Defending Anglesey

Calling a book ‘Coffee Table’ could be regarded as unkind but this is a Coffee Table Book – inasmuch as it is large, heavy, solid, replete with excellent colour photographs and you will not read it on your lap.The defences described in this book are those of the 20th century, before and during both world wars, the subsequent Cold War and up to the present.The island of Anglesey projects NE into the Irish Sea from mainland Wales and is one of the two points of the UK closest to Ireland. In WW1, as the U-boat threat developed this largely very rural island acquired armed vessels at the Port of Holyhead, an airship station and a naval base. The main seaway from the Atlantic to Liverpool passes off its NE shore. An army camp at Kingsbridge near the Edwardian castle of Beaumaris was established in 1902 and trained Royal Engineers until switching to training troops for Western front in the later stages of WW1.Most of the defence works visible today date from WW2 and later, three airfields – Bodorgan, all gone except a couple of pillboxes, Mona, a satellite for RAF Valley and private use and Valley itself, a fully active airfield largely concerned with training fighter pilots, and until very recently, Search and Rescue. An AA training camp opened in 1941.It was considered that Germany might invade neutral Ireland and from there attack Britain via Wales so a chain of pillboxes was established around Holyhead and across the island as well as a scatter on each airfield. Anglesey has several large and inviting sandy beaches. To go with all this activity other facilities were needed – coastal and beach defence batteries, radar stations, bombing and gunnery ranges, decoy sites, observation posts and nodal points on the main roads. Such a wealth of military activity had a large impact on the resident population, large numbers being involved in a variety of war work.Post-war, RAF Valley acted as a hub for US bombers crossing the Atlantic and the AA training camp at Ty Croes became involved in experimental trials work until both became crucial to Britain’s post-war planning.During the Cold War fast jet training commenced at Valley, and Ty Croes was key in the development of SAMs; ROC posts were established and V bombers based on the island. Today RAF Valley remains the UK’s only fast jet training base.Given the large part played by the RAF in the island’s activities it is no surprise that text and photos of RAF Valley form a large part of the book, but every imaginable military feature is covered with superb photographs, contemporary and current. It is pleasing to find information and illustrations of the defences extending inland from Anglesey onto the more southern beaches of Wales and the passes of Snowdonia. Finished in local stone these defences blend into the landscape – I have travelled along the A5 by llyn Ogwen numerous times and have never spotted them.The book describes the sites by type and location, the whole superbly illustrated. Even if the location of the subject is fairly small and at first glance - on the ground - the remains are few, no site is neglected. I would thoroughly recommend the book to anyone with an interest particularly in WW2 sites and defences – terrific value for money. Charles BlackwoodReview appeared in Casemate, the magazine of the Fortress Study Group. www.fsgfort.com

While walking the Anglesey coastline I often stumbled on old structures, concrete foundations and the like, and wondered what they were. This book is full of well illustrated descriptions and excellent photos of nearly all military installations across Anglesey and the mainland A5. If your interest is in the cost, military history, or just exploring and you live on or visit Anglesey, this book is for you, you won't regret it. It's not cheap, but worth every penny. There are lots of cheap 'guide' books, that don't come anywhere near this book. I was surprised to find WWII pillboxes in places where Id walked or driven past for decades without even noticing, a testement to the engineers that built them ! It would be great to see the author write another book, specifically illustrating the history around the Anglesey coastal path, plenty of interest there !

Fantastically researched with some marvellous photos. A real document of research and interest.

much to large a book.Should have been two books

A friend had bought this book and when I saw it I just had to have it. I'm from Anglesey and have an interest in its history. This has added greatly to my knowledge of various bits I've seen over the years. It goes alongside my extensive local library and it will become a standard work for Anglesey and its genre. It also covers parts of Gwynedd. Extremely good value with something like 600 coloured photos and 400 black and white.Highly recommended for anyone with an interested in the country's defences or Anglesye and North Wales

I was going to write a superb review of this excellent and well researched book, but there are many reviews here - all doing the same thing ! I haven't got time to compare reviews or reviewers, suffice to say its an expensive book, but stuffed full of detail and absolutely worth every penny. Even better if you get it as a gift, like I did. Well done Mark Dalton.

very interesting

A really detailed, carefully crafted book, with great pictures and supporting text. If old and current MOD sites are of interest, you won't be disappointed.