Report - wanbourough anti aircraft battery 12 april 2009

[tommo]

another google earth find, this time visited with broken

cant find out any info about this one, but guessing that its the same as the blunsdon one, so i am sure it is an all women anti air craft battery, from what i can see there where about 6 of them in a line covering birdlip all the way to barbury castle, about 5 miles apart from each other

the same lay out as before, 4 gun placements but this time the center command bunker is still there(just!!) but the main bunker had radiators and piping for water all over the place, and what i first thougth was a toilet, now i have had time to think about it, it was connected to the radiators so i guess its a boiler of some kind to keep them warm

and one if the bunkers batteries have some really good war time graffiti and it looks geniune and really good condition, as well as a door to the bunker that looks original and very old

owned by a farmer now, but he is letting them out to a couple of local lads to use for storing and prep of banger cars, the place looks like scrap heap challenge. there was even 2 boats sat there

this is the center command bunker

some of the roof has collapst in some areas​

all the rooms are flooded with about 10inches of water​

think this is the boiler or whats left of it​

original markings "fuze 1.5" there is also fuze 3.0​

one of the cleanest batteries with all orignal gun mounting bolt holes still visible​

original door left on bunker section​

every room had war graffiti​

sand bags and look outs graffiti​

soldiers dug in​

barbe wire​

not to sure looks like someone relaxing lol​

 

[markymark]

tommo you should visit the 1 on portland.still in fair condition and you can still get in the tunnels. if you ever come down give myself or montstar a pm can meet up again ?

 

[sticky]

I'm loving that graffiti, especially the one with the two crouching soldiers!

 

[Oxygen Thief]

I'm liking the retro boat and cars. A scimitar should not be allowed to fester like that.

 

[zimbob]

Nice one, the murals are unusual, and a good find

And I gotta agree with OT, the Scimitars and that E30 Convertible being left to rot is a crying shame

 

[tommo]

most of the graffiti is in good condition as it's inside the shelter and some of the bunkers also had other markings for capes 1-10

As for the boats there where 2 and they look the same. And the bemma was mint condition I guess that's why they all fenced of

 

[Squirrell 911]

I'm liking the retro boat and cars. A scimitar should not be allowed to fester like that.

The orange one is a Scimitar aswel isnt it? the floor might drop through but the rest of the bodywork should be intact.

 

[tigger]

cant find out any info about this one, but guessing that its the same as the blunsdon one, so i am sure it is an all women anti air craft battery, from what i can see there where about 6 of them in a line covering birdlip all the way to barbury castle, about 5 miles apart from each other

Any chance of a list of the locations please tommo as none of them appear to be recorded on the DoB?

 

[tommo]

Any chance of a list of the locations please tommo as none of them appear to be recorded on the DoB?

yeah i will see what i can do buddy , they are all on my google earth at the moment, some i have found locations by looking at picks, u can see the roads and cross ref to google earth but some have now just been dug up and are not there but u can see the rough out line of the land

not to sure how to make a file, if that what u looking for. or if u email me i can forward the links on to u if u like that might be easyer

 

[tigger]

yeah i will see what i can do buddy , they are all on my google earth at the moment, some i have found locations by looking at picks, u can see the roads and cross ref to google earth but some have now just been dug up and are not there but u can see the rough out line of the land

not to sure how to make a file, if that what u looking for. or if u email me i can forward the links on to u if u like that might be easyer

Cheers mate. e-mail sent

 

[Betisdan]

hi
great photos
im interested in aa batteries/military sites in wilts like at wanborough - have you got any more info on any around swindon/devizes?
when i get a chance im gonna visit wanborough - i did find some info on it on the PastScape website - but its in the wrong place!
cheers
dan

 

[tommo]

Hi dan email me the link is below

 

[Ordnance]

Graffiti looks of a post war style to me. The alcoves were used to store the 'ready to use' ammunition for the guns, and had wooden racks inside them to keep the shells of the ground and easer to remove etc, so would not be accesable for such drawings! The Battery Sargeat Major would have had a fit if he saw them....

Also I do not think there were any 'all women' batteries! The majority of the guns of AAC were operated by regular British Army RA units. Later as the war progressed, these were freed up by the use of men of the Home Guard (loading and firing the guns) and women of the Auxiliary Territorial Service (handling ammunition and operating gun directors).