Record Details
| NHER Number: | 25958 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | World War Two heavy machine gun post |
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Summary
A very rare World War Two (1940) heavy machine gun post is buried in dunes to the north of Castle Farm, Eccles-on-Sea. This emplacement faces east, possibly providing enfilading fire along the beach to prevent inland advancement. The roof of this structure is visible on aerial photographs of the dunes. A further possible military structure may also have been present to the immediate west, indicated by an angular area of shadow on the 1946 aerial photographs.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TG 4169 2855 |
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| Map Sheet: | TG42NW |
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| Parish: | LESSINGHAM, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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Full description
Pill box. Brick and concrete, polygonal.
E. Rose (NLA), 17 December 1990.
See record form in file by source [1], who adds:
Very rare 1940 heavy machine gun post buried in dunes. Similar to those in Happisburgh. Faces east.
Survey No. H2-29.
D.Walker (NLA) July 1996.
THE CENTRAL GRID REFERENCE FOR THIS SITE HAS BEEN ALTERED FROM TG 4171 2851 TO TG 4169 2855.
April 2005. Norfolk NMP.
The heavy machine gun emplacement and a second possible military structure is visible on aerial photographs of the dunes to the north of Castle Farm, Eccles-on-Sea (S1-2). This emplacement, which faces east, possibly provided enfilading fire along the beach. The site is centred on TG 4169 2855.
The roof of the heavy machine gun emplacement is visible on the aerial photographs as a 3m square flat concrete platform located at TG 4170 2855 (S. The roof and part of the front face are visible on oblique aerial photographs taken in 1940 (S1), although the structure is heavily camouflaged. To the immediate west at TG 4169 2855 is a further possible military structure. This is not visible in 1940 (S1) and it’s presence in 1946 is only indicated by an angular area of shadow on the aerial photographs (S2), suggesting a tall, roughly rectangular structure. Although any further interpretation or assessment is not possible from the available aerial photographs.
(S1-2)
S. Massey (NMP), 21 April 2005.
Monument Types
- BEACH DEFENCE BATTERY (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
- GUN EMPLACEMENT (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
- MILITARY BUILDING? (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
- PILLBOX (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
- STRUCTURE? (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status - none
Sources and further reading
| --- | Secondary File: Secondary File. |
| <S1> | Oblique Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1940. NMR TG 4128/21 (MSO 31022 26/BR14/1 4849) 19-SEP-1940. |
| <S2> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1634 3098-9 09-JUL-1946 (NMR). |
Related records - none
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