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Christmas Island Archives Christmas Island (Indian Ocean) - Ruins, relics, stories and other interesting things

Christmas Island (Indian Ocean) - Ruins, relics, stories and other interesting things

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An English pillbox

In Flying Fish Cove there is a World War 2, English archeological gem and yet it remains invisible to all even though it is in plain sight!  I had passed it many times and had no idea it was there. Yet, when you do know about it, it seems quite obvious. I have to thank Razad Arshad and the late Dean Shaw as it was their discussion on a Facebook page as to the fate of the pillbox that alerted me to its existence.

Most excitingly, with many thanks again to Razad Arshad (who has kindly allowed me to show here his photos) you can see the site yourself.

Photos © Razad Arshad

Is the pillbox still intact? What lies beneath? There is a long straight stone wall that runs on either side of the pillbox site and the only time its line deviates is to go around the pillbox. So this indicates to me that it wasn’t demolished; the circular outline of its top can be seen. 

Update: How fortuitous that Teresa Barlow has recently come across photos of the pillbox! These photos were taken by her late father, Harry Vogelsang, in 1971 after a serious rock fall that partially destroyed the original boat club. You can see its concrete circular structure next to the boat club.

Photos © Honorah Vogelsang

I understand there was another pillbox too in the Flying Fish Cove area but it was demolished.

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Christmas Island Archives was selected for preservation by the State Library of Western Australia. It is now listed in perpetuity on PANDORA, Australia’s website archive established by the National Library of Australia.

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