Air Gunnery and Bombing Range
This could just have easily gone in the Military section but it has Pillboxes so...................
During my recent trip up North, Jon and I were able to revisit defences he has previously covered including Druridge Bay practice firing range. More history and info for Druridge Bay can be found in Jon’s original reports along with old maps etc.
http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=18508&highlight=druridge+bay
http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=18510&highlight=druridge+bay
http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=18514&highlight=druridge+bay
“After 1945 coast batteries were quickly abandoned but some continued in use for practice shoots. At Druridge Bay, concrete buildings, gun emplacements, Nissen huts, an ambulance station, signals, shelters and motor generator houses were all constructed after the war as part of its continued use as a practice firing range. Firing took place out to sea and from aircraft and could be live or practice firing and was specifically designed to train military staff in firing at enemy aircraft or target practice for air to ground. Radar cover was provided from RAF Boulmer and the operations directed from a building 1km inland at Stonecroft, now a private house. Most of these structures have been removed or buried beneath sand dunes however a few still survive.”
This is a map of the range. The view from bottom to top of picture is looking out to sea from the dunes.
The remains
“Two concrete marker shelters or observation posts (NT SMR 14530 and 14529) are located a little in front (east) of the anti-tank ditch. These originally had a viewing window and a door facing east, but these are now blocked up. These posts provided shelter for the ‘markers’ who would run out to record a hit and replace or repair the target for the next shooting practice. An oral history account by Jimmy Nugent suggests that these buildings had targets erected over the buildings on gantries. The four targets - numbered 5/6/7/8 (Targets 1/2/3/4 were presumably at A/G/ No. 1 on the Northern air to ground range) were set to seaward (and the later 1948 Byelaws confirms the direction of fire being from land to sea A/G No.2 Direction of Fire...) with the dunes as a backdrop to absorb the bullets. The wing markers shelter seems to be associated with the convoy target area and possibly therefore had a different function. It is unclear how the posts (and their occupants) were not damaged through accidental under-firing*. Directional arrows may have been placed over the roofs. The small circular opening in the top of one may have been for a stove, but is perhaps more likely to have been a periscope.”
*These may have been clad in sheet metal, possibly armour plate. We felt that the presence of through bolts from interior to exterior and the roof overhanging the walls by a couple of inches all round suggested this.
Wing Marker obs post: e09987, incorrect description on DOB
Wing Marker obs post: e09988, incorrect description on DOB
Main markers shelter - 55°15'43.60"N, 1°34'2.45"W
Lozenge Pillbox: S0007220
Disguised Pillbox: S0007011
Be honest, you wouldn’t know until you were on top of it.
Type 24 ‘half’ Pillbox: S0007135
Note Turnbull mount frame to embrasure
This next one is most likely the plinth block for ‘Beacon No. 2’ shown on the above map. It would’ve been shining out to sea during night target practice to warn shipping of the danger area. We felt that it could have been displaced through erosion with its original location further back on the dunes. Currently it’s at 55°18'9.39"N, 1°33'38.75"W
“The arrival of the missile age brought about a reappraisal of Britain’s defences during the mid 1950s, and in consequence the Government decided to abolish coast artillery in 1956 (CBA 1996, 103-4). Druridge continued in use a little longer as requests were still being made in 1956 to use land at Druridge as a glider dropping zone, suggesting that it was adapting to new defensive needs (NRO 5393/181). It remained in the hands of the RAF until the 1970s, although to what extent it was still being used is less clear.”
Quoted text in italics sourced from: Historic Environment Survey, July 2009, Report No. 0058/3-09
Finally, there are AT cubes dotted around like confetti.
The rest of our day crawling over the defences was spent in hot sunshine and feeling a great need to slap on more sun block. The other issue was that after about 30 mins of wandering around the remains of the firing range, it suddenly dawned on me that we were a little out of place so to speak. The sun had brought out the locals who swarmed about half naked enjoying the day. Jon and I were kitted out for exploring in boots, jeans etc and pointing cameras all around the dunes. You get the picture here, right?
Anyway, we escaped without being arrested for voyeurism. It was a great trip with a fair bit of walking and I slept well that night. I can’t thank Jon enough for showing me round and there will be further northern expeditions.
This could just have easily gone in the Military section but it has Pillboxes so...................
During my recent trip up North, Jon and I were able to revisit defences he has previously covered including Druridge Bay practice firing range. More history and info for Druridge Bay can be found in Jon’s original reports along with old maps etc.
http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=18508&highlight=druridge+bay
http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=18510&highlight=druridge+bay
http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=18514&highlight=druridge+bay
“After 1945 coast batteries were quickly abandoned but some continued in use for practice shoots. At Druridge Bay, concrete buildings, gun emplacements, Nissen huts, an ambulance station, signals, shelters and motor generator houses were all constructed after the war as part of its continued use as a practice firing range. Firing took place out to sea and from aircraft and could be live or practice firing and was specifically designed to train military staff in firing at enemy aircraft or target practice for air to ground. Radar cover was provided from RAF Boulmer and the operations directed from a building 1km inland at Stonecroft, now a private house. Most of these structures have been removed or buried beneath sand dunes however a few still survive.”
This is a map of the range. The view from bottom to top of picture is looking out to sea from the dunes.
The remains
“Two concrete marker shelters or observation posts (NT SMR 14530 and 14529) are located a little in front (east) of the anti-tank ditch. These originally had a viewing window and a door facing east, but these are now blocked up. These posts provided shelter for the ‘markers’ who would run out to record a hit and replace or repair the target for the next shooting practice. An oral history account by Jimmy Nugent suggests that these buildings had targets erected over the buildings on gantries. The four targets - numbered 5/6/7/8 (Targets 1/2/3/4 were presumably at A/G/ No. 1 on the Northern air to ground range) were set to seaward (and the later 1948 Byelaws confirms the direction of fire being from land to sea A/G No.2 Direction of Fire...) with the dunes as a backdrop to absorb the bullets. The wing markers shelter seems to be associated with the convoy target area and possibly therefore had a different function. It is unclear how the posts (and their occupants) were not damaged through accidental under-firing*. Directional arrows may have been placed over the roofs. The small circular opening in the top of one may have been for a stove, but is perhaps more likely to have been a periscope.”
*These may have been clad in sheet metal, possibly armour plate. We felt that the presence of through bolts from interior to exterior and the roof overhanging the walls by a couple of inches all round suggested this.
Wing Marker obs post: e09987, incorrect description on DOB
Wing Marker obs post: e09988, incorrect description on DOB
Main markers shelter - 55°15'43.60"N, 1°34'2.45"W
Lozenge Pillbox: S0007220
Disguised Pillbox: S0007011
Be honest, you wouldn’t know until you were on top of it.
Type 24 ‘half’ Pillbox: S0007135
Note Turnbull mount frame to embrasure
This next one is most likely the plinth block for ‘Beacon No. 2’ shown on the above map. It would’ve been shining out to sea during night target practice to warn shipping of the danger area. We felt that it could have been displaced through erosion with its original location further back on the dunes. Currently it’s at 55°18'9.39"N, 1°33'38.75"W
“The arrival of the missile age brought about a reappraisal of Britain’s defences during the mid 1950s, and in consequence the Government decided to abolish coast artillery in 1956 (CBA 1996, 103-4). Druridge continued in use a little longer as requests were still being made in 1956 to use land at Druridge as a glider dropping zone, suggesting that it was adapting to new defensive needs (NRO 5393/181). It remained in the hands of the RAF until the 1970s, although to what extent it was still being used is less clear.”
Quoted text in italics sourced from: Historic Environment Survey, July 2009, Report No. 0058/3-09
Finally, there are AT cubes dotted around like confetti.
The rest of our day crawling over the defences was spent in hot sunshine and feeling a great need to slap on more sun block. The other issue was that after about 30 mins of wandering around the remains of the firing range, it suddenly dawned on me that we were a little out of place so to speak. The sun had brought out the locals who swarmed about half naked enjoying the day. Jon and I were kitted out for exploring in boots, jeans etc and pointing cameras all around the dunes. You get the picture here, right?
Anyway, we escaped without being arrested for voyeurism. It was a great trip with a fair bit of walking and I slept well that night. I can’t thank Jon enough for showing me round and there will be further northern expeditions.
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