Spigot Mortar

[PETERTHEEATER]

[SimonGee]

Thanks for the illustration Peter; just the one I had in mind when I posted my last entry - ! The P.I.A.T anti-tank launcher was based on exactly the same principle, and I understand from those who fired a P.I.A.T that they likened the recoil to a kick from a rabid mule, so one can understand why the Spigot mortar was better anchored down to a hefty lump of concrete - !

[hunter]

Limpsfield in Surrey had five Spigot mortars according the Defence of Britain database. Three are said to survive. though I can only find evidence of one. Its located on the western side of the cricket ground and has been restored with a ring of concrete-filled sandbags. The ammunition locker is original




A closeup of the mounting. Note the metal legs where the concrete casting either wasn't deep enough or has eroded away. The A25 road is beyond the school in the background. The trees above it are on the far side of the A25 and are said to contain the remains of another survivor, though I wasn't able to locate it. Would the distance to the road have been within range of a spigot mortar?



Off-topic for this thread, but worth a look are the six trench shelters in a row, a few yards away form the mortar. They were built for the local school. The nearest one is restored and open occasionally. The other five are used as bat nesting sites

[Mike L]

Your first picture is a cracker, Hunter. Shame more weren't preserved in such a maner.

[PETERTHEEATER]

Would the distance to the road have been within range of a spigot mortar?

Yes. The maximum range is stated as 450 yards but that would have required a high trajectory and poor accuracy. The ideal range to engage tanks is stated as 75 to 100 yards giving a good probability of a hit.

Nice to see one preserved.

[pumpkinv12]

I was wandering around an old dissused railway tunnel today when i discovered this spigot morter base inside it !
The tunnel is around 180ft long so how this got inside is anyones guess !
Sorry for the poor picture.
Steve

[mbriscoe]

There are two odd ones near here, the "skeleton" of the base (i.e. no concrete) half buried in the ground with the pin sitting a few inches above ground level. Local tradition is that a "gun" was mounted on them. They are near the main road by the entrance to the aluminium smelter. There is small hillock nearby which has several defensive trenches around it which are said to be WWII. There were also several huts in the vicinity.

I have never come across any of the concrete bases with pin around the town.

There are several "pillboxes" above the gorge in Glencoe, actually stone walls with gun loops. They would make excellent positions to cover the A82 but again no spigot mortars reported.

There used to be a folded up spigot mortar base in a hedge near Elgin but it had disappeared when I last looked. It looked as if it might have been a spare that was unused - an expert on Radio 4's said they supplied in kits with one weapon and about three bases boxed up. He said that often they were not all used and the remaining one or two dumped.

There is an unusual site in Ayrshire, there are several spigot mortar bases in close proximity with paths and there appears to have been a building overlooking them. The road is a very minor one of no strategic importance so it is thought it might have been a range used for training. There is also a more unusual base that is described as having had a "tank turret" on it.

http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site...ls/green+hill/

http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site...on/green+hill/

[PETERTHEEATER]

Re the 'tunnel' spigot mortar base. How or where is it located in the tunnel or has it been 'dumped' in there after closure?

[pumpkinv12]

The tunnel was closed in the mid 50's and it is about 1/3rd of the way inside it, as to how it got there I have no idea.
It is sitting perfectly upright and buried too rather than being rolled down the hill beside the tunnel entrance.
Steve

[PETERTHEEATER]

I have PMd you.