Bridge, mined during Second World War, Meadow Way, Jaywick (EHER 21406)

Mined bridge. Explosives were placed under bridge the bridge during Second World War to aid in its destruction should Germans invade. The explosives were removed in 1961 and the bridge remains.

Article, 1961 In 1961, an article appeared in the East Essex Gazette under the heading, “300lb charge lay for years under bridge”. The text, in full, read as follows, “Hundreds of Jaywick residents found out this week that every time they crossed Meadow-way bridge they were walking over 300lb of amatol - one of the most sensitive of explosives used during the war. Naval and Army experts came down to Jaywick on Friday to dispose of the danger. It came to light because in October a similar explosive was found in St. Osyth. Because of that, maps were consulted and it was found that in 1941 a depth charge had been placed in position under the Meadow-way bridge ready to blow it sky high should the Germans invade. Lieut.-Commander W. McLanachan headed the Navy team which set out at 4 a.m. from Portsmouth and included a frogman. From Mill Hill, London, came Major D. V. Henderson, of the Eastern Command Ammunition Inspectorate and his recovery team. Essex River Board men drained some of the water under the bridge and the frogman went in and connected the depth charge to the crane. After a thorough examination, the Naval squad then took the depth charge to waste land, far away from any buildings. Everyone then withdrew except for Lieut.-Commander McLanachan and Leading Seaman W. Crimmonds, the frogman, who undid the charge, put in oil-rags and began the tricky job of burning out the explosive. It took about an hour before they were satisfied that all the explosive had been destroyed. Note: Unlike many explosives, depth charges are sensitive to pressure only and can be burned at a controlled rate when exposed." <1> A picture on page 3 showed the charge, like an oil drum laying on its side, perhaps 2’6” long x 18” in diameter, There appears to be a 4 or 5 inch hole running longitudinally through the centre of the drum. A recovery team is attempting to move the, clearly very heavy, charge by means of a long thick pole running through this hole. Map, 1954 A 1954 1:2,500 O.S. map shows a brook paralleling the coast, some 600 yards inland, running across the nearby golf course, through the estate of houses here and thence westwards. There are only two crossings for vehicles, this bridge on Meadow Way and another on Golf Green Road (see EHER 21405). <2> Site visit by Fred Nash, 2011 Visited in April 2011, the brook and bridge still survive, appearing much as they must have done in 1940/1941. The brook runs through the houses and beneath the road. Now reed-filled, it lies in a steep-banked cutting, presenting an effective anti-tank barrier. The bridge, crossed by regular traffic, is very substantial, built of solid concrete with steel railings each side. <4> Two photos of site. <3>