History on your doorstep: 4. Naishes Wood

Welcome to the seventh in my series. This time I’m showcasing my top ten favourite historical stories and features, selected from our ‘Greenspace on your doorstep’ directory.

At number 4 is Naishes Wood in Hampshire…

In September 1939, following the outbreak of war between Britain and Germany, months of relative quiet known as the ‘Phoney War’ followed; but a German invasion of Southeast England was expected in 1940 and, as part of defence preparations, Winston Churchill ordered the construction of the ‘Southern Command Defence Line’. The three WW II hexagonal fortified pillboxes on the heights of Naishes Wood formed a part of this defence line that ran from Hook to Salisbury. They were made for defence with light machine-guns and rifles such as the bolt-action Lee Enfield – issued to my father when he joined the Sherwood Foresters Regiment in 1936 (and the Honourable Artillery Company during WW II). Incredibly, this rifle was in use by the British Army from 1895 to 1957!

One of many World War II pillboxes at Naishes Wood.

Of course, as we know, the German plans to invade by land were abandoned after the Lufwaffe lost the Battle of Britain in the air in the summer of 1940.

Lee Enfield rifle

For directions, information and more photographs, go to the Naishes Wood entry in ‘Greenspace on your doorstep’.

Warden Mike

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