English Pillbox

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jopaerya
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English Pillbox

#1

Post by jopaerya » 11 Jan 2015, 12:14

Here a picture of a English pillbox build in France against the Germans ( 1939/1940 ).

Photo = Ebay and Drawing = Denkschift

Regards Jos
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myt1prod
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Re: English Pillbox

#2

Post by myt1prod » 12 Jan 2015, 16:42

There are many more of them in Northern France following the outline of the Belgian Border, often a bit more inland then the Maginot/Serrres de rivières-bunkers also following that same line. These where built by the British Expeditionary Forces during '39-40. Starting at Ghyvelde (possibly even Bray-Dunes due to the many inidentified bunkers in the Dunes de Perroquet) you will begin to encounter these British pillboxes, around Hondschoote and Lille you'll find some larger concentrations... to my knowledge the line spreads no further then the Lille/Orchies-area. As they follow the same outline of the Maginot-line they are often mistaken as being French bunkers... even in sources generally taken for granted.

Here you have 2 links to websites on the subject;
http://www.fortweb.net/photos/pillboxes/index.htm
http://www.pillbox-study-group.org.uk/i ... in-france/

Noticing the very few informations given on these sites, it seems the subject has not been researched in depth and in fact very little is known on these constructions.

I'm even convinced more of them are to be found in the region, which are not mentioned on the websites i'm reffering to.

Like these at Chemin des Palombes, Ghyvelde, there are two practical identical ones of them just a few metres apart on the outher boundaries of what was later to become the Stp Arnika... which is more known to the most of us. Both bunkers where re-used by the Germans to serve for the Stp Arnika according to locals;
pillbox1.jpg
pillbox1.jpg (292.79 KiB) Viewed 1525 times
pillbox2.jpg
pillbox2.jpg (254.63 KiB) Viewed 1525 times
(note: although along a what seems to be public gravel accessroad to the farm, the bunkers are private property; be shure to ask permission to enter first too the friendly farmowners)

as the Pillbox Study Group claims that the four bunkers near Moulin du Rhin (just outside Ghyvelde) are in fact British, then we can ID the two similar bunkers at Chemin des Palombes as being British also based on the interiour (and exteriour) photos of the ones at Moulin du Rhin. Both interiours on seperate locations are identical.

Both bunkers have mostly been identified as being French Maginot bunkers up to this date.

I've found this out already 2 years ago, but as there is very little interest in the subject (British pillboxes) and I thought it didn't really fit here...
But now that Jos speaks of this... The photo posted by Jos is most possibly taken somewhere in between Lille/Orchies and Bray-Dunes considering the small stretch of the Belgian-French border along which we can find them.

Jean


jopaerya
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Re: English Pillbox

#3

Post by jopaerya » 26 Nov 2016, 10:04

From Ebay
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s-l1600 (51).jpg

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moonraker
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Re: English Pillbox

#4

Post by moonraker » 06 Dec 2016, 22:44

hello

picture from delcampe.com

Me belfra-team
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JKernwerk
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Re: English Pillbox

#5

Post by JKernwerk » 06 Dec 2016, 23:11

These were mostly built near and around Lille.
JK

hakobordeaux
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Re: English Pillbox

#6

Post by hakobordeaux » 09 Dec 2016, 23:12

Hello,

Can we consider those bunkers like "Typ 22" ?

Best regards

Please have a look here : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_h ... II#Type_22

jopaerya
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Re: English Pillbox

#7

Post by jopaerya » 07 May 2020, 08:58

From Ebay
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engels s-l1600 (2).jpg

Jens Andersen
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Re: English Pillbox

#8

Post by Jens Andersen » 07 May 2020, 10:58

Noticing the very few informations given on these sites, it seems the subject has not been researched in depth and in fact very little is known on these constructions.
It seems that the study of this subject has by now come a bit further.
At least I have the book mentioned below in my library. I haven't read yet, but it seems to be both well researched and detailed:
Dave Thurlow: Building the Gort Line - The BEF and its defences in France 1939-40. Helion 2019.

Best regards
Jens

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myt1prod
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Re: English Pillbox

#9

Post by myt1prod » 12 Jun 2020, 13:03

Hi Jens

nice to hear... is there any mentioning in the book about the Bray-Dunes/Ghyvelde region?

Regards
Jean

Jens Andersen
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Re: English Pillbox

#10

Post by Jens Andersen » 12 Jun 2020, 13:26

Hi Jean,

I can't tell for sure, as I still haven't read the book, and it holds no index.

However, I wouldn't think so, as the Gort Line was built in the defensive sector of Lille, and I suppose that that is somewhere else.

best regards
Jens

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myt1prod
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Re: English Pillbox

#11

Post by myt1prod » 12 Jun 2020, 13:41

indeed Lille is a bit more inland.
This leaves the question, are the pillboxes/bunkers near Ghyvelde in fact British (as claimed by the British Studygroup), and if so, why/when were they built.

Jens Andersen
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Re: English Pillbox

#12

Post by Jens Andersen » 15 Jun 2020, 10:57

Hello Jean,

As mentioned I haven't read the quite bulky book, so I don't know if the book has any explanation of those bunkers.

best regards
Jens

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