River Medway Defences, Kent

[Motley]

Hello there, since last summer i've been starting to work, if slowly, on a little project of my own. This project is to find all the WW2 defenses that still exist around the River Medway or within a mile or two in some cases. So far i've found a few pillbox's and a few other things like Dragons teeth and Anti-tanks blocks. With help from the The Defence of Britain project over lay for Google Earth,is mainly how i find new things to hunt down. Anyways on with the pictures,

To begin with we have Pillbox S0002650. A nice Type 24, looks to be an okay condition, with some damage to the back, couldn't get to see in inside as its bricked up and couldn't get to one of the embrasure either, it faces away from the river and look s over the marshes that it is by, which i find weird. Visited August 2010 time:

A new addition to the camouflage

Front

And back

Along the river is Pillbox S0011274. Another type 24, again appears to be in good condition, with no graffiti or rubbish about. Was able to get up close to this one and although bricked up was able to stick my camera through one of the embrasures to get a picture of the inside, which appears to be in a good condition. Along with the pillbox here there is a sunken bunker to the side with a mount on top which so far i have not been able to defiantly identify. Faces out over a stretch of the Medway.Visited August time 2010 and March 2011:

Very over grown now

Inside the pillbox through the embrasure

The entrance to the bunker

The mount, Spigot mortar mount?

Got to go back to this one soon to have a look into the bunker , hope you enjoyed these, and there is more to come so enjoy

 

[gingrove]

Welcome to DP! Nice first set, look forward to the next installment!

 

[chris]

Nice finds there

 

[jonney]

good stuff there Motley. If memory serves me right these were all part of the Hoo Stopline

 

[RichCooper]

Nice pics Really liking the interior one.Be interesting to see the "bunker"when you go back,Dont think thats a spigot though

 

[Motley]

Thanks to oldscrote, who sent me a link to another website i have been able to find out what the big lump circle lump of concrete is, it is in fact only a concrete cap on top of the emergency exit for the shelter/bunker. Also as jonney has said they are part of the Hoo stopline which followed the Medway up through Kent.

To add to the defences is also Pimple S0008926 which is in Strood next to the Medway. They look to be in a good condition although some may have been lost either due to the road and the river. Visited August 2010 again

To the side of these is also the Russian submarine that is moored up on the river

Enjoy

 

[night crawler]

Well done a good start there. I tend to find it better to go out looking in the winter months as all the undergrowth has died back by then. I also plot them on Google maps. Like the draons teeth at the end.

 

[Motley]

Well done a good start there. I tend to find it better to go out looking in the winter months as all the undergrowth has died back by then. I also plot them on Google maps. Like the draons teeth at the end.

Yeah i have noticed its easier hunt for them in the winter months, for example on the first visit to the second pillbox above i didn't even notice the circle concrete cap till i re visited it recently, and i use Google Earth to plot all those i have found so i have a record and have a spreadsheet detailing what i have found the condition the location etc

 

[Bunker Bill]

Nice post , I look forward to more

 

[Burnsie]

V. Interesting post! Thanks

 

[Motley]

Been awhile since i put a few up here so little update

Here we have some Anti tank blocks that are next the Medway near to the centre of Maidstone, It is Anti Tank Block S0009509 on the DOB database, they seem to be in quite good condition seeing that they are right on a rather busy foot path beside the usual tag here and there,

And right next to the blocks themselves is another little defense a set of sockets for Anti tank rails. They are Anti-Tank Vertical Rail S0011444 on the DOB database, bit over grown in places but still visible and they are abit like pot holes to from my experience on my bike

These sockets are shown on the DOB database as unknown but the marker is about the right place

Enjoy

 

[night crawler]

It's not an old railway track is it. Good find that. I've been plotting all mine on Google Maps least stop line wise. There are a few random ones I have not listed as they are in Wales.

 

[Motley]

It's not an old railway track is it.

Its not a railways track as that path is with in about 2 3 meters of the rive itself, and there is no signs that there would have been rails there

 

[cptpies]

A great start Motley. If you find anything that isn't on the overlay then please PM me the location and I'll add it.