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The WW2 Podcast

146 - Stop Lines

The WW2 Podcast

Angus Wallace

Society & Culture, History

4.61.6K Ratings

🗓️ 15 July 2021

⏱️ 47 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In Britain, after the fall of France, there was the fear that the Germans may attempt a channel crossing and invade in 1940. If the Wehrmacht got shore in the south of England, facing them would have been a series of 'Stop Lines'.

These were defensives which comprised a series of pillboxes and anti-tank obstacles. They hoped these static defences would hold up any German advance long enough for the British to bring forward a mobile reserve.

During WWII this network of fortifications was spread across the country.

Protecting Britain from an invasion in Devon and Cornwall was the Taunton Stop line in the South West of the country.

To tell me all about Stop Lines is Andrew Powell-Thomas. Andrew is a military historian specialising in the military history of the West Country. He is also the author of The West Country's Last Line of Defence: Taunton Stop Line.

Patron: https://www.patreon.com/ww2podcast
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ww2podcast
Website: https://ww2podcast.com

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Hello and welcome to another episode of the World War II podcast, Amings Wallace.

0:05.6

In Britain, after the fall of France, there was the fear that the Germans may attempt

0:10.4

a channel crossing in invade in 1940. If the Vermacht did manage to get a shore in the

0:15.9

south of England, facing them would have been a series of stop lines. These were defenses

0:21.9

which consisted of a series of pillboxes and anti-tank obstacles. It was hoped that these

0:28.2

static defenses would hold up any German advance long enough for the British to bring forward

0:34.5

a mobile reserve. This network of fortifications was spread across the country, but primarily

0:41.3

in the south of England. Protecting Britain from an invasion in Devon

0:46.3

Cornwall was the taunt and stop line in the southwest of the country. To tell me today

0:51.8

about stop lines is Andrew Powell Thomas. Andrew is a military historian specialising

0:57.2

in the military history of the west country. He's also the author of the west country's

1:02.4

last line of defence, taunt and stop line. Folks, if you listen to the podcast, why not

1:08.2

help me keep the shore on the road by becoming a patron? I tried to put out the podcast

1:13.8

twice a month for free. This is made possible by listeners chipping in a pound or two each

1:19.8

month, which allows me to put time aside to research and record and meditate the shore.

1:26.1

If you head over to patreon.com slash www.podcast, you'll see I've changed the suggested tears

1:33.3

of support and try to give something back to supporters of the podcast. Extras add

1:38.8

free episodes and if you sign up like honorary kernels, Doug Ellet and Tyler Anderson, a shout

1:45.4

out on the show. Thanks, Japs. So to become a patron, it's patreon.com forward slash

1:51.3

www.podcast and I thank all those who have already signed up to support the shore.

1:59.3

Andrew, thanks for joining me. So what's the history of these stop lines? When are they

2:05.3

made? When were they in place before the war? Well, do you know what, but before the war,

...

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