A Box pillbox

Just outside the Wiltshire village of Box sits this strange pillbox.It was constructed to cover the west portal of Brunel's Box tunnel.Built more like a battle HQ than a standard box but with a much larger embrasure it sits on an elevated position above and to side of the portal.The embrasure is angled downwards to quite a degree presumably so they could depress the guns far enough to cover the lower slopes and fire into the railway cutting.I guess the reason for guarding the portal was because at the other end of the tunnel was the entrance to the Central ammunition depot in tunnel quarry.

1 Hidden in the trees on its little knoll


2


3 the entrance


4


5 externals


6


7


8 close up showing the rake on the embrasure


9 internals sorry they are a bit blurred all hand held shots.All the weapon mounts were still in place



10


11 the door from inside seems to have been bunged up with a bit of old anti tank cylinder


12 close up showing lifting ring


13 the tunnel portal,the box is situated in the wood above and just to the left of the curved stone retaining wall

Neat little pillbox though more like a look out and I do like the bridge.

night crawler said:

Neat little pillbox though more like a look out and I do like the bridge.

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That sounds logical, I was thinking that the design would allow too much ricochet inside?

Thanks for that one its nice to see something different

Cheers for the comments lads.Must admit the lack of a ricochet wall inside did worry me.Looking at the internals again there appears to be some remains of brackets that could have been holding up shelving just below the level of what I thought were weapon mounts.Maybe the mounts were designed as binocular mounts or similar.In picture ten there seems to be some kind of holes in the wall above the embrasure.Would be intrigued to know where the lookouts reported their findings too as the data base shows nothing for quite a way in any direction. The DOB number is EDOBID 711612.

Thanks for the pictures oldscrote, I've been wondering what type this one was for ages. I tend to agree with NC that this is a more of an OP than a pillbox but I would imagine there would have been a Bren or two there as it commands both the tunnel entrance and the A4.

Also the EDOBID is 11612. I'm trying my best but I haven't quite got into the 70,000's yet

cptpies said:

Thanks for the pictures oldscrote, I've been wondering what type this one was for ages. I tend to agree with NC that this is a more of an OP than a pillbox but I would imagine there would have been a Bren or two there as it commands both the tunnel entrance and the A4.

Also the EDOBID is 11612. I'm trying my best but I haven't quite got into the 70,000's yet

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Whoops,I have no idea where the mysterious 7 came from.

Not of any real relevance to the post but here's a picture a mate shot from inside the tunnel

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/325048

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/325065

I go with OP on this one. There being no blast wall wouldn't have been an issue considering the angle of possible small arms fire. Spotters would have been outside and the commanding view would have been it's greatest advantage. I would have expected it was used for mobile artillery battery to range the outgoing fire.

Nice set of photos