History on our doorstep!
On my walk this morning I came across this! It is part of World War two. It is called a Tett Turret. During World War two there was an airfield based in Hornchurch. Hornchurch is 3 stops on the tube train from Dagenham East (the station closest to our school). Air force personnel based in Hornchurch took it in turns to stand in this. There would be a hole below it -just big enough to allow someone to stand in. The soldier standing in it simply looked out of the slit that you can see. If they saw any enemy planes approaching they opened fire.
Notice how the turrett is angled towards the lower land, but is hidden by the scrub land in front of it.
This diagram, which is found on the information beside it, shows clearly how this would have been used. I think I would have been very frightened to be standing in this and being shot at! what brave soldiers we had in World War 2
As I walked a bit further I noticed this shelter too! It housed several soldiers and the soldiers were responsible for looking out of one of the small windows (they were not really windows they were holes for the soldiers to shoot out of) Their job was to defend the airfield.
This is all you can see from the small window. There was no heating or electricity in these brick built huts. It was mostly cold and wet and dark. There would be at least 6 men in this building all of them defending the airfield.
There is a film called ‘The Battle of Britain’ which tells part of the history of this airfield. Perhaps you could find out more about Hornchurch airfield and write a project all about it to share with the class when we get back to school.
I wonder what I will see on my next walk.
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