Purfleet, Essex

[john kemp]

Does anyone have any info, pictures etc on the Purfleet site.

This is on my doorstep and Ive just found out that there was a very large

site here.

Regards

John

[john w.]

Have you tried the Essex County Record Office in Chelmsford?

John

[chris basey]

John

For many years, like most of us I suppose, Purfleet was ‘down there’ as we crossed the Queen Elizabeth Bridge. It seemed to consist only of oil terminals.

However, after researching two Norfolk brothers who enlisted and died with the 8th Bn East Surreys, I now know rather more about the place. Of the sizeable garrison that was there I believe the only visible remnant is one of the entrance gates.

September 1914 and a train arrived at the station known as ‘Purfleet Rifle Ranges’ bearing 1,000 volunteers of Kitchener’s New Army. 300 of them were from Norfolk and had enlisted in the East Surreys. The 18th Division history “There were not enough blankets to go round; the food was coarse, there were no recreation huts, no dining halls, no canteens such as the regular recruit found in barrack life. But the men’s mood was to make the best of things.”

All this is not surprising as the recruits were billeted in tents on the rifle range, which was no more than marshland alongside the river Thames. Their conditions worsened as winter approached and they were moved to higher ground at nearby Aveley until huts were erected on the range site.

The butts and targets are still in place on the range. Some of the target numbers are in metal and appear to be at least Victorian! The adjacent railway line is now the new link for the Eurotunnel but, when I was there a few years ago, they had kept the building that had once been the station toilet block.

Purfleet was chosen by George III as the new site for The Royal Gunpowder Magazine and Garrison in 1759 and one of the five gunpowder magazines remains and is used as a very interesting museum. See http://www.purfleet5.freeserve.co.uk/heritage.htm

For more about the place see:

http://www.thurrock-community.org.uk/histo...c/purfleet.html

Two photographs attached show the Purfleet Rifle Range Station – a magnifying glass shows the range target numbers on the skyline – and London Road, Purfleet c1914.

[Terry_Egalton]

John,

There was a rifle range at purfleet well into the 1980's, I used it when in the TA.

Regards

Terry

[guy taylor]

John & pals,

The whole area is now a nature reserve under the RSPB so they would seem to be safe from development - I believe the RSPB were a bit put out to find that some of the butts and firing points have been scheduled! Oxford Archaeology were contracted to do a survey a couple of years ago but their tame military 'expert' informed them that the ranges had closed in the 60s. Like Terry I can remember shooting on them well after that and I know that the Met Police specialist firearms unit used the ranges, also Sterling Engineering, for testing their sub-machine guns - does anybody know when the ranges were finally closed ?

At the western end of the marshes was/is a tower for a WW1 anti-aircraft gun.; the crew are alleged to have shot down the 1st Zeppelin - winning a cash award from the Lord Mayor of London. The aforementioned military 'expert' claimed that the design was unique - does anybody know otherwise ?

Regards

Guy

[johnreed]

I retired from the Army in 1992 after having served 27 years for the last seven years I was attached to 100 Fd Regt RA at Grove Park in London, the ranges were in use at that time as we used to borrow the Army Cadets single shot SA80 for some fun shooting. My recollections of the ranges were it always rained and was windy a right miserable place, I could imagine it in 1914 under canvas.

Regards

John

[john kemp]

Thanks folks,

I live about five miles away and it does always seem to rain around this area.

I have been to the area but not found the gates in question. did go to the

museum which was ok but Im glad I didnt have to travel far to get to it.

Was surprised that there was no mention of the garrision on display although

they did have a ww2 exhib on at the time concerning Hornchurch RAF.

Thanks for all your posts, if I get anymore info, I will post here

John

There is serious work going on still with the