North Walsham / Dilham Canal WW1 and WW2 Defences

Me and Black Shuck ventured into the great outdoors in search of the hardly documented defences that run along the North Walsham stretch of the canal.



We met up at the bacton road pillboxes, we took a quick look at the fine examples of WW1 pillboxes either side of the road (there was also some good slit trenches in the trees next to them).
And there were plenty of these lying around which look like original ww2.



We then walked to the type 22 pillbox about 100yards to the east, this is what we found faintly pencilled on the inside wall after 60 odd years.








And then nestled in a mound off holly, i showed BS the local home guard shelter, which had a lovely little fireplace and some markings on the wall which looked like they were from the 1940's.








After showing BS the bacton road sites, we went down to the happisburgh road near ebridge mill and had a look at the type 22 pillbox completely hidden in ivy.





Last but not least was the Vickers machine gun emplacement, this was in poor condition. There were metal rods on the roof which were apparently from a wooden hut used for aircraft spotting, thanks to being on a really large hill.




Weapon Mounts.



Views from the embrasures.


Thanks Mate, that was a good afternoon.

Good work lads !!!
Love the home guard shelter (have never seen one yet !!).There is also something special about finding original graffiti-notice how it is always written with a pencil and also how the handwriting styles seems to have changed in sixty odd years,however it is usually unreadable !!Nice one keep it up !!

Black Shuck has some better pictures, including a very rare ww1 semi circle pillbox that i showed him.

I wouldnt say they were totally better mate but it was a pleasure to meet you this avo, here we go then as Home Guard said there are some wonderful looking defences that I didnt even know existed! Jonney and Cpties please ensure you are wearing full Dribble and Drool Suits when viewing, Jonney don your Rubber Pants as well First up on Bacton Road near North Walsham a WW1 Pillbox, yes another! Then just round the back in the woods, a Home Guard Shelter complete with 1940S Grafitti! Right thats more than enough from the Home Guard Shelter, from here we went on to a Vickers Machine Gun Emplacement on a High Ridge outside the Ebridge Mill Valley, a very prominent position, so the Machine Gun must have had a huge Shooting arc! Look at this Jonney! Machine Gun Mounts still in Place! How rare is this? This is a view down the North Walsham and Dilham Canal.. Next we visited one of the most Rare Pillboxes I have ever seen! A World War1 Semi Circular Pillbox! Tis is probably one of its type in existence and I was very priveleged to visit it, complete with Blast Doors too! Thanks for looking and comments appreciated!

Fantastic!!!

I do love the home guard shelter. There is the remains of one buried under the sand dunes near the old clubhouse on Peterhead golf course. It was roofless when I were a nipper. Still had the iron window frames in though.

If I could remember exactly where, I'd be tempted to pay a visit with a shovel.

Seahorse said:

Fantastic!!!

I do love the home guard shelter. There is the remains of one buried under the sand dunes near the old clubhouse on Peterhead golf course. It was roofless when I were a nipper. Still had the iron window frames in though.

If I could remember exactly where, I'd be tempted to pay a visit with a shovel.

Click to expand...

Youd be Welcome Seahorse!

Foooooooking awesome guys that ww1 semi circular one is just something special. I'm pleased I wore the rubber pants

jonney said:

Foooooooking awesome guys that ww1 semi circular one is just something special. I'm pleased I wore the rubber pants

Click to expand...

It was very awesome Jonney. You should have been there!

Home Guard, do you fancy an ROC next time?

yeah sure, cant wait!

We could have a Norfolk ROC Road Trip!

Wonderful report guys. I had to sit in the bath with my laptop for this one.

cptpies said:

Wonderful report guys. I had to sit in the bath with my laptop for this one.

Click to expand...

Blimey I bet it was getting a Tad Steamy in there!

Had to fit windscreen wipers to the screen.

cptpies said:

Had to fit windscreen wipers to the screen.

Click to expand...

I bet you did! Do you have many type 22s where you are?

Black Shuck said:

Do you have many type 22s where you are?

Click to expand...

Not all that many. There's more of a preponderance towards 24's and 28's. I was planning to go out and start my Arun- Ouse Stop line report al la Night Crawler today, but the wife toddled off to the pantomime with the kids and the F'ing camera My phone cam just won't cut it in light like todays.

cptpies said:

Not all that many. There's more of a preponderance towards 24's and 28's. I was planning to go out and start my Arun- Ouse Stop line report al la Night Crawler today, but the wife toddled off to the pantomime with the kids and the F'ing camera My phone cam just won't cut it in light like todays.

Click to expand...

What a bugger! I spent most of the Day taking my Niece down to Ipsshit to buy a Pussy!

Oooooh Mrs Slocombe I hope your niece plays nicely with her pussy.

We'd better stop there or the pedo police will be down on us as unexpectedly as the spanish inquisition.

cptpies said:

Oooooh Mrs Slocombe I hope your niece plays nicely with her pussy.

We'd better stop there or the pedo police will be down on us as unexpectedly as the spanish inquisition.

Click to expand...

:goofy: Indeed I think that will do, I dont want to offend anybody!

Great pictures, I do love a nice pillbox. It's funny how all the WW2 graffitti seems to have been written by the same person. If you look at the stuff in Farleigh Down Tunnel the handwriting seems almost identical.