Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral History Wirral gun sites from the second world war

What do we know about Wirral gun sites from the second world war? I know about the one on the sandhills at Wallasey. Was there one by Bidston station?

Father used to tell me about the mobile one's that fired off a few shots and then moved. For what reason I don't know because I can hardly imagine the Germans were going to hang around to plot where it was!

I think I have heard of a static one at Storeton as well. Has anyone ever researched this?

There certainly was one next to bidston station and it was nicknamed "Big Bertha" big bertha at bidston

There was one at Thurstaston,right by the visitor centre.The mounds are still visible where they were filled in.I am sure the centre has some information on this.

I've been trying to find the reference, but can't. From memory, there was a gun emplacement between Storeton & Brimstage. If I can find the details, I'll post here. In the meantime, this little snippet I happened across in my search might be of interest.

Cheers, Chris.
http://futureobservatory.dyndns.org/0094.htm

Interesting read that Chris. There was a lot of concrete by Bidston station that they used to keep horses in and I figured it was some kind of gun site from the way it was formed. I have some recollection of being told that people in the shelters under Bidston hill could hear it being fired off in the raids. Perhaps I read about it?

Does anyone remember the anti aircraft gun they had on fort perch rock? Used to climb on and "train" it. The Artillery guys from the fort used to go into my dads aunties little cafe in Balmoral road and when the Sergeant came looking for them, she would let them escape out the back door.

I may have the location wrong but my father once told me they had dummy sites around Bidston where they lit fires to mislead the Germans into dropping their bombs on waste land. That seems a bit close to the docks and built up areas for my liking even if there wasn't as much there as now?

They had rockets on the site in the sandhills. I can remember going to that place in the fifties (sixties?) and the public toilets were old army one's. I don't think anyone ever claimed to have knocked out any German planes with rockets but must have scared them a bit all the same!

There was AA Guns opposite Holm Lane in Prenton. Now the houses of Davenham Avenue etc occupy the space.

Is there any record of a gunsite on Bidston Hill? Maybe just a single AA gun?

I have been told of gun sites on the hill but can not find any info on any.I have found 1 of the sites on the hill and and there is names and dates carved into the rock.One dated 1940.

I do have pics of these carvings on my laptop of which I do not have at this moment.Will post them when i get my laptop back.

I have found a link to some defences on Wirral but does`nt mention the sites that we know of now.
http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/search/keyRes.cfm

The only thing I know about the Thurstaston installation is that, under the grassed area, it's still all under there for the most part.

"When the old line was transformed into the Wirral Way path, The Anti-aircraft emplacement was landscaped by mounding earth over the buildings, which still remain under the mounds."
From http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/stations/t/thurstaston/index2.shtml

I`m almost certain they have info and pics of the site when it was partilaly filled,in the visitor centre.I seen them somewhere and 99% sure it was there.

This link should help but note there are 4 pages (231 records) to plough through

Thurstaston, raby, new ferry, etc are all mentioned

http://www.pastscape.org/SearchResu...t&sort=1&nmr=&defra=&p=0

Thats a good site,I`ve found a similar site wether it tells us anymore I don`t know yet.Still stuck on pastscape.Great site.Gives info on the sites,what they where used as,grid refs and location maps.

Using this site, I've found the reference to the Storeton anti-aircraft battery; thanks for the link Dave.
http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/search/fr.cfm?rcn=CBA_DOBNAI-4054&m=0
Using the 8 figure (very accurate) grid reference, here's a map of the location. The yellow pin points at the gap where the entrance would have been, which is still in the hedge on Red Hill Rd. & the red pin is where the battery was.
It might be interesting to go & see if there's any evidence left, but looking at the photo, I think not.