BRITAIN`S SIEGFRIED LINE
DEMOLITION PRACTICE SITE
by
TIM DENTON
BRAMSHILL FOREST, BERKSHIRE
NGR SU882638
This is an incredible find which is not on the Defence of Britain Database or anywhere else I have looked.
I had a conversation in November with a Forest Ranger in Bramshill Forest, Crowthorne, Berkshire when I was looking for some reported bunkers. He told me of a `wall` with RSJ`s in it which was deep in the woods. An old chap had told him it was used for pre D-Day practice.
I located the area early yesterday morning true to the map point he gave me. It is deep in the woods several miles from life, Map Ref SU882638. It appears very similar to the Hankley Common set up with a large concrete wall with several Dragons Teeth and a row of rail-line RSJ`s stretching along from it. Some 40 in total with some showing signs of AP bullets/shell entry/exit points and flak damage.
The wall is very steep and measures some 7 foot plus tall. Below it runs a 300ft plus anti-tank ditch, on top of which are the RSJ`s.
About 30/35 ft from the ditch is a line of 17 angled concrete tank traps, which are 4ft length and are 4 sided. 16ft behind them is a double line of 2ft pimples 49 in total, some of which bear the date 13th Apr 43, 15th Apr 43 and 17th Apr43 ! These are spaced 3ft apart between rows.
Behind them are 5 odd upturned pimples. There is also a 8/10 ft large RSJ laying in the a/tank ditch, and a pipe with a blown/splayed out end, possibly a bangalore torpedo remains? Nearby is another square iron funnel type `box thingy`.
This whole site transfixed me for a good two hours measuring and digital and normal film photoing .It was a shame I could`nt have shared the experience with someone else at the time!
