The Shoeburyness boom across Thames estuary.
Germany was determined to cut off this vital lifeline.
These armed towers, known as Maunsell Forts after Guy Maunsell, its designer, still stands.
These gates were guarded by the Royal Navys vessels.
Additional defense cover was provided by the nearby Maunsell Sea Forts and by a coastal battery at Shoeburyness.
Submarine nets on the Thames estuary.
Photo: Imperial War Museum
A Royal Navy vessel defends a gate on the Shoeburyness boom.
The boom comprised of two rows of concrete piles driven into the sand and linked by angle-iron straps.
One began at Shoeburyness and continued for about 2.6 kilometers before changing to floats and submarine nets.
Another began at Sheerness and likewise proceeded north until both ends of the boom met.
Photo:Julian Osley
East Beach in Shoeburyness, Essex.
