Second World War Archives - Page 4 of 10

21 February 202122 February 2021 By Liam Heatherson

B-17 Crash at Canvey Point

The Canvey Archive has a large collection of memoirs, photographs, and by CloudScout” href=”https://beyondthepoint.co.uk/historic-locations/canvey-island/the-second-world-war/b17-crash-site/#48142577″> shared is here: http://canveyisland.org/documents/DHB_v2_Med_Res.pdf On the 19th of June 1944 a formation of B17 Flying Fortress American bomber planes were heading back to their base in Kimbolton, and it was pilot Lt. Lloyd Burn’s 29th mission. The Heavenly Body II was the…

19 February 20212 March 2021 By Joe Mander

Rawreth HAA & POW Camp

Driving through Rawreth Industrial Estate you wouldn’t have a clue that you were driving past some old Prisoner of War buildings; but they were once known locally as “Rawreth Camp” or “The Gunsite”. According to the Rochford District Community Archive, the site was constructed at the start of the Second World War, in 1940, originally…

16 February 202115 March 2021 By Liam Heatherson

Billericay Spigot Mortar Emplacement

Defending Billericay’s railway line and bridge lies an abandoned spigot mortar emplacement – a crude form of defence designed for use by the Home Guard during the Second World War against invasion. It comprised of a brick pit with ammunition recesses around the sides, and a pedestal with a stainless steel pin in the top…

14 February 202115 February 2021 By Liam Heatherson

RAF Rochford Pillboxes

Back in Easter 2014, the two BTP boys, and occasional accomplice Jack, set off to investigate pillboxes once defending Rochford airfield – now Southend airport. This is when the article was written and most of the photographs taken at this time – since then, ongoing development has changed much of the farmland but the pillboxes…

9 February 20219 February 2021 By Joe Mander

Stratford Pillbox & Anti-Tank Blocks

Whilst working in the area, I decided to go on a walk and stumbled across this purely by chance. Just a few minutes walk away from the Olympic Stadium, this Second World War pillbox was built around 1940 and forms what would have been part of the outer London defence ring – one of the…

8 February 202124 March 2021 By Joe Mander

Shorts Seaplane Factory & Shelter

“Aviation pioneers and their workforce founded Britain’s aircraft seaplane and flying boat industry” Dating back as early as 1897, the Short Brothers had always had an interest in aviation. At the turn of the century they were already selling coal-gas filled balloons for people to fly, but it was the first flight by two brothers…

7 February 20217 February 2021 By Liam Heatherson

V-3 Cannon, Mimoyecques

What was the V-3 Cannon and the Fortress of Mimoyecques? Most people interested in military history or alive in the war will be familiar with the V-1 ‘Doodlebug’ and the V-2 rocket-bomb used during the to bomb England over the channel in the late war. Both of these bombs were unmanned rocket-propelled aircraft which were…

7 February 202131 October 2022 By Joe Mander

Chappel Viaduct WW2 Defences

British Troops have been pushed back to Dunkirk; all that lies between the Germans and Britain is the English Channel. With the threat of German troops soon being on British Land, orders were sent out across the land to built defences in towns, near main roads, railways and key areas. Starting along the coast and…

4 February 20214 February 2021 By Liam Heatherson

M.V. Bendigo Torpedo Boat

Another vessel involved in the Second World War marooned on Canvey is the M.V. Bendigo. Historian Robin Howie explains: “The M.V. Bendigo was being towed round the island to a new berth on the western side of the bridge,ironically only about a couple of hundred yards away from its existing one.This was necessary due to…

2 February 202124 February 2021 By Liam Heatherson

Shoebury Garrison

The history of the garrison dates back to 1849 when the land was first purchased by the Board of Ordanance. Woolwich Common was usually used for testing weapons, although as they became more powerful, they needed a new, larger site. During the Crimean War, the Royal Artillery School of Gunnery was established at Shoeburyness and…

Tag: Second World War