Pillbox Graythorp

During World War II, these pillboxes (bunkers) were used for the defense of the United Kingdom against a possible enemy invasion. They were built in 1940 and into 1941. Both have an offset entrance or a blast wall for protection. The larger structure with the holes for pipes and a chimney is likely to be the generator building, with the smaller structure the shelter.

As well as pillboxes, this installation held switchgear to light up a fake town built as a decoy to make Luftwaffe bombers attack the wrong target. This was on the site of the abandoned village of Grenabella. These sites lit controlled fires during air raids to appear as targets struck by bombs. This location was a civil decoy for Middlesbrough. A reference in 'Fields of Deception' by Colin Dobinson idenifies a generator house and site shelter at this location.

Other decoy sites in the area also have unusual structures.

Do you have more information about this location? Inform us!

Source

• Text: Fedor de Vries & Andrew Henderson
• Photos: Peter Robinson