Road blocks

My first post for ages. Are members aware of examples of road blocks thrown up around airfields as part of their defences and for the control of civilian movements? I am aware of the remains of one at St Athan and a number of others at the same site from documentary sources. I assume that these were standard anti-invasion defences operated by the army units detailed to defend the external approaches to airfields. Comments appreciated. VP

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Is that what you meen this is at RAF Colerne I have several pictures around this spot and there was another at the top of the hill as you leave the airfeild.

Sawbridgeworth airfield has a pillbox on the Hadham road. This has the remains of the road barrier next to it. The barrier itself was mounted 25 yards further down the road towards Much Hadham, and was set in a concrete base. This was pulled up and dumped next to the pillbox where it has been ever since.

From various sources that I have read over the years, there were a number of different types of 'roadblock'. They had to be simple yet effective and, more importantly, they could not be permitted to interfere with local traffic but be capable of setting-up at short notice.

A common version, occasionally seen, were tubular sockets across the road and verges into which vertical supports stored at the roadside could be set and railed. Many of these are still in place but have been covered by modern day asphalt and other topcoats.

PETERTHEEATER;71295 wrote:

A common version, occasionally seen, were tubular sockets across the road...

See:
www.airfieldresearchgroup.org.uk/forum/s...inder-somerset#34212

Thanks Graham, that's a good example.

Chain across the road as at RAF Colerne and for many years there was a chain type near Kimeridge that has now gone. There are many in France still to be found and one across a river where it goes out to sea.

I remember as a kid in Switzerland they had man hole covers on lots of bridges to place mines in like the Somerset pictures.

PETERTHEEATER;71295 wrote:

From various sources that I have read over the years, there were a number of different types of 'roadblock'. They had to be simple yet effective and, more importantly, they could not be permitted to interfere with local traffic but be capable of setting-up at short notice.

A common version, occasionally seen, were tubular sockets across the road and verges into which vertical supports stored at the roadside could be set and railed. Many of these are still in place but have been covered by modern day asphalt and other topcoats.

From memory, there are some square sockets somewhere in Lincoln into which posts could be fitted. Not sure where though, I no longer have the library book in which I read this.

I know I harp on about the Atlantikwall BUT on the D-day coast at Masey they dragged a great big tree across the sea front road and had sockets in the road way and large tree trunks in them. As for Peters sockets there are several along the bridges of the Kennet and Avon Canal in North Wilts & Berk's areas. Our town of Blandford was turned into an Anti-tank Island, and had the river to the south, railway to the North and east and a HA HA (Google it) wall converted into an anti-tank ditch. The roads over the railway must have been protected but I can find any evidence today. There were many square blocks under the railway bridge/viaduct, so there must have been some sort of road block. www.atlantikwall.co.uk/atlantikwall/atla...south_of_england.htm

Richard