Editing Taunton Stop Line

{{Short description|World War II defensive line in south west England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
[[Image:Demolition chambers, Mausel Lock.JPG|thumb|right|Demolition chambers under a bridge over the [[Bridgwater and Taunton Canal]]&nbsp;— later filled with concrete and now appearing larger than they were originally.]]

The '''Taunton Stop Line''' was a [[World War II]] defensive line in southwest England. It was designed "to stop an enemy's advance from the west and in particular a rapid advance supported by [[armoured fighting vehicle]]s (up to the size of a [[Nazi Germany|German]] [[Panzer IV|medium tank]]) which may have broken through the forward defences."<ref>{{cite web|title=History|url=http://www.axminster.org/home/history|publisher=Axminster|accessdate=4 October 2016}}</ref>

==History==
The Taunton Stop Line was one of more than fifty similar defensive lines that were constructed around England in WWII, all designed to compartmentalise the country to contain any breakthrough until reinforcements could arrive. Stop Lines used a combination of geography and construction to make continuous defences. The innermost and longest was the [[GHQ Line]]. They were constructed as part of a package of [[British anti-invasion preparations of World War II#Field fortifications|field fortifications]] planned under the leadership of [[Edmund Ironside, 1st Baron Ironside|General Sir Edmund Ironside]], the newly appointed [[Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces]].

The Taunton Stop Line ran north–south for nearly {{convert|50|mi|km}} through [[Somerset]], [[Dorset]] and [[Devon]], from [[Seaton, Devon|Seaton]] to [[Axminster]] to [[Chard, Somerset|Chard]] along the [[River Axe, Devon|River Axe]], then along the [[Great Western Railway]] to [[Ilminster]], the railway and [[Chard Canal]] to [[Taunton, Somerset|Taunton]], the [[Bridgwater and Taunton Canal]] to [[Bridgwater]], and the [[River Parrett]] to the coast near [[Highbridge, Somerset|Highbridge]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Somerset Pillboxes|url=http://www.webring.org/l/rd?ring=britishhistory;id=169;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Epillboxes-somerset%2Ecom%2F|publisher=Somerset Pillboxes|accessdate=19 January 2013}}</ref> Highbridge was also the starting point for the east–west [[GHQ Line]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Second World War stop line (General Headquarters Line)|url=http://www.somersetheritage.org.uk/record/15450|work=Somerset Historic Environment Record|publisher=Somerset County Council|accessdate=19 January 2013}}</ref>

Aside from the obstacles created by canals, rivers and railway embankments, by early 1942 the line was defended by 309 [[light machine gun]] [[Pillbox (military)|pillbox]]es (typically for the [[Bren]] gun), 61 medium machine gun emplacements (typically for the [[Vickers machine gun]]), 21 static anti-tank gun emplacements (equipped with ex-[[World War I]] naval [[Shell (projectile)#Old-style British classification by weight|six-pound guns]]), along with numerous [[anti-tank obstacles]] in the form of concrete posts, cubes and pyramids, while charge chambers were cut into bridges ready for demolition.<ref>{{cite web|title=Second World War stop line, The Taunton Stop Line|url=http://www.somersetheritage.org.uk/record/15410|work=Somerset Historic Environment Record|publisher=Somerset County Council|accessdate=19 January 2013}}</ref> Other armaments used included [[Boys Anti-tank Rifle]] and mobile [[Ordnance QF 2 pounder|QF 2 pounder]] guns.

To reinforce the line and deny access to the major east–west routes that passed through the line, in 1941 twelve "Defensive Islands" were added to the line under a plan devised by [[Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke|General Brooke]], who succeeded General [[Sir Edmund Ironside]].  These included [[Bridgwater]] and [[Creech St Michael]].

Two [[Division (military)|divisions]] from [[GHQ Home Forces Reserve]] were originally assigned to man the line, although from the autumn of 1940 the [[British Home Guard|Home Guard]] were increasingly used.

Many pillboxes can still be seen along the length of the line.

==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed" heights="140px">
Image:Pillbox on Taunton stop line.JPG|Pillbox on Taunton Stop Line.
Image:Pillbox embrasures, Large, on Taunton Stop Line.JPG|Vickers medium machine gun emplacement with large, stepped [[embrasure]]. Along the Taunton Stop Line these are typically found in pairs.
Image:Obstacles on Taunton Stop Line.JPG|Anti-tank posts each about {{convert|8|in|cm}} square and projecting about {{convert|6|ft|m|1}}, made from reinforced concrete, at the top of the eastern side of a steep railway cutting. They were intended to stop enemy tanks climbing the steep side of the cutting.
Image:Railway block on Taunton Stop Line.JPG|One of a pair of blocks that allowed the railway line to be blocked quickly by inserting a barrier such as a section of rail. The rail block was intended to stop enemy tracked vehicles from travelling along the railway route. The mass of concrete stands on a foundation and is about {{convert|5|ft|m|1}} high.
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[British anti-invasion preparations of World War II]]
* [[British hardened field defences of World War II]]
* [[GHQ Line]]
* [[Coquet Stop Line]]
* [[Outer London Defence Ring]]
* [[Bridgwater and Taunton Canal]]
* [[Ringwood West Line]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.pillboxesuk.co.uk UK Invasion Defence Remains]
* "The Stop Line Way Multi-user Path Seaton to Colyford and Cloakham Lawn to Weycroft East Devon"&nbsp;– An Archaeological Desk-based Assessment ([https://web.archive.org/web/20110615160213/http://www.devon.gov.uk/plandoc_8_3730.pdf part 1]) and ([https://web.archive.org/web/20110615160310/http://www.devon.gov.uk/plandoc_9_3730.pdf part 2])
* {{cite web| url=http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/oasis_reports/contexto1/ahds/dissemination/pdf/contexto1-73825_1.pdf | title=Land off Morton Way, Axminster, Devon&nbsp;– A Limited Archaeological Excavation and Recording Programme | publisher = Context One Archaeological Services 2010 | year = 2010 | work=Archaeology Data Service | accessdate=14 May 2011 }}

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[[Category:Taunton]]
[[Category:British World War II defensive lines]]
[[Category:Historic defensive lines]]
[[Category:Military history of Somerset]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Somerset]]
[[Category:History of Taunton]]