- Contributed by听
- Ipswich Museum
- People in story:听
- Alfred Cresswell
- Location of story:听
- Suffolk Coast
- Background to story:听
- Civilian Force
- Article ID:听
- A3294281
- Contributed on:听
- 18 November 2004
Mr Alfred Creswell has already described the sinking of the Gypsy in Harwich Harbour.
Ipswich Museum talked to him further about his work on the Suffolk Coast during the war.
Another of our jobs was to lay dragon teeth under the water. We covered the area around Felixstowe Ferry and Bawdsey. This was very dangerous because there were mines along the beach, often covered by the wind and tides. They tried to set out red markers for the workmen.
One way to defuse the mine was to lie flat on your stomach and to hit the mine with a pole. One chargehand, unfortunately, was blown up by a mine. After that the Army decided to send in Sappers with wooden stakes. From clearing 400 yards a day we got down to 100 yards.
Remains of the dragon teeth stayed there for many years afterwards.
Reproduced with permission by Ipswich Museum.
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