MYSTERY OBJECTS

[Tripps]

So that's where the name comes from. Shirley Heights I never knew that.

[Gloria]

If no ones any nearer by tomorrow lunch I will come clean.

[plaques]

For dragging / lifting cannons up the cliff face.

[Gloria]

For dragging / lifting cannons up the cliff face.

I've got to give you that, here's the explaination, well done.

image.jpeg

[Stanley]

Nice one!

[plaques]

What can you tell me about this?

.

P8240231.JPG

[Tizer]

I thought about lifting cannons up to the fort on Shirley Heights but didn't suggest it because I thought they would be too heavy for that object.

The new object - an ex-naval gun emplaced in a coastal bunker. For a wild guess - from HMS Rodney or HMS Nelson?

[Gloria]

I thought about lifting cannons up to the fort on Shirley Heights but didn't suggest it because I thought they would be too heavy for that object.

The new object - an ex-naval gun emplaced in a coastal bunker. For a wild guess - from HMS Rodney or HMS Nelson?

It says lift with 2 & 3 sheave blocks 4tons.

[plaques]

Sorry Tizer, nothing as exotic as ex- naval or ex-anything. Just a touristy thing to add interest to the place.

[Stanley]

Is it the Museum of the Atlantic Wall?

[plaques]

No this can be seen in England pointing at the English Channel. Its a replica gun only put in place in April last year. Come on Tripps I'm relying on you to close this one down.

[Tripps]

Sorry - can't help. First look reminded me of the coast West of Folkestone, but it's a long time since I was down there, and I've not been keeping up.

[plaques]

Right, tomorrow morning when I'm fully awake, I'll put the answer on. Unless......

[Gloria]

Blyth Battery??

[Tripps]

in England pointing at the English Channel.

Still didn't know about it but . . .

[plaques]

This is the third time I've typed this post out. Each time I minimise it to copy something it gets lost.

Sorry to Tripps and others for giving a bum steer on the place where the guns were pointing it should of course been the North Sea. No excuses on my part I got it wrong. The only mitigation is that all seas look alike.
In spite af all the misinformation Gloria got it right. Blyth Battery.

The guns are a replica of the original Mark V11 6”naval guns that would have been used in WW2. They are 23' long with a range of 7 miles to the horizon. Celebrating 70 years, members of Blyth Battery are thrilled to have their guns back on home turf which is now open to the public.

.

Blyth Battery.jpg

[Stanley]

She's good isn't she.....

[Tizer]

Yes, she gets it right even when the person who posted the object doesn't know where it is!

[plaques]

No. I knew exactly where it was. but someone had moved the signpost saying where the North Sea stopped and the English channel started.

[Tizer]

Give this one a try. What's special about this photo?

[PanBiker]

Well, I can say for definite that the rifle is not a bog standard SMLE as issued Looking at the bolt and breech it looks like it takes something similar to a 50mm cannon round. Wouldn't want to be on the receiving end that's for sure!

[Tizer]

You're correct that it's a larger calibre than standard. What else can you tell us? The type and use?

[Gloria]

A snipers rifle? Because it's long.

[Tizer]

No Gloria, not a sniper's rifle.

[PanBiker]

In the main they used specially calibrated SMLE's for sniper use with fitted and matched scopes. The Lee Enfield was the best rifle at the time for sniper use as it had exceptionally good range and accuracy. I recently watched a gun collector on You Tube unwrap a brand new SMLE from it's original packaging. It had been in storage since manufactured in 1917. He disassembled, cleaned, reassembled and adjusted for accuracy on the range, fascinating video. He later found a matched scope for it which he featured in a separate video.

On the mystery is it a big game or Elephant rifle?