English Channel Defences 1940

[Clio13]

You really wouldn't want to take a U-boat through these waters would you ?
Source: BR736

[phylo_roadking]

Thanks for the detailed close-up, I've been looking for one for some years now. One detail that's missing from it is that at least some of the mine barrages were remotely controlled from Dover, they could be shut down to let convoys through! Which was a detail I wasn't aware of until I read it in Brian Lavery's "We Shall Fight On The Beaches". Possibly the ones covering the "Searched" and "Secret" channels?

[Clio13]

Yes, I think you are right. U 12 was destroyed at 51 10 N 01 30 E by a conventional minefield on 8 October 1939. I plot this location as Field 'D2'. Now U 16 was certainly blown up on a Bragg Loop at 51 09 084 N 01 28 202 E on 25 October 1939. I think the Bragg Loop defences must have been across the searched channel shown in the chart. From my researches I do know that the one which destroyed U 16 was operated from the St Margaret's Bay Indicator Loop Station.

Below find a chart of the Folkestone-Griz Nez Barrage of 1918 for comparison

[Clio13]

This is the East Coast (South) Mine Chart showing the Thames approaches. Note the 'Gaps' often used for destroyer and submarine patrols

[phylo_roadking]

This time - are those "shallow" or "deep" fields??

[Clio13]

The broken red lines signify deep fields while the solid red lines define shallow fields.

[Bergedorf]

Wonderfull Charts!

Could you please tell me what Source: BR736 is. It seems to be no code of Kew?

P.S.: Could it be this: ADM 234/560, Former reference (Department) BR 1736(56)(1) ?

Regards

Dirk

[Clio13]

I didn't even know it was at Kew. Could have saved myself a lot of effort had I known that...

[Urmel]

I am fairly certain that all of these histories are held at Kew. I have myself accessed two of them.

[Bergedorf]

They are, indeed... but a little problem is, that the charts are quite expensive:

ADM 234/561 £511.50
Your instructions Copy all pages in this document
Comments from staff
Copying Process No. of Units Unit Cost Process Cost
A2 Mono. prints (from digital scans) 93 £5.50 £511.50

it was a little shock to me :roll:

regards

Dirk

[Urmel]

Not a problem if you can go yourself and take the pictures.

[Bergedorf]

Not a problem if you can go yourself and take the pictures.

yes... if... that´s the problem... but perhaps I can combine a visit to London to see the Ukes with a visit to Kew later this year...

[Urmel]

There are people who offer a paid service to do this for you, it'll be a lot cheaper.