ALLAN-WILLIAMS TURRET
At Earith (Cambridgeshire)
Pre-Fabricated Defence Structure built of Steel. The Allan Williams Turret
manned by two crew members with a Lewis Gun, who entered through the entrance
tunnel The turret could be rotated through 360 degrees giving a limitless
field of view of fire. 199 Turrets ordered and built. Designed to be used
for all types of light weapons: Bren, Lewis, Boys, Hotchkiss & Browning.
64 allotted to 2 Corps.
116 allotted to 11 Corps.
The name Allan Williams is spelt so many different ways iam not sure which
one is right
you have Alan, Allan, Alen, Allen, or Alun, Take your pick!
|
|
|
|
 The top was used for anti aircraft fire but would of had a lid at some point |
 I think this turret was used to defend the bridge over the river at Eairth |
The Spigot Mortar
At Earith (Cambridgeshire)
The Spigot Mortar or "Blacker Bombard" was invented by Lieutenant-Colonel Blacker with the aim of providing cheap and easily produced weapons after most of the British Army's heavy equipment had been lost at Dunkirk.It fired a 20lb fin-stabilised high explosive mortar bomb propelled by black powder, and had an effective range of 100yds in its anti-tank role and up to 450yds when firing a lighter anti-personnel bomb. It had one major drawback in that when the warhead hit its target, the fins would often fly backwards endangering the firing crew. The spigot mortar was a weapon shunned by the regular army but was issued to the Home Guard in large numbers to protect bridges and other strategic locations. In its static defence role, the mortar was mounted on a steel pin set into a substantial base of reinforced concrete. This was in turn set within a camouflaged weapons pit to offer some protection to the three man gun crew. A portable mount was also available, but weighed around 350lb and took 3 men to move it.
|
|
|
|  Spigot Mortar |
Memorial
At Earith (Cambridgeshire)
|
|
|
|
Pictures taken by Sean Edwards 9th March 2008