Second World War pillbox, centre of Debden Airfield, Wimbish (EHER 21535)

A Second World War pillbox at the former Debden military airfield, now Carver Barracks. The pillbox is a reinforced concrete example of an unspecified type, which formed part of the Royal Air Force Debden defences. It is thought to have been built between 1940 and 1941. It was reported as still extant in the period 1996-1998. It is situated at the junction of the two runways.

Plans of Debden Airfield dated 1945 and 1946 show a pillbox just outside the curve of the perimeter track, south-west of Abbots Farm. Here it is the most central of all the pillboxes at RAF Debden, no more than 100 yards from the crossing of the two runways. <1> <2> August 2013. Field survey. It is now known, from 1960 aerial photographs, that the pillbox was an hexagonal type, probably of the same pattern as others at Debden airfield. It appears likely that it, in fact, still survives, hidden by the dense thicket at this point. The area is totally covered in dense thicket and nothing can be seen in it. Like the Pickett-Hamilton fort further north (EHER 21536) which is shown on the plans as a pillbox, this position would be extremely dangerous for taxiing aircraft, and it is very possible that this is, in fact, another Pickett-Hamilton, Without clearing the entire area, it is impossible to tell. <3> NRHE data transfer: A World War Two pillbox at the former Debden military airfield, Debden (sic), Essex. The pillbox is a reinforced concrete example of an unspecified type, which formed part of the Royal Air Force Debden defences. It is thought to have been built between 1940 and 1941. It was reported as still extant in the period 1996-1998. <4> Correction to the address information given in <1>: the NGR supplied is in Wimbish not Debden Civil Parish. <5> The position of the pillbox described in <1> corresponds to a pillbox marked on a plan of RAF Debden as it was in 1947. It is situated at the junction of the two runways. Pillboxes are marked "PX" on the plan of the site. <6>