Second World War ammunition shelter for LAA gun emplacement, west of Rochford Airfield (EHER 20712)

A semi-sunken ammunition shelter built of bricks with a concrete roof. It was built to accompany the light anti aircraft gun emplacement EHER 20711, a few yards away to the south.

April 2003. World War Two Defences in Rochford survey: site visit and desktop research. In the middle of an open field to the west of Rochford Airfield is a semi-sunken, rectangular light anti-aircraft gun ammunition shelter built of bricks with a concrete roof. There is a short flight of concrete steps on the south side, down into the interior. The entrance itself is slightly crumbled away. On top of the roof earth has been piled to act as camouflage and this has now grassed over. The length of the building is 15’6” and the width is 9’8”. Inside it measures 6’6” in height with walls 9” thick. There are several ceramic outlet pipes at ground level which would have acted as ventilation holes. <1> Aerial photographs taken in 1946 and 1947 show a number of Light Anti-Aircraft gun emplacements around Rochford Airfield, each accompanied by a separate ammunition shelter. At this location, the gun emplacement (see EHER 20711) was a few yards away to the south and ammunition would have been transferred from the shelter, up the steps, and just a few paces into the gun pit. <2> Nothing now survives of the gun pit but the ammunition shelter is in fair condition. <1> Three photos of site. <3> NRHE data transfer: 1995-2002. Defence of Britain survey. Rectangular structure, concrete, brick shuttered. LOCATION: RAF Rochford. <4> <5> NRHE summary description: The site of a Second World War rectangular concrete pillbox with brick shuttering north of Lancaster Business Park on the western perimeter of London Southend Airport. Note: The NRHE wrongly maps this record to TQ 86400 89600. It also incorrectly describes the structure as a pillbox.