The Kent History Forum
Military History => Gun Batteries => Topic started by: Howardws on October 13, 2020, 05:08:42 PM
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On the road between Appledore and Brookland there is what appears to to be a gun site. There is a raised platform with a nearby concrete foundation that could have been for an accommodation block. It is at OS map reference TQ 9604 2702, just by Beckett’s Bridge. I can’t find reference to it in the Kent Defence Research Group publication ‘A Handbook of Kent’s Defences. Has someone out there any idea what the site was please?
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Sounds likely to have been an AA mount as it is right next to the WW2 Air Landing Ground. Do you have a photo?
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No photo I’m afraid. I was trundling about the marsh on a traction engine and we stopped there for lunch. It didn’t occur to me to take a photo because I expected to find it in the KDRG book. It’s quite clear on google maps. I took a screen shot but got into a complete muddle trying to make it compatible to this site so I gave up! Where was the landing ground please?
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Brenzett. They did have a museum.
- Oops my crop marks were a railway. Scratch that.
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http://www.brenzettaero.co.uk
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Thank you Cosmo Smallpiece, I’d forgotten about that.
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https://www.ukairfieldguide.net/airfields/Brenzett
Above link shows the actual airfield location (click smaller aerial view image). I think this is further east than your concrete site?
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Concrete slab is visible on Google Maps (unless I'm in the wrong place):
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.0090393,0.793511,3a,75y,243.22h,73.71t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1spcKG71Wv0h5-rGvY6VUP5w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e1
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Thats the place MartinR.
Heres the aerial view.
Your image is from 2009 . Aerial view is this year 2020.
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That shows what I believe is the gun mounting, what I think is a foundation for accommodation is below that. However, having looked at the older images was it built as a raised platform for the building shown or was the building put there because the platform was in place?
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Are we in the right place? Most amused going down the road on Google streetview as there is a distinctive time shift!
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I’ll go out there and take some photos. We’re due out on the traction engine on Friday, I’ll try to persuade my friend, the owner, that we need to go back.
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if you go back through retro images on GE the building was knocked down circa 2016.
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Howardws, I wouldn't hurry back. From the street view images it looks like a purpose built loading dock for lorries. The street-side door opened onto a triangular concrete parking area.
The floor of what probably remains is likely too low for a Bofors-type tower. Those that I am aware of are remarkably tall to give an impressive field of fire. That other building once to the south would seem to have blocked that.
If you did return, it would be telling to look for signs of a gun mount on the floor.
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Thank you Cosmo Smallpiece and others for you interest and assistance. I won’t rush back on Friday but when we are out there again I’ll take a closer look. My friend will probably say “I told you so!”
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I'm sure this has been discussed some years back, either on this forum or it's predessecor. Perhaps Kyn or John will remember. I can remember passing the building in my working days so no later than 2002. Pretty certain the outcome was a conection to the ALG
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We went out again on Friday. The platform appears to be brick walls infilled and covered with very coarse concrete. It doesn’t look much like a military installation from close up.
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Still an unresolved mystery as we still don't know what was stored there?
Currently more intrigued by why you are traveling around Kent in that magnificent machine! What's the story?
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My friend keeps it near Woodchurch and he needs a crew which is where I come in! We worked together on the Kent & East Sussex Railway about 40 years ago and out of the blue about six years ago I was asked if I would like to join the team. It’s a ‘small’ traction engine and is in fact only 11 years old, my friend having built the engine himself, with the boiler being built by a co-owner. Not built from a kit and there are no drawings, it’s a real ‘designed on the back of a fag packet’ engine. They built the boiler to take the casting of the biggest compound cylinder block on the market and the engine to suit. We go out two or three times a month. Pre Covid it was a trip to the Black Lion in Appledore for lunch and a drink but now it’s sandwiches and a cup of tea on the marsh or some back lane somewhere.