Caveman
Well-known member
I first heard about this place in the 'After the Battle' magazines back in the '80s. My Step-father had also visited the place so as to buy a couple of anchors for his mooring in Portchester creek by the castle. His tales of tanks stacked three high in places made me wonder what was there.
http://www.afterthebattle.com/osCommerce/product_info.php?products_id=153
http://www.afterthebattle.com/osCommerce/product_info.php?products_id=141
So when I had a bit of time to kill while working in Portsmouth I went searching with the camera & asked permission to go walk-about, to which it was freely given. I wish that I had taken many more photos back in those days as, having read about it on this forum site the place is no longer there. So here is what I have...
This Churchill is an armoured recovery vehicle fitted fitted with a false gun barrel. Pounds used it to tow other equipment around the yard.
A small armoured car under the M275. I think that it is a Ferret. There was another one in better condition in the shed.
A large breech loader gun of a similar type as can be seen at Fort Newhaven. Might be a 6 inch.
Several ships wait to be broken up. The sub is the one that is shown on the front cover of the ATB magazine.
What looks like a Bren gun carrier. There were quite a few of these around the place.
This is either a Sexton or a Priest. The Sherman chassis was also used as a platform for a big bored mortar.
Another Sherman chassised AFV, either a Sexton or a Priest (25 pounder equipped).
A pile of shells and a cannon, probably from Napolionic hulk ships moored in the estuary.
Yet another stack of shells and propellant canisters.
Two Warsaw Pact T34/85s. These still had there full complement of accessories on board, with the pickaxe heads and hacksaw blades still covered in greaseproof paper on them. There was even a drivers protective headgear still sitting on the seat as was the commander's intercom.
The armoured car of the same type as shown earlier, but in almost perfect condition and complete with turret machine gun.
Hope that this fills in a few blank spaces in the history of Pounds in Portsmouth.
http://www.afterthebattle.com/osCommerce/product_info.php?products_id=153
http://www.afterthebattle.com/osCommerce/product_info.php?products_id=141
So when I had a bit of time to kill while working in Portsmouth I went searching with the camera & asked permission to go walk-about, to which it was freely given. I wish that I had taken many more photos back in those days as, having read about it on this forum site the place is no longer there. So here is what I have...
This Churchill is an armoured recovery vehicle fitted fitted with a false gun barrel. Pounds used it to tow other equipment around the yard.
A small armoured car under the M275. I think that it is a Ferret. There was another one in better condition in the shed.
A large breech loader gun of a similar type as can be seen at Fort Newhaven. Might be a 6 inch.
Several ships wait to be broken up. The sub is the one that is shown on the front cover of the ATB magazine.
What looks like a Bren gun carrier. There were quite a few of these around the place.
This is either a Sexton or a Priest. The Sherman chassis was also used as a platform for a big bored mortar.
Another Sherman chassised AFV, either a Sexton or a Priest (25 pounder equipped).
A pile of shells and a cannon, probably from Napolionic hulk ships moored in the estuary.
Yet another stack of shells and propellant canisters.
Two Warsaw Pact T34/85s. These still had there full complement of accessories on board, with the pickaxe heads and hacksaw blades still covered in greaseproof paper on them. There was even a drivers protective headgear still sitting on the seat as was the commander's intercom.
The armoured car of the same type as shown earlier, but in almost perfect condition and complete with turret machine gun.
Hope that this fills in a few blank spaces in the history of Pounds in Portsmouth.