Sywell Aviation Museum, RAF Pillbox Recovery! Pics…

Alas Pete Truman won’t be responding to your question, as he incurred a life ban from one of the moderators, who coincidently has been instrumental in overturning a “life” ban for at least one current forum member; I guess it’s as they say ,”not what you know, but who you know”

Thank you. If I ever discover the Finchingfield location I will post it.
For what it’s worth there was an AWT on the corner of Chapel Hill and Clockhouse Way in Braintree when I was a boy in the 1950s. it must have been dismantled in the 60s.

Alas Pete Truman won’t be responding to your question, as he incurred a life ban from one of the moderators, who coincidently has been instrumental in overturning a “life” ban for at least one current forum member; I guess it’s as they say ,”not what you know, but who you know”

I think Alan Williams turrets have their own thread on the Airfield Information Exchange – not that that helps topbard, I’ve never tracked the Finchingfield one down either, and my brother never spotted it when walking his dogs either.

There’s at least one at Sumburgh… nice easy place to go to see it!

Adrian

My overlay doesn’t show one at Finchingfield. Theres a Tett Turret in Great Bardfield, its in a hedge to the north of the church. Only the concrete survives nothing else.

The Sumburgh one is surrounded by a few anti tank ditches and air raid shelters to. There is also a BHQ there to.

I think Alan Williams turrets have their own thread on the Airfield Information Exchange – not that that helps topbard, I’ve never tracked the Finchingfield one down either, and my brother never spotted it when walking his dogs either.

There’s at least one at Sumburgh… nice easy place to go to see it!

Adrian

There’s a preserved HP at North Weald.

Moggy

There are two others at North Weald which due to their locations (being in the grass area near the active runway (one is on the eastern side a 100 yards or so north of the intersection in a little fenced off area, the other is in the grass to the west side of 02 and can just be made out on google maps if you look).

As for number of Allan Willams turrets known to survive the general given number is 30-40. There is one in situ just outside Earith, Cambs (thats the nearest to Duxford i know of). There is also two at North Weald (up by the radio station). Sorry for to much infomation but another interest of mine is locating and recording anything to do with Defense of Britain items. There is actualy a Google Earth overlay showing all known positions of these items and if they still survive. It is a massive project and regulary updated.

Can anyone tell me more precisely in Finchingfield where the Alan Williams Turret was sited please? I asked after Pete Truman in the village PO but understand he has moved to Braintree, which is where I live. Thank you.

Bit of a Zombie thread this!

We now have our own Allan Williams Turret and Duxford have one too – rare beasties – of 198 made only 33 survive!

ATB

TT

Alan Williams Turret, Finchingfield

Can anyone tell me more precisely in Finchingfield where the Alan Williams Turret was sited please? I asked after Pete Truman in the village PO but understand he has moved to Braintree, which is where I live. Thank you.

Texantomcat

I lived in Finchingfield for many years until recently and up the bridle path beside my house was a very interesting underground steel turret.
It seemed to have been used as a depositorey for peoples garden rubbish for years.
A few years ago in a blaze of local publicity, it was ‘rescued’ for restoration by a local joiner, but seems to have sat in bits in his yard ever since.
I did contact Duxford a while ago, but they didn’t seem very interested at the time, though, when I was walking round the hangars at the BBMF ‘Do’ I noticed an identical one on display.
As far as I know, it was used by the local Home Guard, whether this was inconjunction with nearby Wethersfield airfield, I don’t know.
It does have some aviation history because I think that the blokes manning it captured the crew of the Dornier that was shot down nearby, probably also went looking for the crew of the Wellington that crash landed in nearby fields, who thought they were in occupied Holland and hid in a ditch for 24 hours.
Perhaps the bloke who aquired it hasn’t got the time to do anything and may be prepared to donate it to some organisation that will, I happen to know he’s a nice bloke so who knows.
I won’t put out his name on here, if you are interested, PM me and I’ll let you know.

You think it was a co-incidence with July 1st coming up…:diablo:

TT

Cheers Rob,

AND the perfect place to have a fag yesterday during a downpour!

ATB

Ben

Ahh now we know the REAL reason why it was acquired 😉 😀

Cheers Rob,

AND the perfect place to have a fag yesterday during a downpour!

ATB

Ben

May I suggest you ‘stag on’ in one in the depths of winter for a week before you think you know better than the ex-regulars?:mad:

Oh dear! Keep your camouflage on. You’ve very kindly supported my points that a first-hand account’s just part of the story, otherwise why so much heat? Surely you don’t really think some mud-covered rifle-clutching malcontent’s noisy opinion is history? We all know it’s kings and battles… Besides, you’ve described it all so well, I can’t see the point in joining you in your exclusively-euphemismed duty. It seems sooo dull.

Will write out 1,000 times, squaddy kno best… 😀

Sometimes you’ve made some excellent points here – this isn’t one of them. While you clearly know more than me at the concrete bogroll saga, you’ve hardly inspired me to come back to you for further insights from you. :rolleyes:

Cheers

Are you deliberately missing the point or what JDK? The Defiant analogy was just that, I could have used any other aviation misfit, insert any type you care to mention – if it will make you any happier substitute Botha for Defiant? Hells bells!

I and the other poor sods that have had to use the bloody things haven’t got a good thing to say about the ‘bog rolls’ and I don’t think there would be too many that would mourn their extinction . Having said that if someone wants one be my guest.

Just making the point that what we think we know (either firsthand, general interest or as a specialist) is very often a part, not the whole of the story, and thus partial.

May I suggest you ‘stag on’ in one in the depths of winter for a week before you think you know better than the ex-regulars?:mad:

would you get shirty with a Defiant pilot who slagged off it’s lack of suitability in its original role?

Most of the Defiant crews we’ve discussed the aircraft with knew what its ‘original role’ was – which you clearly don’t – like most people. For interest, it was never deployed in its original role, as the Germans invaded France and the low countries rather spoiling the plan. It’s been discussed here, btw, with my comment here, for those that want to cut to the chase.

Just making the point that what we think we know (either firsthand, general interest or as a specialist) is very often a part, not the whole of the story, and thus partial.

Cheers,

C’mon, romance has nothing to do with it, like the things or not, one has to be preserved.
As for Bren carriers, one saved my old man in 1944 while attempting to cross the Nijmuiden bridge.
I also thought that Matildas stopped Rommels advance in 1940 but were let down by lack of support from the French.

Pete, the use of the word, was to help illustrate why certain things get preserved, and others don’t; I think you may be right r.e the Matilda, but it wasn’t up against a king tiger at that time! as far as the bren gun carrier is concerned it was something of a double edged sword, as a Spitfire pilot (who was on leave at the time) was killed in one when it turned over ,whilst on manoeuvres with the home guard.

I think you did a good job Ben. Ignore everyone and keep up the good work :diablo:

Ben, just to reiterate, these things are useless, and you’ve wasted your time, and ours; on the other hand, as none of them saw action their effectiveness cannot really be measured.

Apparently bren gun carriers and Matilda tanks were useless,the Gladiator (a lovely A/C), wasn’t really the thing for squaring up to a 109, but it is important to show just how badly prepared we were (and still are) for armed conflict.

The reason people haven’t gone made over the preservation of one of these pillboxes,(I think) is as a cold war survivor, there is no “romance” attached, and some how being made from concrete, seems to typify the drearyness of that period.

C’mon, romance has nothing to do with it, like the things or not, one has to be preserved.
As for Bren carriers, one saved my old man in 1944 while attempting to cross the Nijmuiden bridge.
I also thought that Matildas stopped Rommels advance in 1940 but were let down by lack of support from the French.

Just think TT. If you hadn’t preserved it, the rest of the world would never have been told how rubbish it was! :p

Hey guys…its all good – dont worry!

Sounds like an interesting lead on something wartime has come up so will keep you posted….we might have the best ‘defended’ museum in the UK soon! (well, Northamptonshire anyway 🙂 )

TT

And who’s TELLING anyone what to do? Those of us who have actually had to put up with the ‘bog roll’ monstrosities have merely shared the experience of what it was like to use them and pointed out their lack of any saving graces – would you get shirty with a Defiant pilot who slagged off it’s lack of suitability in its original role?

To TT..

You go girl:p :diablo: .
To hell with everyone.As long as you have fun and learn something then it,s a worthwhile recovery.Damned if I would let anyone tell me what I can and can,t recover..:D If they don,t enjoy it then let them go off and find something themselves to enjoy. 😉