20 C O N T E X T 1 0 9 : M A Y 2 0 0 9 Simon Loaring with David Hunt An island in the vale A complex network of semi-underground and surface structures, incorporating natural features, was constructed to resist invasion during the second world war. Britain is scattered with the remains of semiunderground and surface defence structures that date from the early years of the second world war.The most easily recognisable is the concrete mini-fort known as a pillbox. More than 18,000 were constructed throughout Britain during 1940, after the War Office issued a series of standard designs in June of that year. Although the designs were standardised, a great number of pillboxes were adapted to fit local terrain and conditions. Despite these variations, most pillboxes have a range of similar features and are squat, heavily constructed buildings, usually flat roofed and rarely more that 1.98m in height. One or two entrances were included, covered by a porch or detached wall, along with a series of horizontal slits called firing loops, loopholes or embrasures. These slits were sited to provide interlocking fields of fire with other pillboxes, to cover an expected direction of attack. The shapes of the loopholes were designed to minimise external dimensions while maximising movement internally for the operator and weapon. Most pillboxes contain an internal Y-shaped baffle wall to stop ricocheting bullets. The majority of defensive structures built in Britain to resist invasion during the second world war date from the period 1940-1941 and were constructed with the sole purpose of resisting an invading German army equipped with state-of-the-art armour and artillery. At the time, military thinking was to use these various pillboxes in tandem with natural obstacles, to combat advancing tanks and infantry. The initial defence line was around the British coast, with further inland defences organised to form a series of stop lines. The main General Head Quarters (GHQ) stop line ran from the south west of England through London and into Scotland andWales. Some elements of the stop lines incorporated existing features. Others were constructed during the period. Railway earthworks and waterways were often incorporated as part of the defences, with concrete walls constructed along embankments and bridges, and gullies blocked. Traffic over bridges was impeded by further walls and concrete anti-tank blocks. Pillbox lines were integrated with rivers and canals, which were deepened or straightened to produce anti-tank barriers. All these systems were integrated by a series of trenches, blocks, weapon pits, barbed wire and Plan of Pewsey Defended Tank Island (Simon Loaring) A roadblock and pillbox at Pewsey Defended Tank Island. (Photos: Simon Loaring)
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