DEFENCE AREA 35 FREISTON SHORE
Coastal artillery is the branch of armed forces concerned with operating anti-ship artillery or fixed gun batteries in coastal fortifications.
It was long held as a general rule of thumb, that one shore-based gun equalled three naval guns of the same calibre, due to the steadiness of the coastal gun which allowed for significantly higher accuracy than their sea-mounted counterparts. Land-based guns also benefited in most cases from the additional protection of walls or earth mounds.
The defence area lies at the edge of the Fen landscape east of Boston at a point where it merges with salt marsh and sand banks before the open sea. A RSPB nature reserve has recently been established here. The flat farming lands to the west are protected by a system of sea banks running parallel with the coast. These were fortified in 1940 against enemy landing. The central focal point of the area is the small settlement of Freiston Shore (once a seaside resort in the first half of the nineteenth century). Viewsheds are formed by the salt marsh and sea to the east, and by the sinuous course, north and south, of the inner sea bank on which most of the defence works were constructed.
In 1940-1941, the Freiston Shore coastal area was part of 'A' Sector of the Lincolnshire coast, defended in July 1940 by the 131st Infantry Brigade, and then later by the 212th Infantry Brigade, of the 1st (Lincoln County) Division of I Corps.
The infantry brigade held the coast with three battalions forward, of which the centre battalion was the 'Boston Battalion' which was responsible for a defence Area that included Freiston Shore. Forward posts (defended localities) were established on the sea wall, with one at Freiston Shore, and a system of defence in depth was organised around 'Bases' (nodal points) that, adjacent to Freiston, included Boston, Sutterton, and Kirton.2In addition to the battalion forward defended localities, Freiston Shore was also the site of an Emergency Coast Defence Battery. One particular role of the infantry defended locality was the battery's protection. The battery was operational by mid-June 1940, the two 6in. Mk.VII guns being manned by the 321st Coast Battery RA. The gun emplacements were disguised as bungalows, and air photographs taken in 1953 show that the camouflage pitched roofs were still in place at that date.
In 1940, troops at Freiston Shore were from the 1/5th Queen's Royal Regiment, and later, towards the end of July, the 1st. Bn. Duke of Wellington's Regiment who were ordered to take up their positions 'when the pillboxes are complete'.
In March 1941, the Boston Battalion was the 10th Bn. Gloucestershire Regiment which carried out a reorganisation of the defences.
The forward defended localities were made up of pillboxes with wired perimeters and surrounding slit trenches. The pillboxes were stocked with ammunition, grenades, and food and water: the white concrete was darkened with mud, and sharp outlines broken up by earth and grass A continuous belt of triple Dannert wire fronted the defence positions on the sea bank. Accommodation for the defending troops at Fresiton Shore, when not on duty, was in the nearby Marine Inn.
Elsewhere Nissen huts were used for accommodation, and the presence of one Nissen adjacent to pillboxes south of Fresiton Shore may be a survival from this use. In a defence reorganisation in March 1941, section posts [possibly earthworks] were loopholed for flanking fire, with breastworks built to cover the rear. The wire perimeters were brought in and thickened, and 'knife rests' set up on roads and tracks.
Freiston Shore battery Lincolnshire- the Examination Battery for the port of Boston, still remains mostly complete. Boston was an Examination Battery, so the Navy could escort suspect merchant ships to anchor under the guns, until cleared to proceed. It was therefore manned by regular troops well into the war. Most coast batteries were manned by the home guard, after the threat of invasion had become less acute.
The Right Hand Gun House With Its Magazine And Engine Room.
Hexagonal concrete two-storey anti-aircraft pillbox, with open upper deck. A two storey structure, with anti-aircraft position as upper storey. Built using wood shuttering. Central post of AA position survives. Some of the wood shuttering survives on the inside of the roof. Tall hexagonal type 22 pillbox, facing East and with entrance to rear. Set on rear edge of sea bank. Concrete-faced, rendered with pebble dashing. A solid addition (i.e. not open inside) has been added to the pillbox roof to increase its height and probably provide a platform for an AA gun. Four square embrasures, one in each face. Unusual shape interior concrete blast wall. Public access, inside and outside.
On sea bank at point where it is crossed by a track, Butterwick. Type 23 three-bay concrete anti-aircraft pillbox, facing East.
Half a mile North of Freiston Church. Standard type 22 pillbox, built with wood shuttering, rendered with pebbles to aid concealment. Some of the wood shuttering remains on the inside of the roof.
Coastal artillery is the branch of armed forces concerned with operating anti-ship artillery or fixed gun batteries in coastal fortifications.
It was long held as a general rule of thumb, that one shore-based gun equalled three naval guns of the same calibre, due to the steadiness of the coastal gun which allowed for significantly higher accuracy than their sea-mounted counterparts. Land-based guns also benefited in most cases from the additional protection of walls or earth mounds.
The defence area lies at the edge of the Fen landscape east of Boston at a point where it merges with salt marsh and sand banks before the open sea. A RSPB nature reserve has recently been established here. The flat farming lands to the west are protected by a system of sea banks running parallel with the coast. These were fortified in 1940 against enemy landing. The central focal point of the area is the small settlement of Freiston Shore (once a seaside resort in the first half of the nineteenth century). Viewsheds are formed by the salt marsh and sea to the east, and by the sinuous course, north and south, of the inner sea bank on which most of the defence works were constructed.
In 1940-1941, the Freiston Shore coastal area was part of 'A' Sector of the Lincolnshire coast, defended in July 1940 by the 131st Infantry Brigade, and then later by the 212th Infantry Brigade, of the 1st (Lincoln County) Division of I Corps.
The infantry brigade held the coast with three battalions forward, of which the centre battalion was the 'Boston Battalion' which was responsible for a defence Area that included Freiston Shore. Forward posts (defended localities) were established on the sea wall, with one at Freiston Shore, and a system of defence in depth was organised around 'Bases' (nodal points) that, adjacent to Freiston, included Boston, Sutterton, and Kirton.2In addition to the battalion forward defended localities, Freiston Shore was also the site of an Emergency Coast Defence Battery. One particular role of the infantry defended locality was the battery's protection. The battery was operational by mid-June 1940, the two 6in. Mk.VII guns being manned by the 321st Coast Battery RA. The gun emplacements were disguised as bungalows, and air photographs taken in 1953 show that the camouflage pitched roofs were still in place at that date.
In 1940, troops at Freiston Shore were from the 1/5th Queen's Royal Regiment, and later, towards the end of July, the 1st. Bn. Duke of Wellington's Regiment who were ordered to take up their positions 'when the pillboxes are complete'.
In March 1941, the Boston Battalion was the 10th Bn. Gloucestershire Regiment which carried out a reorganisation of the defences.
The forward defended localities were made up of pillboxes with wired perimeters and surrounding slit trenches. The pillboxes were stocked with ammunition, grenades, and food and water: the white concrete was darkened with mud, and sharp outlines broken up by earth and grass A continuous belt of triple Dannert wire fronted the defence positions on the sea bank. Accommodation for the defending troops at Fresiton Shore, when not on duty, was in the nearby Marine Inn.
Elsewhere Nissen huts were used for accommodation, and the presence of one Nissen adjacent to pillboxes south of Fresiton Shore may be a survival from this use. In a defence reorganisation in March 1941, section posts [possibly earthworks] were loopholed for flanking fire, with breastworks built to cover the rear. The wire perimeters were brought in and thickened, and 'knife rests' set up on roads and tracks.
Freiston Shore battery Lincolnshire- the Examination Battery for the port of Boston, still remains mostly complete. Boston was an Examination Battery, so the Navy could escort suspect merchant ships to anchor under the guns, until cleared to proceed. It was therefore manned by regular troops well into the war. Most coast batteries were manned by the home guard, after the threat of invasion had become less acute.
EMERGENCY COAST ARTILLERY BATTERY: S0006937
Emergency coast defence battery in very good condition. The two CASLs and two gun emplacements are recorded separately. Emergency coast defence and examination battery, Freiston Shore. Coastal battery with 2 x 6in gun emplacements. Low-level BOP and CASLs present. Two earth-protected magazine buildings are clearly visible. Coast artillery battery, extensively recorded - see separate records for gun emplacements, magazines, searchlight positions, and accommodation and other buildings. 2 x coast battery gun site, each being about 30ft long and 10 ft wide. The position is covered by a thick concrete roof; this appears to have a layer of steel embedded into it. From under the surface several small chains hang down, two each either side of the gun. The gun platform projects well in front of the roof and shows signs of having been laid in several sections. Approx. level with the leading edge of the roof is the holdfast plate for the gun. 24 of the studs exist each being about 1in in diameter, 17 of these retain their nuts. A blast wall exists behind the structure and this is keyed to the roof by metal rods Piercing this are what seem to be two small embrasures.The Right Hand Gun House With Its Magazine And Engine Room.
The view from the Gun Magazine to the First of the Gun Emplacements.
The Gun house.
The view to the rear of the First Gun Emplacement.
The Second Emplacement
Coastal Searchlight.
COAST ARTILLERY SEARCHLIGHT: S0016243
At Freiston Shore on sea bank at rear of houses, on S side of carpark entrance. A CASL of the adjacent coastal battery - a large square structure, with hexagonal E faces now infilled with windows. Slab concrete roof. Pebble-dashed walls. Used apparently as a store and now overgrown.PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/22): S0005172
Hexagonal concrete two-storey anti-aircraft pillbox, with open upper deck. A two storey structure, with anti-aircraft position as upper storey. Built using wood shuttering. Central post of AA position survives. Some of the wood shuttering survives on the inside of the roof. Tall hexagonal type 22 pillbox, facing East and with entrance to rear. Set on rear edge of sea bank. Concrete-faced, rendered with pebble dashing. A solid addition (i.e. not open inside) has been added to the pillbox roof to increase its height and probably provide a platform for an AA gun. Four square embrasures, one in each face. Unusual shape interior concrete blast wall. Public access, inside and outside.
Miscellaneous.
PILLBOX (LINCOLNSHIRE 3 BAY): S0005170
On sea bank at point where it is crossed by a track, Butterwick. Type 23 three-bay concrete anti-aircraft pillbox, facing East.
If it's not cows - it's horses.
PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/22): S0005169
Two type 22 pillboxes and one anti-tank block. Hexagonal concrete pillbox.PILLBOX (LINCOLNSHIRE 3 BAY): S0005168
The final part of this report is just after my mate Rich picked me up as a waif and stray wandering the embankment. Getting a lift for the remainder of the day we picked up the Pillboxes scattered inland and defending the bridges to the inland waterways. (to follow in another report)
PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/22): S0002054
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