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Heading: Looking east from Snaple Point overlooking Langland Bay, in the direction of Mumbles Head, Gower. © Jeremy Bolwell.
Wartime Activities at Snaple Point
overlooking Langland Bay
Wartime Activities at Snaple Point
overlooking Langland Bay
Edited by John Powell
Does anyone know what this building was for?’
Does anyone know what this building was for?’
Was the question asked by Phil Humphreys
Was the question asked by Phil Humphreys
Phil added, 'The WW2 building on the coast path at Langland, is included in my Dad's slides, taken around 1970. (originally posted on 'I Love Langland' Facebook page).
Phil Humphrey said, ‘I have been going through old slides of my Dad's and a couple around 1970 had the wartime building on the coastal path, Mumbles was our family's summer holiday destination in the late 1960s and 70s, I remember the post being there until around 1976, but when I started coming back in the late 1980s, it had been removed.’
The building mentioned is on the right, at Snaple Point, pictured in 1970, was converted around 1955, by the council into a visitor shelter, with seats and picture windows overlooking Langland Bay. Photo: Phil Humphreys.
At the nearest seat on the right, was a WW2 concrete hardstanding, which has a fine view to the west and still shows the remains of a circle of bolts which held an unidentified weapon of the conflict.
The WW2 crew shelter was situated between the furthest two seats, with a person in red on the left and two people with a dog on the right seat.
The scene at Snaple Point near Langland Bay, Gower. A similar modern view of this popular viewpoint, looking east, in the direction of Mumbles Head. [cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Jeremy Bolwell - geograph.org.uk/p/3608899]
The WW2 crew shelter was situated between the two seats on the left of this photo, which shows how the headland falls away, from the western viewpoint, so giving the shelter some protection.
Benches on Snaple Point in early March -
[cc-by-sa/2.0 - ©Jeremy Bolwell - geograph.org.uk/p/3874294]
The visitor shelter at Snaple Point, is seen in this view, looking west from Langland Bay, Photo: Phil Humphreys
John Powell, Editor, 'I remember this building very well, as I spent a lot of time at Langland, from around 1948 to the late 1960s and sat inside it a few times over the years. I suggest that that during the war it was a ‘Crew Rest Shelter’ and note that several similar brick buildings remained around Swansea at the end of WW2.
This building may have originally had one window facing east towards Langland Bay and a doorway on the western side, which is sheltered by a rocky bank concealing the view along the Bristol Channel.
This building was similar to the original one at the bus stop at Caswell Bay, now rebuilt and used as storeroom and is situated behind a hill and has no sea view.'
John Pressdee revealed what guns had been fired on Langland Point during WW2, ‘The Bristol Artillery Unit manned M.C. Lewis guns .303 calibre, on Langland point and would discharge parachutes into the air to practice firing at them. Barney Davies the self-appointed warden on the beach, tried to keep us away, but we used to manage to pick some of them up to be made into handkerchiefs and wedding dresses. ATS and the Observer Corps checked on the identity of the planes overhead. AA shells were fired from Mumbles Hill AA battery and used to land in the cemetery and Thistleboon. During the blitz a piece of shrapnel landed on my sister’s bed’.
Larry Owen added: 'My memory of the war years, shared by my contemporaries, was of the Home Guard firing at targets in the early morning off Langland point; the targets being small metal bowls suspended from miniature red silk parachutes. A number of us would clamber over the rocks to retrieve the parachutes before school and had great fun throwing the targets from high places and watching them float down on their distinctive red parachutes.’
Ian Vine: 'My Dad, born 1941, was taken to the gun battery by his uncle near the end of WW2. The sound of the guns firing scared my dad witless, and he ran all the way back to Langland in terror.'
David Lynn-Lewis: 'During the war, it was a great place to collect old shell casings. Small red parachutes were used as targets and were great finds. I know, as I collected them myself.'
Nicholas Kieft: 'The shelter overlooking the point was a place to sit and look at the view out of the horizontal wind and rain. By the way, it’s a great picture of my old house right in the middle of the photo.'
Paul Llewellyn: 'There has been a tremendous change in the vegetation cover approaching Snaple Point since the war and others pointed out that the growth of trees and shrubbery was due to the removal of grazing sheep from the headland.'
Martyn Brown: There was a possible firing position and look-out, on the other side of the ridge facing towards Whiteshell. There is a seat there now (photo below) and there used to be evidence of further concreted brickwork pushed down towards the rocks.
The gunnery target was near Whiteshell Point, it rusted away in the early 70s and went into the sea below. This information was given to me by my late father, a Langland man all his life except 1941-47 when he was overseas on His Majesty's Service.
Part of the coastline west of Snaple Point, Gower.
[cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Jeremy Bolwell - geograph.org.uk/p/3608889]
WW2 Map - Mumbles area - see index
WW2 Map of the Defences of Mumbles area. Updated 2009, by Tim Akers, Caswell Drive.
WW2 Map - Swansea area -see index
WW2 Maps of the Defences of Swansea area. Updated 2009, by Tim Akers, Caswell Drive.
WW2 Map Index
WW2 Index to the two Maps of the Defences of Swansea and Mumbles area. Updated 2009, Tim Akers, Caswell Drive.
Acknowledgments:
Memories from John Pressdee and Larry Owen first published in ‘Soldiers in Mumbles from ARP to Yanks.’ on ‘the website 'A HISTORY OF MUMBLES'.
Memories from Ian Vine, David Lynn-Lewis, Paul Llewellyn and Martyn Brown, published on 'I LOVE LANGLAND’ Facebook page,
Photos from Phil Humphreys.1970. Published on 'I LOVE LANGLAND’ Facebook page,
Photos: © Jeremy Bolwell, Creative Commons, Geograph
'Lewis Gun': Wikipedia
The Lewis Air Cooled Machine Gun
The Lewis gun (or Lewis automatic machine gun or Lewis automatic rifle) is a First World War–era light machine gun. Designed privately in the United States though not adopted there, the design was finalised and mass-produced in the United Kingdom,[and widely used by troops of the British Empire during the war. It had a distinctive barrel cooling shroud (containing a finned, aluminium breech-to-muzzle heat sink to cool the gun barrel) and top-mounted pan magazine.
Extracts from 'Lewis Gun': Wikipedia
The gun was operated by a team of seven. Bullock was the First Lewis Gunner who carried the gun and a revolver, while 'The Second Gunner carried a bag containing spare parts, and the remaining five members of the team carried loaded pans of ammunition'. Bullock noted, 'all could fire the gun if required, and all could effect repairs in seconds'.
Lewis Gun: Wikipedia
More about The Lewis Gun on YouTube
More about The Lewis Gun on YouTube
The Lewis Gun in action.
by Iraqveteran
by Iraqveteran
https://youtu.be/edbDa9knxwE?si=NarvvO9xITnKE17V
The Lewis Gun at the Range
Forgotten Weapons series
Forgotten Weapons series
https://youtu.be/6TQ46FKw6_U?si=RwxNfbvOYt2BrLG9
Extracts from Guns of Mumbles Hill
Extracts from Guns of Mumbles Hill
Edited by John Powell and Kate Jones
Edited by John Powell and Kate Jones
The summer of 1940
The summer of 1940
The port of Swansea served the heavy industrial area of South Wales and was the nearest of the large Bristol Channel docks to the Atlantic. Because of its importance Swansea had been included in the pre-war list of ports where fixed defences would be essential in the event of war, although there were none in place when war did break out. By the summer of 1940 the need for defence against both sea and air attacks had become critical. The defeat and occupation of France in June put Swansea in easy reach from air bases in Normandy and Brittany and there was also a very real fear of a German invasion during that summer or autumn.
'Eye of the Eagle' by Nigel A. Robins
Swansea Bay and Mumbles Head, 1940
Air Raids on Swansea begin
We now know that, around this time, high altitude reconnaissance photographs were taken by the Luftwaffe of Swansea and its surrounding area.
Air raids on the town started at the end of June 1940 but during that month a unit of heavy anti-aircraft guns based at Jersey Marine (between Swansea and Neath) was withdrawn to defend south-east England because of the shortage of guns. Contemporary records listing the disposition of anti-aircraft guns around Britain show that in July 1940 there were indeed none at Swansea.
As mentioned above, in July 1940 there were no heavy anti-aircraft guns at all defending the port and town of Swansea. But by 21 August there were sixteen and by 11 September this had increased to twenty-four.
The simple map reveals the access points, some footpaths, gun emplacements, control bunker, viewpoint and the very limited car parking, (including disabled) which can be found on Thistleboon Drive, Mumbles and Bracelet Bay. Public Toilet facilities may be found at Bracelet Bay, adjacent to, but not inside The Lighthouse Bistro and Restaurant. (Peviously 'Castellamare')
Air Defence of Swansea 1939-1945 Monument
Air Defence of Swansea 1939-1945 Monument
Air-Raid Memorial
Air-Raid Memorial
A 3.7-inch heavy anti-aircraft gun, similar to the earlier guns on Mumbles Hill, is now sited at Quay Parade, Swansea, adjacent to one of the bridges over the river Tawe in Swansea.
This memorial to those who died in the raids, was erected in 1995 by the Swansea branch of the Royal Artillery Association, commemorates the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and honours the memory of the 387 civilian and military personnel who died in air raids on Swansea.
This type of gun was developed in Britain in the 1930s and helped to defend Britain from aerial attack throughout the Second World War. This example was made in Canada by General Electric, to a design patented in England. It was bought from an arms collector in Ruthin, Denbighshire, and towed to Swansea by a Territorial Army unit. A time capsule was placed in the barrel.
Cast copies of 3.7-inch shells are mounted on each corner of the brick-faced plinth. Plaques on the plinth represent services which helped during the air raids including the Home Guard, fire brigade, British Red Cross, St John’s Ambulance, Salvation Army and Women’s Voluntary Service.
Acknowledgements
Swansea branch of the Royal Artillery Association and West Glamorgan Archive
An Air Raid Warden Reports
An Air Raid Warden Reports
During Swansea’s single heaviest air raid on 17 January 1941, Laurie Latchford wrote in his diary: ‘The gunfire was very heavy. Newton seemed to cower under a turmoil of throbbing aeroplane engine, gunfire and shell bursts … The big guns of Mumbles Head [Hill] were firing continuously and another big gun somewhere inland jerked the windows along the road every time it fired.’
When firing simultaneously, the four guns at Mumbles Hill Battery could discharge twenty-four rounds in twenty-four seconds; and cause considerable noise and vibration.
Now, Mumbles Local Nature Reserve
Mumbles Hill and Islands, as viewed from Swansea
Mumbles Hill was the obvious location for Naval Coastal Defence guns and an Anti-Aircraft battery for the protection of Swansea and the Bristol Channel.
Mumbles Hill Local Nature Reserve today
Mumbles Hill Local Nature Reserve today
Surprisingly, many of the anti-aircraft gun emplacements still remain for walkers to view and explore and an on-going project has cleared the vegetation from several of the emplacements and bunkers, and helping to assist in their preservation. Some are still hidden by vegetation and attempts at clearance are made regularly, when any remains found are recorded.
The Battery was sited adjacent to Thistleboon Common and west of the 299th Coastal Defence Battery on Mumbles Hill. In all, there were several thousand serving personnel, including the Royal Sussex Regiment, ATS and 360 members of the Home Guard, working at different times on the headland during the Second World War.
Nowadays by contrast, Mumbles Hill is a largely-deserted peaceful haven, overgrown in places, but beautiful nonetheless, where one can escape for a while to just ‘stand and stare’ at the wonderful views, enjoy a picnic, read a favourite book or explore the gradually re-emerging wartime remains.
Mumbles Hill, a walk through history -
Mumbles Hill, a walk through history -
A walk on Mumbles Hill, organised by OHA, which took place on Saturday 6th July 2004.
More details and photos below -
Ian Prothero, spoke about the geology, the Iron Mine which was on the hill, as well as the rock formation.
From time to time, organised walks take place on Mumbles Hill, and On 6th July 2024, members of Oystermouth Historical Association, took part in such a guided walk on Mumbles Hill. Twenty five people attended, led by John Powell, who talked about the Military History of Mumbles Head. Special mention was made of the local Home Guard and the ATS ladies who served at the Anti Aircraft Guns.
Ian Prothero, spoke about the geology, the Iron Mine which was on the hill, as well as the rock formation.
Helen Nicholas, an Ancient History expert, introduced members to the History of Mumbles, the farming, Quarrying and Oyster Industries as well as the Roman remains and Midden discovered on the hill. Its connection to the Tesserae discovered under All Saints' Church, as well as the people who made Mumbles Hill their home centuries ago.
Everyone found it very enjoyable, particularly as the Air Show was taking place and the planes overhead made it very atmospheric!
Two more photos below-
Helen Nicholas, an Ancient History expert, introduced members to the History of Mumbles, the farming, Quarrying and Oyster Industries as well as the Roman remains and Midden discovered on the hill.
John Powell, who talked about the Military History of Mumbles Head. Special mention was made of the local Home Guard and the ATS ladies who served at the Anti Aircraft Guns.
WW2 Aerial photos of The Guns of Mumbles Head >
Map of A A Batteries in the UK:
http://www.anti-aircraft.co.uk/HAA_gun_sites_map.html
A simple Google Map with access to photos
With the situation of the Second World War Remains, parking, seating and footpaths
The simple map reveals the access points, some footpaths, gun emplacements, control bunker, viewpoint and the very limited car parking, (including disabled) which can be found on Thistleboon Drive, Mumbles and Bracelet Bay. Public Toilet facilities may be found at Bracelet Bay, adjacent to, but not inside Castellamare Cafe & Restaurant. (Check opening hours due to change of owners)
My life in the ATS on an Ack Ack Battery >
The memories of Muriel Schroter, who served in the ATS as 'Private Muriel Hawkins 205907', at SWANSEA SIX (N6) Ashleigh Road and later SWANSEA FIVE (N5 )Mumbles Hill.
Muriel Schroter, who served in the ATS, as 'Private Muriel Hawkins 205907', from 1942, noted: 'When we arrived at the camp the men were moved out of the wooden huts and they lived in tents for several months, while Nissan huts were built opposite'.'
The Telephone Room
In 2005 work began on clearing and maintaining the gunsites on Mumbles Hill Local Nature Reserve and much of the work took place near Thistleboon Drive 'car-park'. Now one of the four circular anti-aircraft gun emplacements and the control bunker and the two 'square' hardstandings are exposed.
At the centre of the latest emplacement to be examined, in 2010 (later, this was again been allowed to return to the wild) in the normal place for the ‘hard-standing’ which held the 3.7-inch anti-aircraft gun there is a heap of large sections of concrete, the purpose of which is still not understood. The fourth gun emplacement is on private land and so has not been excavated.
The remains of the two square (1944) anti-aircraft gun emplacements and the site of the Coastal Gun Battery lie further to the east. Interpretation boards at both of the Second World War battery sites on Mumbles Hill contain photographs, maps and details of the history and weapons available for the defence of Swansea.
The Information Boards have been replaced on new style supports, Feb 2023.
(Acknowledgements: City and County of Swansea; The National Archives; West Glamorgan Archives; Mumbles Development Trust; Oystermouth Historical Association; John & Carol Powell; Gareth Ellis; Kate Elliott- Jones.)
Contact the Website Editor Part of this article was published in The Swansea History Journal
Guided walks onto the hill have been held held as a part of the- The Gower Walking Festival >
Mumbles Hill Local Nature Reserve,
Contact: Sean Hathaway 01792 635749 or 07974 760980.
Nature Conservation Team > Environment Department, City and County of Swansea, The Guildhall, Swansea SA1 4PH
This City & County of Swansea project is under the supervision of Glamorgan Gwent Archaeology Trust Ltd., with assistance from Mumbles Development Trust and Oystermouth Historical Association.
Oystermouth Historical Association (OHA) Publications
Many leaflets are available to order including:- Mumbles at War, 623 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery and Mumbles at War, Coastal Defences 299th Battery,
Self-Guided Walk: Swansea Ramblers >
https://ra39-45.co.uk/
Various sections include the Heavy Anti-Aircraft units & information concerning their organisation
Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales
Description
WWII Anti-Aircraft Battery adjacent to Thistleboon Common, Mumbles. The 623rd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery comprised of a Control bunker with underground command post, offices and plotting room, and four 3.7" AA guns in round, brick-walled emplacement, to the north. The round emplacements were replaced in 1944 with two square ones, located to the east.
NPRN416841 - Map ReferenceSS68NW - Grid ReferenceSS6224087600 - Unitary (Local) AuthoritySwansea - Old CountyGlamorgan - CommunityMumbles
Type Of Site ANTI AIRCRAFT BATTERY - PeriodPost Medieval
© Crown copyright: RCAHMW - RCAHMW colour oblique photograph of Anti-Aircraft Battery, Mumbles Hill. Taken by Toby Driver on 04/03/2008.
Reference - Wikipedia
79th (Hertfordshire Yeomanry) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
By the end of February 1941 the HAA guns in the Swansea GDA still only numbered 18 out of a planned establishment of 36. These were distributed to sites as follows:[61][62]
N1 Llansamlet – 4 x 3.7-inch (247 Bty)
N2 Neath – 4 x 3.7-inch (246 Bty)
N3 Jersey Marine – 4 x 3.7-inch (247 Bty)
N4 Ravenhill (under construction by 246 Bty)
N5 Mumbles – 4 x 3.7-inch (248 Bty)
These had been increased a month later to 36
Information Boards on the site of the Coastal Gun Battery
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