GL6 on the WX-WZ Stop Line, with 6 Home Guards & 6 rifles. We also had a blank copy of orders, a copy of which would've been in this pillbox in 1940. "THIS POST WILL BE HELD TO THE LAST" 2/7
What the ancient texts did not tell us, however, was that the sacred pillbox had a guardian in feline form. Fortunately, Tiddles only cursed us by growling aggressively for half an hour as we discovered a secret stash of dead pigeons inside. 3/7
Read 8 tweets
Nov 10, 2018
THREAD: 1. Fantastic day @ryeharbour_NR cleaning out one of the pillboxes. Despite heavy rain, our amazing team of volunteers from Sussex Military History Society and the nature reserve shovelled several tons of shingle and sand 6 inches deep from the interior. #ww2Sussex
2. Each bucket of spoil was carefully sifted for finds. We found a large spanner (probably not military) and what may prove to be a handle from an ammo box.
3. A sunny afternoon brought out the Vickers gun and many interested passers-by, including children who got photos for their history projects! It was good to be able to explain the fire tasks and long range capability of the gun, even if setting it up is not very dignified...
Read 5 tweets
Oct 5, 2018
1. THREAD: an amazing day @ryeharbour_NR doing archaeological reconstruction with a Vickers gun in one of the pillboxes! #ww2Sussexe
2. The 6 concrete tables were designed for the Vickers gun. Shallow sockets in the concrete were probably to prevent the tripod sliding due to recoil. However, we found only 3 sets of sockets fitted the legs correctly - essential for making the tripod level!
3. Having established the tripod leg settings, the gun was set up in each embrasure and the arcs of fire measured.
Read 6 tweets
Sep 17, 2018
THREAD: Spent 3 days @shorehamfort excavating a keyhole-shaped structure outlined in brick. We thought this might have been an emplacement for a WW2 anti-aircraft light machine gun (AA LMG). Stage 1 was to brush off and expose the remains breaking the surface. #ww2Sussex 1/8
Compacted shingle was trowelled off to reveal cinders beneath. Below this was a concrete floor, yet the rear of the structure suggested a sunken entrance. We also had what seemed to be a holdfast with a ring of 1-inch bolts - far too substantial for our AA LMG theory. 2/8
Late on day 2, we decided to put a sondage through the floor to see if the structure went below ground, as nothing was making sense. Breaking through the concrete we realised what we initially thought was the floor was actually a postwar capping to reinstate the track! 3/8
Read 9 tweets

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