Site of Second World War HAA Gun Site "TN11 Abbotts Hall", Stanford-le-Hope (EHER 10310)

Site of Second World War heavy anti aircraft battery at Abbots Hope. It was armed with four 3.7-inch static guns with GL Mark II radar, and manned by 1 Battery of the 2nd Royal Artillery Regiment in 1942, and was manned by 616 Battery of the 184th (Mixed) Royal Artillery Regiment in 1945. It was retained as a Nucleus Force Headquarters Battery in 1946.

June 1994. Site visit. 1:2500 maps dated 1963 show the clear shape of an anti-aircraft battery in the fields to the NE of Stanford-le-Hope. It had four octagonal and two square emplacements. <1> This battery and its supporting buildings can be seen in an aerial photograph taken in 1946. <2> This entire area has now been built over with new housing. March 2012: Documented in contemporary records as "TN11 Abbotts Hall", a WWII Heavy Anti-Aircraft gun site in fields to the north-east of Stanford-le-Hope. Equipment and manning at the site is documented at various dates <3>: Manning Date Guns Radar Regt Bty Feb 1940 20 May 1942 4 x 3.7in(s) GL Mk 1A 2 1 22 Jun 1942 4 x 3.7in(s) GL Mk 1A 9 Dec 1943 184(M) 616 15 Jan 1946 - - An aerial photograph taken in May 1946 shows the site to the north of Corringham Road. There are six gun emplacements, four octagonal (probably to "March 1938 Pattern" <3>) and two square. Each of the octagonal emplacements has five or six internal ammunition recesses. The square emplacements have three or four ammunition recesses. Between two of the octagonal emplacements there is an on-site magazine. In the centre is the command post. To the south of the gun site, about 100/150 metres away, is the accommodation, or domestic, site. Around 20 huts can be counted, both Nissen and pitched-roof. <3> <4> As stated previously, the entire area has now been built over with new housing. NRHE data import: Site of Second World War heavy anti aircraft battery at Abbots Hope, Stanford le Hope.It was armed with four 3.7-inch static guns with GL Mark II radar, and manned by 1 Battery of the 2nd Royal Artillery Regiment in 1942, and was manned by 616 Battery of the 184th (Mixed) Royal Artillery Regiment in 1945. It was retained as a Nucleus Force Headquarters Battery in 1946.