100 years of military history & an archaelogical experiment on my very doorstep

Discussion in 'Prewar' started by CROONAERT, May 11, 2009.

  1. CROONAERT

    CROONAERT Ipsissimus

    About a mile from my back door are some old army ranges that closed down in the 1960's. Many years ago my dad took me up to see them because he'd shot there himself back in 1956 (they banned the use of the Vickers on here that year, because a main road was getting hit over the other side of the hill!), but that must have been over 25 years ago, so I decided to spend the weekend having a good scout round...it turned out to be an extremely informative couple of days!

    i'd known about the main range, as mentioned, for years, but was surprised when, not far from the butts, i decided to investigate a few extremely "odd" walls and mounds (basically, i was wondering why the hell a farmer would want to build a wall in that particular place)...these turned out (much to my delight) to be the remains of the Victorian/Edwardian butts that, as far as I've read, closed down in 1910 (though evidence would seem to prove otherwise)...
     

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    von Poop and Capt.Sensible like this.
  2. CROONAERT

    CROONAERT Ipsissimus

    ...the "new" range (I've been unable to find out exactly when it was opened in this guise, but appears to be inter-war) even turned out older than I thought... OS maps of 1932 show the butt as the same shape it is today, but the maps of 1913 show that it was in use back then (though , then it was 3 smaller seperate butts)...
     

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  3. CROONAERT

    CROONAERT Ipsissimus

    ...the 100yd firing point and range huts of 2 different eras (rear hut dates from 1930's)...
     

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  4. CROONAERT

    CROONAERT Ipsissimus

    ...some of the "finds" from the new range(.303 case is dated 1936)...2 types of 303, through a .38, 9mm and the ubiquitous 7.62mm of later days. (note the two Mk.I (or II) .303 rounds. These came as quite a surprise to find on this particular range...)
     

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  5. CROONAERT

    CROONAERT Ipsissimus

    ...most interesting (for me) was what turned up on the victorian ranges...
     

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  6. CROONAERT

    CROONAERT Ipsissimus

    ...full range of rounds discovered over the two eras's ranges (though the .38 had "escaped" from the photo)...
     

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  7. CROONAERT

    CROONAERT Ipsissimus

    Close -ups...

    .577 (Snider-Enfield)...circa.1866-75
     

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  8. CROONAERT

    CROONAERT Ipsissimus

    .450 (Martini-Henry) - circa 1871-1889...
     

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  9. CROONAERT

    CROONAERT Ipsissimus

    .303 Mk.I, II or VI (Lee Metford or Enfield) circa 1889 - 1910
     

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  10. CROONAERT

    CROONAERT Ipsissimus

    .303 Mk.III, IV or V (hollow point) - circa 1897 to 1904
     

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  11. CROONAERT

    CROONAERT Ipsissimus

    .303 Mk.VII (circa 1910 to 1957(and on))...these were a surprise to find on a range that was supposed to have been shut down in 1910)...
     

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  12. CROONAERT

    CROONAERT Ipsissimus

    .38 Enfield (1932 onwards)...
     

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  13. CROONAERT

    CROONAERT Ipsissimus

    9mm (1935 onwards)
     

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  14. Capt.Sensible

    Capt.Sensible Well-Known Member

    Nice to see some 19th and early 20th century archaeology. From your dating of the finds, the range appears to have been in use in the late 19th century. Have you been able to get a look at the OS first and second edition maps covering that period? I have done a little work on similar ranges and some were in use in the mid 19th century by the miltia/yeomanry forces.

    CS
     
  15. CROONAERT

    CROONAERT Ipsissimus

    7.62mm (1957 on)
     

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  16. CROONAERT

    CROONAERT Ipsissimus

    Aerial shot from Google...
     

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  17. urqh

    urqh Senior Member

    Wow...just wow....great thread....Now thats what I call contiguous history. I particularly like the Martini Henri..
     
  18. CROONAERT

    CROONAERT Ipsissimus

    From your dating of the finds, the range appears to have been in use in the late 19th century. Have you been able to get a look at the OS first and second edition maps covering that period?


    yes. I've just found it on maps from 1894, 1913 and 1932 at the moment. There's nothing shown for here on one from (I think) 1848, but I suspect that the (old) ranges don't pre-date the 1860's which would tie in with the building of a local(ish) barracks and the nearest large town becoming a garrison.

    dave.
     
  19. Gage

    Gage The Battle of Barking Creek

    Some really interesting stuff there. Thanks.
     
  20. Capt.Sensible

    Capt.Sensible Well-Known Member

    yes. I've just found it on maps from 1894, 1913 and 1932 at the moment. There's nothing shown for here on one from (I think) 1848, but I suspect that the (old) ranges don't pre-date the 1860's which would tie in with the building of a local(ish) barracks and the nearest large town becoming a garrison.

    dave.

    Thanks, Dave. A very interesting project on your doorstep!

    Cs
     

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