Second World War blockhouse, South Wick Blockhouse, South Wick Farm (EHER 21291)

Also known as Southminster Giant Pillbox. A Second World War double pillbox to the East of Turncole Farm, in appearance, two Type FW3/22 pillboxes joined by a narrower connecting 'tunnel'. Depicted on OS Mastermap.

November 2008. World War Two Defences in Maldon survey. Contemporary records state, ‘Blockhouse and entrenchment. Slit trenches. Southwick Farm. Map ref. 441165.’ (Mil. Ed.) South Wick Farm lay out on the Dengie peninsular between the possible invasion coastline 2 miles to the East and the town of Southminster 3 miles to the West. Any seaborne or airborne attack here would inevitably have to take the farm as it lay by one of the very few roads which led inland off the water-coursed Dengie. <1> <2> An aerial photograph taken in May 1946 shows South Wick Farm as several buildings by a faint track leading from the roadway less than 200 yards to the North. On their East side is the blockhouse. This is a massive ‘dumb-bell’ shaped structure, apparently made from two hexagonal pillboxes standing some yards apart, but linked via a central gallery. In 1960 the buildings remained, around a farmyard, but there were now two Nissen huts, clearly moved here after World War Two and used as farm buildings. <3> <4> When surveyed in 2008, the buildings, the farm yard and the access track had all disappeared leaving, like the surrounding terrain, a flat agricultural field. Standing on this is the imposing sight of the blockhouse, dominating the open countryside. Approached from the rear, the West side, the entrance is in the centre of the ‘dumb-bell’. This leads directly into an open anti-aircraft machine-gun well, a small area where, probably, a Lewis gun would have been mounted on a tall central post. This post has now gone but its fixing position can be seen in the concrete floor. From the anti-aircraft well, a low entrance drops down into the interior of the blockhouse, halfway along its length. This is a wide gallery connecting one end to the other. It has a single loophole facing East. At each end of the blockhouse, the central gallery opens out to, effectively, the interior of a hexagonal pillbox. This has a central anti-ricochet wall. However, unlike the vast majority of pillboxes, there are two Vickers machine-gun tables set beneath wide loopholes. As one end of the blockhouse is a mirror-image of the other, this gives it firepower from no fewer than four Vickers machine-guns, all facing East, the expected direction of attack. In addition, in each of the other faces of each pillbox, there is a small loophole, giving a total of eleven firing apertures. In the centre of the ceiling at each end of the blockhouse, a ventilation hole is capped with a concrete brick mounted a few inches above the roof. A feature of the internal walls is the ‘chamfering’ of the vertical cornerwork. This attempt to protect the occupants from the concrete edging is very unusual, particularly as the chamfering is tapered towards the top in the form of a neat run-out ‘stop’ often seen in timber framed buildings. Constructed of concrete throughout, the blockhouse is some 46ft in length. The width, due to the unusual shape, is difficult to measure. Each pillbox end is perhaps 18ft wide across opposite faces. The thickness of the walls is measured at 3ft 6in to 3ft 8in giving the structure ‘shell-proof’ protection. <2> Thirteen photos. <5> Site Assessment. This blockhouse is totally unique in Essex; it is by far the largest purely ‘defence’ structure, as opposed to the primarily ‘control’ purpose of the Minefield Control Tower (EHER 10004) further South on the Dengie peninsular, and is of a design not seen anywhere else in the county. Only three other pillboxes in Essex have been recorded with Vickers machine-gun tables, each of them with just one. No other pillboxes in Essex were designed with a combination of Vickers loopholes, ‘normal’ loopholes and an anti-aircraft machine-gun well. It is in finely surviving condition with little deterioration, particularly inside. This structure is in the top echelon of surviving World War Two sites in Essex. It should be statutorily protected at the earliest opportunity. <2> January 2009. Heritage assessment. It is essentially two Type FW3/22 pillboxes joined by a short gallery. Loopholes for four Vickers machine guns are located at the front, with loops for Bren guns at the sides and back. An anti-aircraft well is also located at the back, probably for a postmounted Lewis gun. World War Two introduced a new battle phenomenon, the paratrooper, who could be dropped behind existing defences, advance further inland but also knock out coastal defences from behind, letting an invasion fleet in. The flatlands of the Dengie were an ideal landing spot and as part of the defensive network, a series of pillboxes were sited to counter this eventuality. The most significant pillbox was the South Wick blockhouse, which is the only one of its type in Essex, perhaps even in the Country. It was equipped with impressive firepower and may have acted as a command centre. <6> NRHE data transfer: Depicted on OS MasterMap. <7> Photograph of the Southminster Giant Pillbox. <8>