Monument record ADB 140 - A World War II bomb crater and military strongpoint.

Second World War features including a bomb crater and a military strongpoint, are visible on aerial photographs as earthworks and structures, centred on circa TM46415561. The strongpoint is first visible on aerial photographs of 1940, consisting of a pillbox on the beach at circa TM46425557, surrounded by about 170m of barbed wire (S1). The barbed wire forms an enclosure of circa 0.2 hectares, and connects with other elements of the coastal anti-invasion anf flood defences in this area (see ADB 142, ADB 158). A second length of barbed wire runs for 50m from circa TM46375552 to TM46425550, preventing access to a landing area on the River Alde to the south west. With the addition of beach scaffolding by October 1941, the pillbox gains a slit trench and loses its barbed wire enclosure (S2). Also, a double line of barbed wire has been introduced to the north west of the pillbox, running in an arc from circa TM46365560 to TM46425566 (S2). This barbed wire forms the north-eastern side of an enclosure circa 0.25 hectares in area, the south-western boundary being formed by the anti-tank cubes of the anti-invasion defences (see ADB 158). This enclosure appears to be some kind of depot; objects resembling large crates are visible in this area from 1941-42, and alongside the crates stands a large structure that is marked on the 1st and 2nd edition Ordnance Survey maps of 1884 and 1904, and was probably one of the Slaughden docks warehouses. A possible gunpost is visible in this enclosure, immediately to the north-west of the warehouse at circa TM46395562. In October 1941 this is visible as a weapons-pit type circular feature within an earthwork bank. However, by December1941 it resembles an embanked slit trench (S3). A second weapons pit, possibly set within a circular protective structure, is visible to the north west of the probable depot enclosure, at circa TM46335568. These may have housed light-anti aircraft machine guns. A bomb crater is visible at circa TM46325569, approximately 7m to the north west of one of the weapons pits. At circa 46405568, about 20m north of the depot, a 'D' shaped structure is now visible. It is approximately 2m wide and 30m long. The function of this feature is unclear from the photographs, but it may have been fieldwork to provide protection for military forces firing out to sea. By October 1945 most of the barbed wire has been removed, but the pillbox is still in place (S4). The remains of a large system of earthwork fieldworks are visible centred on TM4640553. The fieldworks appear to have replaced the weapons pits in this area and probably housed 2, or possibly 3 light-anti aircraft gun batteries. By 1952 all military structures and earthworks have been removed from this area, including the probable warehouse at TM46405561 (S5).

At Slaughden, Aldeburgh. Square pillbox placed to enfilade both N and S along beach and along anti-tank cubes fronting the River Alde to the E. DESTROYED [Plotted from aerial photographs] (S6).