I lived at the point from 1967 to 1974 and this concrete barge was a favourite boyhood play area. It was a base of operations, a catapult firing range and an all-round load of fun. I think it was originally floated there to try and seal a breach in the wall, but got stranded and left there.
By Danny Clarke (26/06/2020)
Nothing to do with a breach in the wall Danny
By Janet Penn (26/06/2020)
I have the feeling is was a Mulberry Harbour which was used by the Canvey Canoe club until the flood. My father, George Chambers, was a member. When he woke up that night, he worried that it was this that beached the sea wall.
By Tony Chambers (27/06/2020)
The concrete Petrol Barges had nothing to do with Mulberry, although adapted Petrol Barges were trialled at Garlieston, Scotland in August & September 1943 and rejected based on their performance relative to ‘Beetles’ which were used instead. Nor did any of the Petrol Barges go to Normandy, (which is what they were built for….) again rejected based on Exercise Jantzen and other factors
Comments about this page
I lived at the point from 1967 to 1974 and this concrete barge was a favourite boyhood play area. It was a base of operations, a catapult firing range and an all-round load of fun.
I think it was originally floated there to try and seal a breach in the wall, but got stranded and left there.
Nothing to do with a breach in the wall Danny
I have the feeling is was a Mulberry Harbour which was used by the Canvey Canoe club until the flood. My father, George Chambers, was a member. When he woke up that night, he worried that it was this that beached the sea wall.
The concrete Petrol Barges had nothing to do with Mulberry, although adapted Petrol Barges were trialled at Garlieston, Scotland in August & September 1943 and rejected based on their performance relative to ‘Beetles’ which were used instead. Nor did any of the Petrol Barges go to Normandy, (which is what they were built for….) again rejected based on Exercise Jantzen and other factors
Add a comment about this page