Monument record LWT 050 - World War Two Coastal Emergency Gun Battery

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Summary

The site of one of Lowestoft’s World War Two Coastal Emergency Gun Batteries is visible on aerial photographs. The site consists of a succession of up to five gun emplacements, with a command post and operational rooms are visible as a large camouflaged structure. Additional World War Two structures are visible to the rear of the site. The Coastal Artillery Searchlights (CASL) associated with these guns and other probable defended positions are visible set into the cliff face. Additional barbed wire obstructions and roadblocks were also present along the seafront.

Location

Grid reference Centred TM 5495 9489 (243m by 364m)
Map sheet TM59SW
Civil Parish LOWESTOFT, WAVENEY, SUFFOLK

Map

Type and Period (7)

Full Description

Aerial photographs of 1940 show 5 gun emplacements on the road to the north of Lowestoft Denes (S1). Of these, 3 are of a similar type, while the other 2 appear to still be under construction. By August 1941, only the 2 'later' gun emplacements are visible (S2) - the other 3 emplacements would seem to have been dismantled. The same structures can be seen in aerial photographs of Dec 1941 (S3). The 2 gun emplacements were still standing in Sep & Oct 1945 (S4 & S5), and appear to have still had guns in them. These structures would have been part of the coastal defences in this area.

March 2014. Lothingland, Lowestoft and North Suffolk Coast and Heaths National Mapping Programme.
The site of one of Lowestoft’s World War Two Coastal Emergency Gun Batteries is visible on aerial photographs (S6-S7) at this location. In addition to the gun emplacements previously recorded above, the associated command post and operational rooms are visible as a large camouflaged structure. Additional World War Two structures are visible to the rear of the site. The Coastal Artillery Searchlights (CASL) associated with these guns and other probable defended positions are visible set into the cliff face. Additional barbed wire obstructions and roadblocks are also visible and have been added to the existing mapping.
S. Horlock (Norfolk Historic Environment Service), 20th March 2014.

Sources/Archives (7)

  • <S1> Photograph: RAF. Air Photograph. 2/BR11/16 FrmsA12-A13 19-Jul-1940.
  • <S2> Photograph: RAF. Air Photograph. S/423 H13 1416 Frms75-77 20-Aug-1941.
  • <S3> Photograph: RAF. Air Photograph. 2H/BR165 FrmA13 24-Dec-1941.
  • <S4> Photograph: RAF. Air Photograph. 106G/UK761 Pt1 Frm6012 2-Sep-1945.
  • <S5> Photograph: RAF. Air Photograph. 106G/UK944 Pt1 Frm6032 19-Oct-1945.
  • <S6> Vertical Aerial Photograph: Vertical Aerial Photograph. RAF/106G/LA/34 RP 3018-3019 15-AUG-1944 (EHA).
  • <S7> Vertical Aerial Photograph: Vertical Aerial Photograph. RAF/106G/UK/944 RVp1 6031-6034 19-OCT-1945 (EHA).

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (3)

Record last edited

Feb 2 2022 3:24PM

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