HAA Bunker Castle Hill - West Yorkshire - August 2010

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nij4829

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There is more to this than meets the eye.

The bunker was used right up till the end of the war, but was also used as a POW camp for captured Italians until 1947 (this I am still researching), although there isn't much left of the POW camp, just the red brick shed.
The surrounding area has a lot of WW2 history (bomber crash landing, search lights, another HAA bunker, fake villages etc.....), again I am still researching and have many more avenues to go down regarding this.

The buildings themselves are in great condition, but most of the trenches have been filled in with rubble and Yorkshire stone a good few years ago (grass is now growing through them) and the main passageway to the ammo stores is now used by the farmer to store silage :(

The gun mounts and concrete walling is in great condition and the main bunker is also except it has had the usual 'chav tag'. I ventured into one of the bunkers, but the main underground one is guarded by nettles, and as I was in shorts (due to accident - see next paragraph) I didnt venture too far, but I will when I return for more and the surrounding area.

I did try to get to the ammo sheds, but I found quicks**t and was up to my knees within seconds! The paths within the compound of the ammo stores were about two foot deep in cow s**t so I assume the sheds are also.
I have been reliably informed that the silage should be used up in the next month or two, so I will endeavour to go back and see if I can get into the ammo store.


View from Victoria Tower
HAABunker-ViewfromVictoriaTowerCastleHill13-8-10-1.jpg


POW camp shed
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Inside POW camp shed
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Gun emplacements
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Path to gun emplacement covered with rubble
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Main bunker
CastleHillHAABunker13-8-104-1.jpg


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Predictor mountings
CastleHillHAABunker13-8-107.jpg


Entrance and inside the bunker
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CastleHillHAABunker13-8-1011.jpg


The trenches from the gun emplacements to the ammo store (as you can see, filled in in a haphazard way lol)
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Ammo store
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View to Victoria Tower
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Ok, further information after research;

The POW camp was number 60 - Huddersfield, which is a satelite camp which includes Bradford and Skipton.

The other HAA bunkers were (in this area of Huddersfield under GDA Leeds);
Waterloo 53 38'24.92"n 1 44'28.74"w Elevation 121m, site code S/- (site demolished)
Fenay Bridge 53 38'15.83"n 1 42'29.69W Elevation 181m, site code -/H2 (site demolished)
Upperthing 53 34'26.18n 1 49'29.41w Elevation 0m, site code -/H31 (site partially demolished)

There also was a War Hospital at Meltham, about 1.35 miles SW of the bunker (this site was only used in WW1).

Although I have found some other HAA bunkers within a short distance (about 5 miles) so look out for more :)
 
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Thanks for these nij. Shame about the scatological obstacle course. I'd love to see more of others in the area.
 
Thanks for these nij. Shame about the scatological obstacle course. I'd love to see more of others in the area.

Cheers mate, I have done a lot of research on the others, and only one other remains from the 'mini cluster', but that has been badly damaged by all accounts, but I plan to visit it at the back end of this week.
Also a posibility of visiting another one about 20 miles away from my home at the weekend (if my mrs friend is well enough to go shopping lol).
I have also discovered another two again about 20 miles away, one looks in good condition and the other looks buried under trees - but will have to wait and see.

May I also thank you for the GE file, without it I would have not found it. Where did you find all the info and do you have any info on POW camps?
 
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I have been investigating the 'bomber crash'.
There was in fact two in the surounding area, the one I was told about at Castle Hill I am still researching, but there is another one I would like to share with you. There is nothing else to do with this as all the wreckage has been removed and all the information possibly required is available.

From my investigation I have got -

Handley Page Hampden Mk.I L4055 of 83 Squadron RAF crashed near to Holmefirth on the night of the 23rd May 1940 whilst returning from an unsuccessful raid on Munchen Gladbach to RAF Scampton near Lincoln.
Near the village of Holme, West Yorkshire, Handley Page Hampden L4055 crashed on May 23rd 1940 at 04.00 hrs with the loss of all crew members. The wall above is totally demolished off to the left. This broken wall and two craters nearby (where the Danger UXB chaps from the Royal Engineers detonated some remaining bombs) are the only evidence now of the crash.
L4055 was returning from a bombing raid on railway targets in Mönchengladbach, only the crew couldn’t identify the target and they returned still carrying the bomb load. At this early stage, before the tactics of total war were employed, it was routine for crews not to ditch their bombs just anywhere.
On the return leg, L4055 overshot their base at RAF Scampton in foul weather, and Sgt Jenkins descended through cloud thinking he was over Lincolnshire, not Yorkshire.


22-23/05/1940: communications

Type: HP52 Hampden Mk.B.1

Serial number: L4055, OL-?

Operation: Communications

Lost: 23/05/1940 KIA (killed in action)
Sergeant (Pilot) Stanley William Jenkins RAF 580289, 83 Sqdn., age 23, Nettleham (All Saints), UK

Sergeant (Nav) Peter William Josse, RAF 359518, 83 Sqdn., age unknown, Nettleham (All Saints), UK

Sergeant (Obs.) Alan Marsh, RAF 580966, 83 Sqdn., age unknown, Bolsover (St. Mary), UK

Aircraftman 1st Class (W. Op./Air Gnr.) Willie Thornton, RAF 625669, 83 Sqdn., age 19, St. Helens Cemetery, UK


A similar plane
HP52Mk1.jpg


The crash zone
l4055.jpg
 
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ive just been showing my mate this, as we live in huddersfield. I live in marsden, and he has informed me that a bomber crashed into the hill/moor above my house, up near the weather station above marsden.?


any one else know?
 
ive searched on geograph but cant pin a phrase down, type in meltham and i get 6500 pics? plane crash metltham etc return nothing?


can you help ?
 
think i was having a thick day sorry. I did find all the photos of the site up holme moss, just couldn't find the meltham one....


guess where im going next weekend.....
 
I am going up on friday if you wanna come along? ALso another WW2 crash site not too far away from the B17 :)

I am currently writing a book about Kirklees during WW2
 
pm sent.

friday is no good, i'm at work at chelsea. There is another bomber site up by holme moss. check out the photos on geograph, all the ww2 wreckage is still there.
 
pm sent.

friday is no good, i'm at work at chelsea. There is another bomber site up by holme moss. check out the photos on geograph, all the ww2 wreckage is still there.

Holme Moss isnt a bomber mate its a recon plane (a Swordfish) that is part two of fridays jaunt and less than a mile away from that (N/W) another plane came down, the wreckage is all gone, and the pilot & nav survived.

I will post more in with the pics/report of the wreckages.

If Friday is no good how about Thursday? (unfortunately these are the only two days I am free for long splore's) Also once I have correct & confirmed coordinates if people want them I will supply to 'proper' members of DP

Either way I hope to have my reports done for Saturday.
 
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