Forts of the Solent {Horse Sands}

Horse Sand Fort  is 240 ft across, built between 1865 and 1880, with two floors and a basement the fort is armour-plated all round. During the WW2 an extensive submarine barrier  was built in the form of large concrete blocks running about 6 ft below sea level from the fort to the shore at Southsea with only a single narrow gap to allow small craft to pass through, this barrier and a much shorter one running south from No Man’s Land Fort towards Ryde Sands remains as the cost of demolition is  too high. Although owned by the same owners as the other Solent forts this fort remains un-restored at this time.

 

 

 

Same place, different month.

https://andyfinnegan.wordpress.com/2016/05/08/reach-for-the-sky/

The above link to my May visit to The 158 Squadron Memorial by Peter Naylor since then the wild flowers have come out so on passing today I thought it worth posting these pictures taken today (23rd June).

“TIMBER”

Timber supplies were crucial to the war-time economy and was used for pit props, aircraft manufacture, building repairs to name a few  An off shoot of Women’s Land Army, The Women’s Timber Corps, known as “ The Lumberjills” They were employed to provide a steady supply of wood during the Second World War and are remembered in a steel sculpture in Dalby Forest north Yorkshire.

Sculptor Ray Lonsdale, from near Durham, won the competition set by the Forestry Commission to create a  memorial to the women and the work they carried. 

Reach for the sky

The 158 Squadron Memorial by Peter Naylor

I came across this war memorial by accident in 2012 at the site of a WW2 airfield in the East Riding of Yorkshire not signposted you just stumble across it. Made in Steel and weathering a 7 man bomber crew in silhouettes stand 8 foot tall  ready for a mission. All who served with 158 Squadron names are etched into the bodies of the memorial.Modern wind turbines are the only propellers turning today on the airfield site.

 

want to visit & a must if in the area —– Off A165 Lissett South of Bridlington

In memory of GD

On the beach with the day trippers at Fraisthorpe are many anti tank block obstacles from WW2 and pill boxes to help prevent an invasion along Yorkshire’s East coast. What was interesting was I found initials in 2 blocks left by GD and the date 1941 when GD poured the concrete to form these blocks and left his mark I wonder if he realised all the people seeing this now would have cause to ponder on who he was and how his war turned out.

Another type 25

Another circular type 25 WW2 pillbox  in Dorset this one on the Fleet near Weymouth. This one is in better condition than the one in my other post which was at Kimmeridge bay.

https://andyfinnegan.wordpress.com/2016/03/05/type-25/

A Dorest Pillbox

This is a well preserved WW2  hexagonal brick pillbox type 22 at Burton Bradstock Dorset.

Door at rear

Side by Side.

One of the most famous WW2 Battle of Britain fighter airfields is RAF Tangmere situated some 3 miles east of Chichester in West Sussex. Today the silent airfield hosts a military aircraft museum.

Sea Vixen

Vampire and Metor Jet Fighters of the 1960’s

I find it always worth visit to the village church close to any RAF airfield as  it’s  real history is recorded in the church yard.

Side by Side ,German Stuka aircrew graves next to RAF aircrew graves at St Andrew’s Church Tangmere.

Pier Head remains

Remains of pier heads at Lepe Beach constructed to support loading of ships outward bound for Normandy on D-Day 1944

New Forest Chocolate Blocks

I am sorry to those who looked at my blog thinking you would read about some interesting chocolate maker. On the edge of the sea at Lepe Beach in the New Forest concrete  support mats which look like huge bars of chocolate, were held in place by a of iron hooks litter the shingle. They were laid out to strengthen the shingle enough to take the weight of the tanks and other vehicles being driven onto landing craft leaving England for France prior to D-Day in June 1944 these blocks were to prevent Vehicles getting stuck in the shingle.