As you should know if you’re either a budding historian or keen BTP reader, Watt Tyler country park is situated on the GHQ line – the 1st line of defence in WW2 against a German assault on the capital. Whilst the majority of the park’s history is focused on it as an early 20th Century explosives factory, it also features numerous defences remaining from the Second World War.
The first is this pillbox. It would have been above ground in the day, being currently partially buried, and would have housed a Vickers Machine Gun – a stereotype ‘unbeatable’ machine gun, which is in fact not that common as the armament for British pillboxes, instead most used a light machine gun, or rifle. It has a compass or something on top and a wooden fencing around it, and features a blast wall behind the entrance hole, which is covered by a loop hole for a pistol to attack any trying to take it from the rear. The wall would have covered the pillbox from explosions, but most importantly would have made it an extremely difficult angle to lob a grenade inside.
Buried Vickers MG Pillbox
Anti-Tank Blocks
Pillbox with a Blast Wall
This pillbox was hidden in the bushes, found only due to help from our guide Alistair who gave us insider information on the park’s past. This pillbox would have also housed rifles or light-machine guns. The loopholes seen below the picture below, were sealed, with future plans to convert it into a bat cave, as is a popular trend with today’s remaining pillboxes.
An FW3/24 Pillbox
The park’s second pillbox, which was the most common type along the GHQ line, a type 24. It has two pistol loops guarding either side of the doorway, and would have held Bren LMGs and SMLE rifles. It now has a wooden walkay which leads on-top.
The Second FW3/24 Pillbox
