Admiralty scaffolding explained

Admiralty scaffolding, also known as Obstacle Z.1 or sometimes simply given as beach scaffolding[1] or anti-tank scaffolding,[2] was a British design of anti-tank and anti-boat obstacle made of tubular steel. It was widely deployed on beaches of southern England, eastern England and South West England during the invasion crisis of 1940-1941.[3] [4] Scaffolding was also used, though more sparingly, inland.

Design and use

Of a number of similar designs, by far the most common was designated obstacle Z.1. This design comprised upright tubes 9feet high and 4feet apart, these were connected by up to four horizontal tubes. Each upright was braced by a pair of diagonal tubes, at about 45°, to the rear.[5] 200NaN0 wide sections were assembled then carried to the sea to be placed in position at the half tide mark as an obstacle to boats.[5]

However, trials found that a 250-ton barge at NaNkn or an 80-ton trawler at NaNkn would pass through the obstacle as if it were not there and a trawler easily pulled out one bay with an attached wire rope.[6] Tests in October 1940 confirmed that tanks could only break through with difficulty, as a result Z.1 was adopted as an anti-tank barrier for beaches thought suitable for landing tanks. As an anti-tank barrier it was placed at or just above the high water point[5] where it would be difficult for tanks to get enough momentum to break through the barrier. In some places, two sets of scaffolding were set up, one in the water against boats and one at high water against tanks.

The problem of securing the barriers on sand was overcome by the development of the "sword picket" by Stewarts & Lloyds  - this device was later known at the Admiralty as the "Wallace Sword".[6]

Barriers varying in length from a couple of hundred feet to three miles were constructed consuming 50% of Britain's production of scaffolding steel[5] at an estimated cost of £6,600 per mile[5] (equivalent to £ today). Despite this, many miles of Admiralty scaffolding were erected using more than 15000miles of scaffolding tube.

After the war, the scaffolding got in the way of swimmers,[7] [8] subsequently it was removed for scrap and remaining traces are very rare, but occasionally revealed by storms.[9] [10] [11] [12]

See also

References

General references

Collections

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Beach Scaffolding . Online Thesaurus . English Heritage . 16 September 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110718172602/http://thesaurus.english-heritage.org.uk/thesaurus_term.asp?thes_no=365&term_no=123408 . 18 July 2011 .
  2. Web site: Anti-tank Scaffolding . Online Thesaurus . English Heritage . 16 September 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110718172618/http://thesaurus.english-heritage.org.uk/thesaurus_term.asp?thes_no=365&term_no=123388 . 18 July 2011 .
  3. Web site: The threat of invasion – June-September 1940 . 2 August 2010.
  4. Web site: Fear of Invasion – Beach Defences . Historic Cornwall . Cornwall Council – Historic Environment Service . 4 August 2010.
  5. Beach Scaffolding Defence; Trial – WO 199/1618. The Catalogue, The National Archives
  6. Web site: Scaffolding . Anti Invasion Defences of Suffolk . 30 August 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120311004415/http://www.pillboxes-suffolk.co.uk/#/scaffolding/4537170173 . 11 March 2012 . dead.
  7. Web site: Beach Scaffolding Makes for Difficult Swimming on the Sussex Coast . Ann Broad . Walberswick Coastal Defences of World War II . 4 August 2010.
  8. 1944 . Removal of Bathing Ban at Bournemouth . British Pathe . 16 October 2016 .
  9. Web site: Beach scaffolding – Lunan bay, Angus. pillboxesuk.co.uk. 4 August 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100717132135/http://s134542708.websitehome.co.uk/pillboxes/html/beach_scaffolding_0.html. 17 July 2010. dead.
  10. Web site: Beach Scaffolding, Pig's Bay to Wakering Stairs, Shoeburyness/Gt Wakering . Unlocking Essex's Past . Essex County Council . 5 August 2010 .
  11. Web site: WW2 Coastal Defences Salthouse, Kelling & Weybourne North Norfolk . 24 August 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100815040101/http://www.btinternet.com/~palmiped/pillboxes/pillboxes.htm . 15 August 2010 . dead .
  12. Web site: Wartime Beach Defences are Revealed at Tregantle Beach, South East Cornwall in 1987/88 . Cyber Heritage . 23 March 2012 .

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