Site of Second World War Anti-Tank Cubes, opposite Beach Road/Anglefield, Clacton-on-Sea (EHER 21188)

Side of Second World War Anti-Tank Cubes now destroyed, opposite Beach Road/Anglefield, Clacton-on-Sea

WWII Defence of Clacton An aerial photograph taken by the RAF in July 1941 shows a succession of anti-tank barriers along the cliff face at Clacton-on-Sea. These were clearly built along the stretches where it was thought that enemy tanks could climb the cliffs. They appear as long strings of anti-tank cubes, probably 3 or 4 feet square. In almost all cases they were emplaced in the slope itself immediately above the cliff walk which runs the length of the cliffs from opposite Beach Road to Connaught Gardens East. The westernmost of these ran from TM 1783 1463 to TM 1793 1472, from a short flight of steps opposite Beach Road for 150 yards, immediately above the walk, to a position opposite Anglefield where the wall now runs behind a promenade café called ‘The Jolly Sailor Boy’. In all, around 65 cubes can be counted. An aerial photograph taken in July 1946 shows them all to have been taken up by that date. <1> <2> <3>