Monument record FEX 190 - World War II barbed wire obstruction on Landguard Marshes.

World War II anti-invasion defences are visible as structures on aerial photographs taken from 1944 onwards, on Landguard Marshes and to the south of the railway branch line. The defences consist of stretches of barbed wire obstruction running from TM 27953347 in the inter-tidal zone to the north of Landguard Fort, across Landguard Marshes, the Creek and the railway branch line and terminating at TM 29073305. From where the barbed wire terminates scaffolding is visible running southwards to join up with the beach defences and an anti-tank ditch is visible running north-west, preventing access across the marshy ground next to the railway line. A second barbed wire defence runs parallel but to the south of the one described above, from TM 28263327 to TM 28613307. Other shorter stretches of barbed wire are visible in the area of the grassland between the railway line and Carr Road, centred on TM 28873299 and TM 28723297. A pillbox roughly 3.8m square, with a entrance protected by a blast wall on its southern side, is also visible at TM 28583307. It is located next to the railway line. The defences would have been positioned in order to protect the military bases on Landguard Point from enemy forces advancing from the north. (S1) (S2) By 1946 the barbed wire on Languard Marshes has been removed although much of the barbed wire to the south remains in place into the 1950s. Felixstowe container port now covers this whole area. (S3) (S4)