Monument Number 1395811 |
| Hob Uid: 1395811 | |
Location :
North Lincolnshire
Goxhill
|
| Grid Ref : TA1080020700 |
| Summary : A World War Two battle headquarters at Goxhill Airfield. The concrete battle headquarters was built to a 1941 pattern. The purpose of this defensive installation was to act as a focal point for the defence of the airfield in the event of an attack by ground troops. The example at Goxhill was situated to the south of the flying field in a hedge line overlooking the airfield. It was based on the Air Ministry design drawing number 11008/41; however there are some deviations from the basic design in that the main stairway at Goxhill runs directly into the passageway, and also that it features a heightened cupola which incorporates a pillbox. Apart from the observation cupola the bulk of the building is underground. It included offices and a communications room. In 1993 the battle headquarters was pumped out, cleared and investigated. It transpired that the building had been used in May 1944 to conduct practice exercises for the D-Day landings. |
More information : A World War Two battle headquarters at Goxhill Airfield. The battle headquarters was built to a 1941 pattern. The purpose of this defensive installation was to act as a focal point for the defence of the airfield in the event of an attack by ground troops. The example at Goxhill was situated in a hedge line overlooking the airfield. It was based on the Air Ministry design drawing number 11008/41; however there are some deviations from the basic design in that the main stairway at Goxhill runs directly into the passageway, and also that it features a heightened cupola which incorporates a pillbox. The reason for the addition of the pillbox is unclear, but it may have been an attempt to afford a better vantage point. Apart from the observation cupola the bulk of the building is underground. It included offices and a communications room. It also featured an escape hatch seperate from the main stairs. In 1993 the battle headquarters was pumped out, cleared and investigated. It transpired that the building had been used in May 1944 to conduct practice exercises for the D-Day landings. It was possible to note different stages in the construction of the concrete. The source includes a plan of the battle headquarters.(1)
The battle headquarters at Goxhill is noted on the Defence of Britain Database at TA 108 207 (UORN S0005283). There are also two records for a pillbox which incorporate the battle headquarters cupola, (possibly the Defence of Britain record for the pillbox is duplicated: DoB UORNs S0005284 and S0005285). (2)
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