Ashdown Forest

[john.kvalheim]

Hi Peter, thanks for the response.

I really don't think it would have been a store of cylinders for a road block as surrounding the entire permeter of the rectangular site with the cylinders wouldn't make any sense at all - you would surely have them nearest the road. Also I'm sure the site had a concrete structure at either end.
Will have to take a spade / trowel and clear some of the undergrowth.

Could I ask if you could email me a copy of the reconnaissance photo that started this thread please?
And also, would you have one immediately to the east of that one (i.e. to the right of the strip, which as the photo is upside down when looking at the film markings would possibly be the one immediately preceding it).

Thanks again & kind regards .... John

[PNK]

John,

I think this is the area you are looking at. I assume it is an Army camp of some sort. I can't make out a tower and I can't quite place the blocks from your description but there is a recatangular feature on the left.



Hope this helps. I have PM'd you regarding photo's

[Arcade Al]

From the old thread before it got lost in the update; someone remarked that after the end of the war anti tank blocks were often moved into new positions to mark out compounds, parking areas etc.

[OneEighthBit]

Looking at that second photo of the camp area, the grid reference John gives correspond with the rectangular feature just left of centre in your photo, south of the main road.

BTW, did anyone spot the apparent hard standing at TQ 4169 3103 / 51°03?21.56?N 000°02?41.31?E ?

[john.kvalheim]

All,

It does look like the rectangular enclosure is the structure I've id'd surrounded by concrete cylinders.
If you zoom in on the photo (even at this low resolution), you can see the curved edges to each side caused by these cylinders.
I really don't think that this is a road block or car park as it is away from the road; the cylinders line all 4 sides; it is built higher (about 3 ft?) than the surrounding land.

Peter's latest photo shows what is apparantly the "Pippingford" military camp used by quite a few Canadian Regts during the war (many of whom were Artillery).
Post war it is recorded as being used for displaced persons (incl. survivors of concentration camps).

I would place the four concrete squares to the south of the drivaeway to Pippingford (the main "white" track curving from the middle to the right of the picture) between what appear to be two huts and the A22.

Thanks for your continued interest and pointers .... John

[PNK]

John,

Not a problem we relish a challenge.

Regarding the four blocks, I can't make out any tall structures (i.e. shadows) so it might just be a water or fuel tank mounting?

Regarding the possible hardstand that OneEighthBit mentioned, I can't see anything on the 1946 photo except possible tank or vehicle access gaps. Maybe the hardstand is a modern parking area?

[Arcade Al]

There was a radio transmitter in the area at one time, with a number of masts.

[john.kvalheim]

Further to Peter's latest picture (2-2175)
I have rotated it 90 degrees to the right so the tree shadows stand "up right" - I've found that helps viewing.
I have also zoomed in and I'm sure I can distinguish something with a regular form - centre of the boxed area which corresponds to where the 4 concrete squares are (TQ435304).
It's the junction of the main drive to Pippingford Park and the A22.
This isn't one of the what looks like nissen huts when viewed in the main photo.



Thoughts - or has my imagination run away with me?

[john.kvalheim]

Hi Al,

There was a radio transmitter in the area at one time, with a number of masts.

Is that in addition to the old Canadian radio station near Duddleswell cross roads (at TQ 475262) which then became a world service transmitter; nuclear bunker and is now home to a Sussex Police communication/training centre?

J

[PNK]

It does look like something there but it doesn't appear to be very tall. Unless you have got me seeing things as well

I think the golden rule for photo interpretation is shadows to the top. For good old aerial pictures of airfields I always use correct orientaion otherwise I get confused.