Built during World War II, the pillboxes of Stop Line Red were designed to guard against potential invasions, and they hold a significant place in our local history. Unfortunately, like many historical sites, the Gatehampton Pillbox recently fell victim to vandalism, its interior walls defaced with unsightly spray paint, including needlessly painting over what may have been the original box identification number which would need restoration.
This is where the Redline Home Guard stepped in and a work party was organised to clean and restore the pillbox. Supplies were gathered, including eco-friendly graffiti removal products, brushes and buckets, and the group set to work. The graffiti removal process was tedious but rewarding, requiring careful application of solvents and meticulous scrubbing to avoid damaging the original structure.
It seems that the vandals had used several different paints, and we had various degrees of success, some coming off and other bits stubbornly refusing to budge. In the end, a combination of graffiti removal and painting over the bits that stayed with concrete-coloured paint mixed in with a bit of cement powder did the job.
The original number had unfortunately been painted over with white paint and so it was traced and reinstated with black masonry paint.
After restoration, the Redline Home Guard will keep a regular eye on the pillbox. Hopefully, this recent vandalism was a one-off but we’ll be vigilant – with luck they’ll turn up to repeat their work when we are at the box practising bayonet drill…
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