tarboat's photos with the keyword: defence

Anti-tank cylinders guarding the wharf at Marple on the Macclesfield Canal. The metal object is a crane base.

There are just a few remains around USAAF Station 571 at Poynton, Cheshire, adjacent to the now defunct Woodford Airfield. This is a sanitary block type B, flanked by anti- tank cylinders of which there are many dotted around the site. The site was occupied by United States personnel from July 1942, and was used as a dispersal area for stores from Burtonwood AAF 590. The site is now an industrial estate.

Type 24 pillbox alongside Bridge 13 at Middlecale on the Macclesfield Canal. This was one of the defensive structures along Stop Line No.6 which ran, mainly along canals from Tamworth to south-east Manchester. These days it performs peaceful duties as a garden shed/store for the adjacent moorings.

At the former Ordnance Factory No.10 (Roften) at Hooton, stood this pillbox, still guarding the perimeter from attack. The factory manufactured heavy anti-aircraft guns during WWII.

Jefferson does his best impression of a 29mm spigot mortar or Blacker Bombard ! The concrete cylinder with a stainless steel pin in the centre was constructed to mount this weapon for use in defending the Warburton Toll Bridge over the Manchester Ship Canal in WWII. The surrounding pit in which the three man crew and their store of ammunition would sit, has filled up with detritus over the nearly 70 years since it was abandoned.

During the first world war there were a number of air attacks made upon the North-East coast by German aircraft. Zeppelins raided the area fifteen times between April 1915 and November 1917. Defence against these raids was very limited and depended on knowing when aircraft were approaching and from what direction. To this end a series of listening stations were erected along the coast (and also in the south of England) in the form of 'sound mirrors'. This example, now sitting in the midst of a Redcar housing estate, and listed Grade II, was constructed by the Royal Engineers in 1916. It is about 17ft high. The sound of the approaching aircraft was reflected off the concave surface and into a receiving trumpet mounted on a steel column in front. This was connected to the listening operator by a stethoscope and this was moved to find the part of the dish producing the most sound, which indicated the direction of approach. At least the local populace could then be given advanced warning of the impending raid. Acoustic listening devices of various shapes were constructed along the coasts until the 1930s after which they began to be replaced by Radar.