CAD LONGTOWN

Two Pill-Boxes and One Anti-Aircraft Gun

PHOTOGRAPHS: Philip Tuer

CAD Longtown at Mossband was defended locally by the installations shown here, and had its own decoy bombing site on Rockcliffe marsh. Regrettably, the decoy site is no more, but fortunately these pill-boxes still stand. A word of warning, however: This site is off-limits to the general public and trespassing on MOD property is severly frowned upon! I am grateful to Philip Tuer who provided me with the photographs on this page.

GAITTLE - TYPE 23 PILL-BOX

The Gaittle pill-box is to the north-east of the site between the works and the River Esk, and defends a road and rail junction. It is likely (but not yet fully established) that the open enclosure at the back of the pill-box would have housed a machine-gun for anti-aircraft use.

LOOKING NORTH LOOKING WEST LOOKING SOUTH LOOKING EAST
Gaittle pill-box looking north. © Philip Tuer 2006. Gaittle pill-box looking west. © Philip Tuer 2006. Gaittle pill-box looking south. © Philip Tuer 2006. Gaittle pill-box looking east. © Philip Tuer 2006.

GREENMILL - TYPE 23 VARIANT PILL-BOX

Of lighter construction than the Gaittle pill-box, and with a thinner roof. This pill-box is located to the north of the works railway system, between the works and Greenmill wood.

Greenmill pill-box. © Philip Tuer 2006. Greenmill pill-box. © Philip Tuer 2006. Greenmill pill-box. © Philip Tuer 2006.

MOSSBAND - LIGHT ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUN?

This installation - passed by thousands of motorists daily along the 'Cumberland Gap' A74 - looks remarkably like the holdfast for a light anti-aircraft gun, and can be compared to one at Barrow. From the layout, it would have a magazine and crew-room attached.

Mossband light anti-aircraft gun base?. © Philip Tuer 2006. Mossband light anti-aircraft gun base?. © Philip Tuer 2006. Mossband light anti-aircraft gun base?. © Philip Tuer 2006. Mossband light anti-aircraft gun base?. © Philip Tuer 2006.

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