Aldershot Command: Fleet / Farnham stop line

[sennelager66]

Where do i start. 31 pillboxes over 2 days of being out there. I still never got to everything due to rain stopping play today. The first day out was sunny and the second lashed it down with a thunderstorm which trapped me a few times in pillboxes waiting for it to abate. During the two days out i got permission to view in a rear garden, on farm land which threw up a 24 which is not on the Dob (big thanks to the farmer who was very helpful in directing me and allowing me free range over his property), and another sat on Tadpole lane which is either not on the Dob or in the wrong location. A more thorough bit of background research might throw up a few more goodies for me as there are apparently 72 pillboxes in the area. Going around in circles on MOD property got me 2 out of the 8 pillboxes so i need another visit over there. Walking is permissible in the area so i had no need to panic. Being on MOD training ground it felt like a BFT was being groaned out of my tired bones at that point. That is when the heavens opened briefly and i got fed up hunting for elusive pillboxes in head height ferns. I was also directed over to another pillbox not on the Dob but i need to confirm this. This will be posted up in the order that i visited - so erratic !!

Anyhow:

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0008858

Chicken wire netting and camo hooks.

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0007843

Flooded interior.

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0011104

Again flooded.

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0007844
A permission visit as the crop was being bought in on the adjacent fields where i wished to visit a pillbox. The farmer was fantastic and we sat and killed some time talking about the late crop going over. The crop being harvested was valued at 100K and sadly past its best. Lovely bloke who was so helpful in directing me to the pillboxes.
In a field full of frisky horses who thankfully kept away from me while i cut a way into the entrance. I seemed to need to do this to most of the pillboxes but it was something i needed to do to get to the interiors.

Interesting crawling in backwards into a flooded pillbox!!

sat in an adjacent field and under a small copse of trees lay this 24. Not marked up on the Dob.

After cutting away an entry into the pillbox.

Flash earth link to pillbox position.

http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=51.249668&lon=-0.847751&z=18.7&r=0&src=msl

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0011106
Again a mass of cutting was required to expose a way in and around the pillbox. I never do easy!!

Again a flooded interior prevented me walking around inside.

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0007863

A strangely untidy build.

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0009819

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0016930

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0006795

skipping the first Vickers emplacement due to a couple sunbathing on top of it, i went to the next one and then the 24 further in the field. I came back for the Vickers later on that day.
VICKERS MACHINE GUN EMPLACEMENT: S0007861

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0007862

Proximity of the Vickers Pillbox. The second Vickers is behind the other in a line of three.

I shall continue this report soon.

 

[night crawler]

I'l wait and see the rest then comment.

 

[freespirits]

wow bloody wow what a great find ,,loving the vickers placements ,,,can you imagine the noise echoing around in there ,fantastic pics ,,,and we are coming up with the same obstacles nettles and more blinking nettles but worth the itching when you find precious things hidden in them ,,,cant wait for 2nd report ohhhhhhh i wasnt going out exploring today but i might go searching for other pillboxes at grafton

 

[sennelager66]

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0007865
Set back in the tree line and covering the 2 vickers and the type 24.

Again very fragile.

VICKERS MACHINE GUN EMPLACEMENT: S0016742
In field SE of Ridding's Copse. continuing down the hill, across the road and past a line of trees south of the copse which has 6 pillboxes hidden in it. I still missed a pillbox sat behind the two Vickers.
An interesting variant is the sloped aspect to the main embrasure. Very fragile again. There used to be a tree located just before the blast wall and there is fresh evidence that the brick shuttering has recently fallen away. There are three steps down into the main gun pit. Both Vickers emplacements are located within 30ft of each other with the sister emplacement giving angled covering fire to cover any approach from the blind side of the blast wall.

VICKERS MACHINE GUN EMPLACEMENT: S0016741
The rear of the second emplacement showing the proximity and covering position.

Flooded up to 4 inches in depth i stood on some of the fallen shuttering to get the internals.

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0016739
Located in the hedge after walking through Riddings Copse. The internals were impossible due to the proximity of the barbed wire fencing. The light was also getting low at this point and i was fairly shattered. It was uncomfortably tight crawling around in there. Nice asbestos loophole covers though.

Heading back to the car - the couple had cleared off from the Vickers emplacement i had missed so catching the low light i decided again to cut my way into the emplacment to get the shots. Sat very,very low into the ground and almost covering the loopholes, this was not initially recognisable as a Vickers MG emplacement. Despite the chaving it was an interesting variant on layout and head height as i was to inevitably find out.

Buried up to the top of the blast wall.

It used to be tidy until the site was cleared a year or so ago.

Again to be continued.

 

[freespirits]

again more great pics dude ,,loving this thread ,,,i need to move off my ass and get out

 

[flyboys90]

What a marathon! good on you brilliant coverage.

 

[sennelager66]

Day 2.
Up fairly early to make a start on the day. The sky was slightly cloudy and having read the weather reports it did look like rain was on the way. I was proved right.

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0009828

Sat up on a farm track off Tadpole Lane. There are three confirmed and one possible other pillbox sat in the wooded area. This would prove an effective area for covering fire should this area ever have been targeted. Three type 24's and one a variant due to the lay of the land. (sloping downhill towards Tadpole Lane).

Sloping aspect to the roof.

After removing the patio chairs dumped in the doorway i got to the interior. Cryptically looked upon by a passer by when doing so!

Section of AR wall removed.

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0009829
Sat on the creat of the hill and at the edge of the woods overlooking Tadpole Lane. There are trees growing on top of this pillbox and i was expecting heavy structural damage inside as a result. No so surprisingly.

Heavily flooded interior. At least a couple of feet.

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0011099

Sat in the rear of a garden and at the bottom of the field. Initially i took the limited externals and revisited later in the day to as the owner of the property if i could view the pillbox. A wry smile came across his face and he was a member of the PSG and we had a chat about the local area, pillboxes and he was amazingly helpful. I might tap him up for some more information and exchange mobiles.

A 24 variant. 4 loopholes. Field of fire to the right looking over the approaches to Church Lane.

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0009827

Sat on Church Lane with covering field of fire up and down Church Lane. This was impossible to enter due to the heavy foliage surrounding it. Only one embrasure shot and sat high and close to the edge of the road. It is in there - honest!!

The only visible embrasure overlooking Church Lane.

To be continued.

 

[sennelager66]

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0011095

Sat overlooking Beacon Hill Road and the first of the two out of eight that i found. On MOD land which was used for troop training, it was typically natural woodland with all the fun that entails. Head height ferns, sand, loose rock and an aimless ramble attempting to peer into the gloomy depths for the pillboxes. A real frustrating fail but i shall get there with these last six.

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0009844

Front of the AR wall and very tight.

Type 24 pillbox possibly not mapped on the Dob (correct position). By now the heavens had truly opened and i spent ages in here waiting for the torrential rain to ease. The mossies were keeping an eye on me but left me alone. I shall get more external shots next time i visit the area.
Position on road below:

http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=51.247518&lon=-0.828317&z=19.2&r=0&src=msl

 

[night crawler]

This has turned ito another of your epics. No doubt the other six await quivering.

 

[sennelager66]

Finally back into Riddings Copse to pick up the 7 pillboxes i missed due to failing light the previous night. I managed to get six but gave up due to the rain and losing heart in getting colder and wetter than i already was.

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0007851
Facing south west and complimenting the two Vickers Emplacements sat in the clearing nearby, covered in moss, in a bad state externally.

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0007849
On the South Western edge of Ridding's Copse. I missed and couldn't locate the 24 sat in the area of the south western corner of the copse. (another visit planned on a drier day). Initially i missed this due to the dim light in an already dank wood. The rain and failing light made the matter worse. Heavily covered in Holly and draped over the sides i had to spend considerable time cleaning this one up enough for external shots.

The evidence of the fate of the shelving looks to be vandalism.

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0007845

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0007848
Variant. Three embrasures set high (two on either side of entrance and the second main embrasure on the right side of the pillbox.

Left side of the AR wall.

Right side.

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0007846
Four embrasures. None on the back wall with the pillbox set very low in the ground, well dug in and flooded.

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0007847
Variant. Four embrasures. None on the entrance wall either side or on the right side wall. Not flooded.

At last - the end of this report!!

 

[flyboys90]

Superb report.

 

[maxmix]

Some great images there, thanks

 

[Skoyen89]

Hi Sennelager

Some great tramping around. What interests me is what was in Riddings Copse - most of the pillboxes are in lines facing south in this area and/or protect commanding heights. The four Vickers boxes all fire on attackers coming from the south. But then the boxes in Riddings Copse are firing out from the woods and go around it 360 degrees. Why?

Spent last Saturday near there and found five boxes in a row in the military estate east of Ewshot (grid square 82 49), another five going up the road and then seven in the woods in grid square 82 50. I think many of the entries in the DOB are wrong in terms of location. As you say you could spend days wandering around in there, get lost (I did!) and find nothing. Will post soon

 

[sennelager66]

Yeah Ridding's Copse is a bit of an enigma. It is close to the old military base but the entry road to that is further up the lane. A 360 degree field of fire could indicate simply a heavy concentration of defences to the south western approaches to the barracks. The only issue with this is penetration of the copse would not afford rear protection. Sat slightly in a natural dip in the lay of the land and complimenting the line of pillboxes up on the hill closer to Ewshot, it could have been presumptive that it would be a primary or secondary line of defences.

 

[jpgee]

I want a pillbox in my garden. lol
great pics