There has been a great deal of conversation about this photo in our history society. Some locals are saying that it is Fordham Heath Essex. But others say that it is not possible as the background of the photo looks coastal and Fordham Heath is 25 miles from the coastal town of Clacton and 38 miles from Southend. Has anyone any information that might confirm that this is Fordham Heath Essex? We know that the heath was requisitioned by the army and that there were pill boxes along the Colne; they are still there. But as for these huge guns on the heath, we have no information.
Given the date it's possibly an anti V1 battery The Essex Society for Archaeology and History has details of most of the major AA sites in Essex and a fairly extensive library in Essex University Apologies if I'm teaching how to suck eggs
I recently came across this site with all(?) the heavy AA gun sites in the U.K. highlighted. Those in brown have detail if clicked on. Map of Heavy Anti-Aircraft gun sites in England, Scotland and Wales Hope it helps.
You probably know this already, but this is what it says in an Eight Ash Green parish plan: The early part of the twentieth century witnessed slow but steady growth. The First World War saw the upper area of Fordham Heath turned into a camp for the Somerset Yeomanry, where horses and men were trained for war. The Second World War had a more profound effect on our area, with the MOD requisitioning land on the Heath for anti aircraft guns and search lights on what is now the cricket pitch. https://eightashgreenvillage.files....lan-whole-document-version-10-no-feedback.pdf
The area probably fell under the coverage of 2nd AA Group and the Diver Box covering south Anglia and there are a number of diaries at Kew. I would be surprised if non of them had any references to individual sites and their grid references WO166/15509 WO166/16640 WO166/14623 WO166/14621 WO166/14622 WO166/14624 I agree the picture looks deceiving but it could just have been misty in the distance. There is nothing to definitively locate the photo but if the diaries confirm the guns and their sizes you could at least conclude that it might have been taken on the heath. Also, in Dobinsons AA Command, there are no grid references in the list of HSS sites that are likely matches but the list is, I think more correct for the early part of the war. They tend to correlate with the map in Ewen's post. There is however, a table for the AA strengths for Overlord and Diver with Colchester listed under Midlands and East Anglia with the actual numbers of 3.7 inch guns between 29 03 44 and 30 08 44
There is this which is close and it had mobile guns which your photo shows from here Heritage Gateway - Results Heavy Anti Aircraft Battery Colchester C5 Hob Uid: 1471900 Location : Essex Tendring Elmstead Grid Ref : TM0470026300 Summary : Site of Second World War heavy anti aircraft battery at Crockleford Heath, which formed part of the defences of Colchester. It was armed with four 3.7-inch mobile guns with GL Mark II radar in 1942, when it was manned by 229 Battery of the 71st Royal Artillery Regiment. More information : Sources : Source Number : 1 Source : Twentieth century fortifications in England, volume 1. Anti-aircraft artillery : England's air defence gunsites, 1914-46 Source details : Page(s) : 342 Figs. : Plates : Vol(s) : Monument Types: Monument Period Name : Second World War Display Date : Second World War Monument End Date : 1945 Monument Start Date : 1939 Monument Type : Heavy Anti Aircraft Battery Evidence : Documentary Evidence Components and Objects:Related Records from other datasets: External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number External Cross Reference Number : TM 02 NW 99 External Cross Reference Notes :
As is this, again having mobile guns, from Heritage Gateway - Results Heavy Anti Aircraft Battery Colchester C6 Hob Uid: 1472187 Location : Essex Colchester Colchester Grid Ref : TL9860021300 Summary : Site of Second World War heavy anti aircraft battery at Fridaywood Farm, which formed part of the defences of Colchester. It was armed with four 3.7-inch mobile guns with GL Mark II radar in 1942, when it was manned by 229 Battery of the 71st Royal Artillery Regiment. More information : Sources : Source Number : 1 Source : Twentieth century fortifications in England, volume 1. Anti-aircraft artillery : England's air defence gunsites, 1914-46 Source details : Page(s) : 342 Figs. : Plates : Vol(s) : Monument Types: Monument Period Name : Second World War Display Date : Second World War Monument End Date : 1945 Monument Start Date : 1939 Monument Type : Heavy Anti Aircraft Battery Evidence : Documentary Evidence Components and Objects:Related Records from other datasets: External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number External Cross Reference Number : TL 92 SE 127 External Cross Reference Notes :
