ils ne passeront pas! *

Admiralty scaffolding was a British design of anti-tank and anti-boat obstacle made of tubular steel. It was widely deployed on vulnerable beaches during the invasion crisis of 1940-1941. The barrier comprised upright tubes 9 feet high and 4 feet 10 inches apart, these were connected by up to four horizontal tubes. Each upright was braced by a pair of diagonal tubes, at about 45°, to the rear. 


The problem of securing the barriers was overcome by the development of the "sword picket" by Stewarts & Lloyds' ironworks in Glasgow. These were driven deep into the sand, The device was later known at the Admiralty as the "Wallace Sword" due to its resemblance to the claymore carried by Sir William Wallace. Here Mrs T. models a sword which has recently become exposed in the dunes behind our local beach. If you view the map in satellite mode you will be able to see remnants of the scaffolding wall.

Barriers varying in length from a couple of hundred feet to three miles were constructed consuming 50% of Britain's production of scaffolding steel. In total many miles of Admiralty scaffolding were erected using more than 15,000 miles of scaffolding tube.

*"ils ne passeront pas" were the final words in an Order of the Day issued by French General Nivelle during the attritional battle of Verdun (Feb 2 - 18 Dec 1916).