This is the latest contribution from one of our younger generation of correspondents, Xavier Marrs, aged 10 years.
On Saturday, April 16 the Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve launched the history group with a meeting at the discovery centre. The group enjoyed a presentation from Peter Hibbs and Stewart Angell from Sussex Military Research. They gave presentations about the military history of the Rye area and the defences created during the second world war.
Pillboxes
Many pillboxes are still around – large lumps of solid concrete, with embrasures (windows with sides flaring outward of a wall.) Four different types of pillboxes were designed over the course of 1940-1941, each one an improved design on the last. The first pillbox was hastily built and made of bricks meaning it could not withstand shells and strong bullets. The later pillboxes were made of reinforced poured concrete walls, with increased capacity for the number and types of guns to fit inside. They were located and positioned to create a network of firing lines meaning they protect each other from an invasion along the coast.
Roadblocks
The main German military tactic was to make progress at speed. German plans which have been analysed since the war show that they had planned their invasion routes along the main roads.
One of the most interesting parts of this talk was … roadblocks. The point of roadblocks is to slow down the tanks, not completely stop the tanks. This is to let the defending forces (the Home Guard) manage the advancing invaders.
During the presentation we were shown graphics with tank defences on the road, as well as on either side of the road down to rivers / streams, preventing tanks from avoiding the roadblocks. This included concrete blocks arranged in specific formations, preventing tanks from coming through or over them.
In the middle of the road were different types of anti-tank concrete blocks. One type was concrete anti-tank buoys, which acted like Weebles – when a tank drives into them, they rolled randomly, remaining on the road, creating a considerable challenge to pass. Some could be connected to others using metal cables, creating an additional barrier.
After the tank has navigated these concrete buoys, they are faced with sets of large concrete cylinders. These are surrounded by bricks, preventing them from rolling away.
By this point, the speed of the tank has been reduced by these hunks of concrete. But it is far from over. Angled metal spikes were embedded into concrete holes in the ground. These were made of railway tracks. Behind the railway tracks are further concrete cylinders and buoys.
Detecting aeroplane bombers
In order to gain some advance warning of an attack by air arriving across the Channel, the army built the Denge Sound Mirrors. The sound would hit the concrete bowl and bounce into a microphone. However, the German planes became fast enough that these were soon ineffective, with the planes arriving before anyone was warned about the aerial attack. Instead, four transmitter and four receiver towers were built at Brookland.
The transmitter towers were 120 metres tall, whereas the receiver towers were only 75 metres tall.
The transmitter towers sent out a signal, which went as far as 100 miles. The signal would bounce back after reflecting the sounds waves off of the planes and be registered by the receiver towers.
The history group will meet monthly, exploring different topics.
There are several “Discover Rye Harbour” groups supported by the Lottery Heritage Fund, each offering different themes and activities. More information can be found here.
Image Credits: Nick Forman , Picture courtesy Peter Hibbs, Sussex Military Research , Heidi Foster .
A very clear, interesting and informative article.