Unusually placed Defensive(Pill Box) Liverpool

[Paul Spellman]

I was out with the dogs earlier this evening at Clarkes Gardens on the grounds of the old Allerton Hall (now the pub in the park) and what is very familiar to me and probably a couple of Forum Members is the Pill Box on the Springwood Ave.side of the park. It does seem to me not to be in any strategic position at all and after a little online search I have found out that there is a possibility that a US Army Base was on these grounds but I cannot confirm this.
Can anyone confirm if this is the case or it is there for another reason it is there?
I know there was a US Army Transit Camp (WW2) on Childwall Valley and other Allied camps around Liverpool at this time.
Thanks
Paul

[badger123]

Paul,

I don't know the area at all but these type of WW2 pillboxes were part of the defences intended to guard an area of strategic importance and tended to be made early on in the war when the threat of invasion was high so unlikely to be part of the defences of a US army base as they, well, came to the party later! Unlikely to be part of the defences of a transit camp as they were by nature, temporary establishments.

Looking at a map, its fairly close to the River Mersey so possibly part of the defences relating to the river or the City itself? The pillbox is likely to be part of other positions protecting an important road junction as they were seldom placed individually and had other mutually supporting pillboxes close by.

Ivan

[wright241]

Still not quite as odd as the one I found (in the late 50's) that was located (and may still be....) somewhere between the old cricket pitch/small canal bridge just down past the SWB barracks and near to the River Usk in Brecon town... Who knows what was in their minds... The only reason I could work at at the time was that you could cross the river during the summer close by as it was only knee high. Beyond that...
David

[Paul Spellman]

Thanks Ivan & David
The road the pill box is adjacent too actually bisects a cemetry which has been there since 1909, It is over 150m from the nearest junction or entrance gate to the park.
It is over a mile from the Mersey (Garston Docks) which has some of its own defences and about 500m from the nearest main road 'route' and in what is an affluent suburb of Liverpool. I know an enormous amount of men and equipment passed through Liverpool during WW2 so there must of been holding areas/camps in places like this,a little bit more searching and hopefully I will come up with something.
Cheers
Paul

[Paul Spellman]

Apparently Allerton Hall was the Regional Fire Service Base during WW2 and the PillBox was manned by local Home Guard.
Paul

[kingsman64]

Paul

I cannot offer an explanation but as a Scouser living in exile your post made me smile this morning

For many years every time I drove past that pill box I used to think what bloody good is that stuck there

However I never followed up the enquiry, still see it frequently as dear mam and dad now reside in aforementioned cemetery!

Regards

Paul

[Hussar100]

The pillbox at Allerton Hall was one of the Liverpool Perimeter Defences in WW2. There's a little bit about it here.

[Deejayuu]

Looks like another forum has been looking at this as well, link below. Not familiar with the area at all but there is mention of Fort Crosby which pre dates wwi but beefed up in both wars, second war being a transit camp!
http://www.yoliverpool.com/forum/sho...Liverpool-area

[Peter Brydon]

Paul ( Kingsman ) ,

Sadly my mum and dad and one set of grandparents also reside there.

Peter

[conservator]

And mine too, along with a number of other relatives.
George