Heavy Anti Aircraft gunnery relied on large calibre guns intended to combat high flying aircraft. During WW2 this work was shared between five main types of weapon, ranging from a 3 inch 20 cwt gun, (the standard HAA waeapon during WW1 and used well into WW2) which could fire a shell to a height of 23,500 ft, up to a 5.25 inch Mk 2 gun, which could fire a shell up to 43,000 ft. Some of the first 5.25 inch batteries were positioned on the coast and had a dual coastal defence/anti-aircraft role. Until late 1940 virtually all HAA sites were temporary, consisting of earthwork gun pits and tented accomodation. Guns were generally mobile. As war progressed, these were replaced by permanent structures and static guns. A typical HAA gun site consisted of a command post (rectangular concrete or brick semi-sunken structure, often protected by earth banks), this was usually located at the centre of a 39.6m radius semi-circle of gun pits. There would also be one or two shelters, one for gun maintenance (limber gunner's shelter) and the other for the gun detachment. Ammunition was stored in magazines. Instruments and spare parts were kept in the gun store. Domestic HAA sites also had Nissen and timber huts, workshops and garages and often a sewage treatment plant.A concrete service road led from main gate via the magazine around the command post, with offshoots to each gun pit. In plan this gave the site a "four leaf clover" shape {"20th Century Defences in Britain, An Introductory Guide, Handbook of The Defence of Britain Project, 1995, pp 48-59}.

Heavy Anti Aircraft gunnery relied on large calibre guns intended to combat high flying aircraft. During WW2 this work was shared between five main types of weapon, ranging from a 3 inch 20 cwt gun, (the standard HAA waeapon during WW1 and used well into WW2) which could fire a shell to a height of 23,500 ft, up to a 5.25 inch Mk 2 gun, which could fire a shell up to 43,000 ft. Some of the first 5.25 inch batteries were positioned on the coast and had a dual coastal defence/anti-aircraft role. Until late 1940 virtually all HAA sites were temporary, consisting of earthwork gun pits and tented accomodation. Guns were generally mobile. As war progressed, these were replaced by permanent structures and static guns. A typical HAA gun site consisted of a command post (rectangular concrete or brick semi-sunken structure, often protected by earth banks), this was usually located at the centre of a 39.6m radius semi-circle of gun pits. There would also be one or two shelters, one for gun maintenance (limber gunner's shelter) and the other for the gun detachment. Ammunition was stored in magazines. Instruments and spare parts were kept in the gun store. Domestic HAA sites also had Nissen and timber huts, workshops and garages and often a sewage treatment plant.A concrete service road led from main gate via the magazine around the command post, with offshoots to each gun pit. In plan this gave the site a "four leaf clover" shape {"20th Century Defences in Britain, An Introductory Guide, Handbook of The Defence of Britain Project, 1995, pp 48-59}.

Heavy Anti Aircraft gunnery relied on large calibre guns intended to combat high flying aircraft. During WW2 this work was shared between five main types of weapon, ranging from a 3 inch 20 cwt gun, (the standard HAA weapon during WW1 and used well into WW2) which could fire a shell to a height of 23,500 ft, up to a 5.25 inch Mk 2 gun, which could fire a shell up to 43,000 ft. Some of the first 5.25 inch batteries were positioned on the coast and had a dual coastal defence/anti-aircraft role. Until late 1940 virtually all HAA sites were temporary, consisting of earthwork gun pits and tented accommodation. Guns were generally mobile. As war progressed, these were replaced by permanent structures and static guns. A typical HAA gun site consisted of a command post (rectangular concrete or brick semi-sunken structure, often protected by earth banks), this was usually located at the centre of a 39.6m radius semi-circle of gun pits. There would also be one or two shelters, one for gun maintenance (limber gunner's shelter) and the other for the gun detachment. Ammunition was stored in magazines. Instruments and spare parts were kept in the gun store. Domestic HAA sites also had Nissen and timber huts, workshops and garages and often a sewage treatment plant. A concrete service road led from main gate via the magazine around the command post, with offshoots to each gun pit. In plan this gave the site a "four leaf clover" shape {"20th Century Defences in Britain, An Introductory Guide, Handbook of The Defence of Britain Project, 1995, pp 48-59}.

Heavy Anti Aircraft gunnery relied on large calibre guns intended to combat high flying aircraft. During WW2 this work was shared between five main types of weapon, ranging from a 3 inch 20 cwt gun, (the standard HAA waeapon during WW1 and used well into WW2) which could fire a shell to a height of 23,500 ft, up to a 5.25 inch Mk 2 gun, which could fire a shell up to 43,000 ft. Some of the first 5.25 inch batteries were positioned on the coast and had a dual coastal defence/anti-aircraft role. Until late 1940 virtually all HAA sites were temporary, consisting of earthwork gun pits and tented accomodation. Guns were generally mobile. As war progressed, these were replaced by permanent structures and static guns. A typical HAA gun site consisted of a command post (rectangular concrete or brick semi-sunken structure, often protected by earth banks), this was usually located at the centre of a 39.6m radius semi-circle of gun pits. There would also be one or two shelters, one for gun maintenance (limber gunner's shelter) and the other for the gun detachment. Ammunition was stored in magazines. Instruments and spare parts were kept in the gun store. Domestic HAA sites also had Nissen and timber huts, workshops and garages and often a sewage treatment plant.A concrete service road led from main gate via the magazine around the command post, with offshoots to each gun pit. In plan this gave the site a "four leaf clover" shape {"20th Century Defences in Britain, An Introductory Guide, Handbook of The Defence of Britain Project, 1995, pp 48-59}.

Heavy Anti Aircraft gunnery relied on large calibre guns intended to combat high flying aircraft. During WW2 this work was shared between five main types of weapon, ranging from a 3 inch 20 cwt gun, (the standard HAA waeapon during WW1 and used well into WW2) which could fire a shell to a height of 23,500 ft, up to a 5.25 inch Mk 2 gun, which could fire a shell up to 43,000 ft. Some of the first 5.25 inch batteries were positioned on the coast and had a dual coastal defence/anti-aircraft role. Until late 1940 virtually all HAA sites were temporary, consisting of earthwork gun pits and tented accomodation. Guns were generally mobile. As war progressed, these were replaced by permanent structures and static guns. A typical HAA gun site consisted of a command post (rectangular concrete or brick semi-sunken structure, often protected by earth banks), this was usually located at the centre of a 39.6m radius semi-circle of gun pits. There would also be one or two shelters, one for gun maintenance (limber gunner's shelter) and the other for the gun detachment. Ammunition was stored in magazines. Instruments and spare parts were kept in the gun store. Domestic HAA sites also had Nissen and timber huts, workshops and garages and often a sewage treatment plant.A concrete service road led from main gate via the magazine around the command post, with offshoots to each gun pit. In plan this gave the site a "four leaf clover" shape {"20th Century Defences in Britain, An Introductory Guide, Handbook of The Defence of Britain Project, 1995, pp 48-59}.