Show on map
This type 23 pillbox now stands at the edge of a trading estate between Cowpen Bewley and Haverton Hill.
Its positioning is a little mysterious as its well away from the road and old maps show nothing in the area but empty fields. Although there was much industry in the general area.
Show on map
The pillbox is located on some wasteland overlooking the river crossing.
Its a little grotty inside as I imagine its been a teenage drinking den for years.
Theres an interesting comment on the Picture Stockton website by Martin Jones who states :-
My Grandfather Oswald Bell used to help man the pillbox as part of the 19th Stockton Battalion Home Guard, they kept their ammo in one of the Vinegar Brewery room
Show on map
Another link in the Northern Command: 59 Div. Reserve Stop Line, the same as the example posted yesterday.
Another Type-23 pillbox with an entrance in the top, i’m no military tactician but the view it commands over the river crossing speaks for itself.
Inside is partially filled with soil that has fallen in from above, but its otherwise in good condition.
Show on map
Despite being only a few hundred meters from the edge of a huge housing estate, this pillbox that formed part of the Northern Command: 59 Div. Reserve Stop Line is in excellent vandal-free condition.
The pillbox is of a Type-23 design with an entrance in the roof and still has its pillar for mounting a light anti-aircraft defence: a Bren or Lewis gun.
The gun shelf is still intact inside
The Defence of Britain website gives the following detailed information :-
“From Malton N 59 Div. established a divisional reserve line. The position ran from Malton up to Hovingham, Oswaldkirk and Helmsley, where the planned line of defences was broken. The line resumed at Carlton in Cleveland, before continuing N to Hutton Rudby, then along the River Leven to its junction with the Tees. The Tees was followed as far Stockton, from where the line followed a railway route as far as the N divisional boundary.”
Show on map
The plaque says the land was donated by Henry Bolckow (although I suspect the one who died in 1947 rather than the original ironmaster who died in 1878) it was dedicated on November 11th 1947 then re-dedicated by the Bishop of Whitby, Robert Ladds on 8th October 2000.
The war memorial itself is set into a rockery.
A seat in the garden of rememberance has a plaque recording its opening on November 11th 1947 by Dorothy Bolckow, daughter of Henry.
A further plaque exists just across the main road on a modern post, this one again mentions William Brunton, despite him being an OBE i’m having a bit of trouble tracking down his link to the area.
Show on map
The main war memorial in Billingham covers World Wars 1 and 2
Theres an additional small plaque on one wall for a single casualty of the Korean war, Sgt R Liddle.
Nearby is a new memorial for casulties since 1945 that was erected by Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Association around 2009.
A slightly more unusual monument is the one for ICI employees, this previously stood on Chilton Avenue, outside Chilton House
Most unusual is a plaque erected by the British Nuclear Test Veterans Association for those who died as a result of the tests at Monte Bello, Emufield, Maralinga, Malden Island and Christmas Island.
Show on map
This first world war memorial is quite unusual as its on the wall of a private house, rather than the more usual stand-alone monument you might expect, another thing that made it stand out was a new addition at the base of the inscription.
For reasons unknown Sgt Maurice Mallinson had been left off the original memorial and thanks to the Normanby History Group his name was added on Saturday 17th November 2007
Show on map
This pillbox just 175m SW of the previous posting was also part of the defended locality of Kirkleatham Hall.
Unlike the other this pillbox is faced with bricks, however it is also in excellent condition as it sits on private land in the middle of a working farm.
A central door into a small chamber leads to two larger firing positions. Inside the chamber with the larger embrasures there are two gun platforms and all the metal shutters are still in place, the wedge shaped hole in the wall being to accomodate the legs of a tripod mounted machine gun.
The map of Defence of Britain data shows the huge amount of effort that was put into defending Kirkleatham Hall.
Quote from Defence of Britain Project -
The defended locality was to provide a rear defence to the coastal defences at Marske. A mobile column was also based at Kirkleatham to go to the relief of the beach front defences in the event of an enemy landing or to confront airborne assault troops
Show on map
This pillbox formed part of the perimeter of the defended locality of Kirkleatham Hall during World War 2. It would have been linked to the rest of the defences by a series of anti-tank ditches. It is of a customised design rather than one of the standard layouts
The outer chamber contains four small loop-holes while the inner chamber has a gun platform with three larger embrasures.
The pillbox is in very good condition as it sits on private land and was sufficiently quiet for a family of swallows to be nesting inside.
My thanks go to Barry from Acro Engines and Airframes for arranging my visit to the site.
Show on map
I was reminded by an article in edition 14 of Coastal View and Moor News that I had visited this Auxiliary Unit site way back in 2003 with a very low res digital camera before I ever thought of creating Hidden Teesside.
Auxiliary Units were going to form a resistance force should Germany have invaded during the war.
A plan of the bunker can be found on Auxunit News although unfortunately its now little more than a depression in the ground.