Summary

Alan-Williams Turret (destroyed)

Full description

Contemporary records state, “(i) A.W. Turret. (ii) Demolition of Fencing. Builder’s Yard, Baddow Road, N.E. of Roundabout. Map ref. 161247”. (Mil. Ed.) The owner/address is given as John Sadd and Sons. <1>

John Sadd and Sons occupied the builder’s yard NW (not NE) of the Army and Navy roundabout. It was No. 79 Baddow Road, now Jewsons. An Alan-Williams turret was a steel dome set onto a sunken steel chamber. Equipped with a mounted machine-gun, it was manned by two men and, sitting on rollers, it could be swung in any direction. The diameter of the dome was perhaps six feet with a height of around four feet. It is not known where in the yard the turret would have been sited but it appears most likely that it would have been on the E corner of the property where it could have covered not only the approach along Chelmer Road but also the open meadow land between the mill and the road.

These turrets are rare survivors and, like the great majority, no trace has been found of this example.

<1> unknown, 1968, War Time Contraventions 1968, Chelmsford (LIST). SEX31436.

Monument Types

• ALAN WILLIAMS TURRET (WWII, Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Associated Events

• Visit by Fred Nash - Feb 2005 (Ref: Nash CHL Feb 2005)

Protected Status

• Historic Environment Character Zone: Chelmsford 4.2
• Historic Environment Character Area: Chelmsford 4

Sources and further reading

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