1. The History
The former Heavy Anti-Aircraft gun site is off Keelby Road, Little London near Stallingborough. It is one of only six surviving 5.25-inch HAA gun sites known nationally. The Battery was originally built as part of the Humber estuary's coastal defence system. In February 1916 the coastal battery was equipped with two 6-inch breech-loading Mk VII guns. The guns were removed in 1919 and the site abandoned in 1926. The battery was then re-used during World War II. In June 1940 it was equipped with four 3.-inch calibre guns set in concrete emplacements. In April 1944, construction was underway for four new, much larger and more complex emplacements for 5.25-inch calibre guns which could fire up to altitudes of 43,000 feet. These were operational by 2nd November 1944. After the end of the war, Stallingborough was selected for retention as a Battery Headquarters. It was finally decommissioned around the Spring of 1955 when the use of artillery for anti-aircraft defence was finally abandoned.
Lay-out of a 5.25-inch HAA gun site:
HAA Gun emplacement by HughieDW, on Flickr
Part of the site was reused from 1961 when a Royal Observer Corps (ROC) nuclear fallout monitoring post was built and opened at the site. Sometime between 1976 and 1984, the concrete emplacements and their associated buildings were returned to agricultural use.
The site retains its complete functional layout including all four-gun emplacements and their engine houses, the command post and the guardhouse/gun store and generator house. It is a reminder of the considerable investment made to counter bombing raids by the Luftwaffe.
2. The Explore
This place came up during research into WW2 locations around the Humber. It’ looked great so put it on my list. After the hour or so drive over I parked off the road and walked along a footpath. The coppice the battery is in is a stone’s throw from the footpath. So easy access and had the place to myself for a very relaxed hour’s exploring. One of the nice things about this site was that it was untouched by the idiots so no crap graf etc. Must be a hard place to visit in the summer when the foliage is at its peak.
3. The Pictures
The first emplacement I looked round. Nature is now reclaiming the site:
Stallingborough 01 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0796 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Stallingborough 02 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0800 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0802 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The fixing screws for the gun:
img0804 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0806bw by HughieDW, on Flickr
Presumably this was the shell hatch(?):
img0805 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Entrance to the engine room:
img0810 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0818 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0816 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The engine room itself:
img0813 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Observation tower:
img0820 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And on to the next emplacement:
img0821 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0829 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0826 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0822 by HughieDW, on Flickr
More of the same:
img0823 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0827 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And another:
img0845 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0843 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Finally, on to the control bunker:
img0835 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0828 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0832 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Quick peek inside:
Stallingborough 05 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Stallingborough 06 by HughieDW, on Flickr
These look like reinforced shelters:
img0833 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0834 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And finally, an old tank:
img0830 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The former Heavy Anti-Aircraft gun site is off Keelby Road, Little London near Stallingborough. It is one of only six surviving 5.25-inch HAA gun sites known nationally. The Battery was originally built as part of the Humber estuary's coastal defence system. In February 1916 the coastal battery was equipped with two 6-inch breech-loading Mk VII guns. The guns were removed in 1919 and the site abandoned in 1926. The battery was then re-used during World War II. In June 1940 it was equipped with four 3.-inch calibre guns set in concrete emplacements. In April 1944, construction was underway for four new, much larger and more complex emplacements for 5.25-inch calibre guns which could fire up to altitudes of 43,000 feet. These were operational by 2nd November 1944. After the end of the war, Stallingborough was selected for retention as a Battery Headquarters. It was finally decommissioned around the Spring of 1955 when the use of artillery for anti-aircraft defence was finally abandoned.
Lay-out of a 5.25-inch HAA gun site:
Part of the site was reused from 1961 when a Royal Observer Corps (ROC) nuclear fallout monitoring post was built and opened at the site. Sometime between 1976 and 1984, the concrete emplacements and their associated buildings were returned to agricultural use.
The site retains its complete functional layout including all four-gun emplacements and their engine houses, the command post and the guardhouse/gun store and generator house. It is a reminder of the considerable investment made to counter bombing raids by the Luftwaffe.
2. The Explore
This place came up during research into WW2 locations around the Humber. It’ looked great so put it on my list. After the hour or so drive over I parked off the road and walked along a footpath. The coppice the battery is in is a stone’s throw from the footpath. So easy access and had the place to myself for a very relaxed hour’s exploring. One of the nice things about this site was that it was untouched by the idiots so no crap graf etc. Must be a hard place to visit in the summer when the foliage is at its peak.
3. The Pictures
The first emplacement I looked round. Nature is now reclaiming the site:
The fixing screws for the gun:
Presumably this was the shell hatch(?):
Entrance to the engine room:
The engine room itself:
Observation tower:
And on to the next emplacement:
More of the same:
And another:
Finally, on to the control bunker:
Quick peek inside:
These look like reinforced shelters:
And finally, an old tank:
