TANK TRAPS

[buster]

I have always referred to these as tank traps, as I considered they were one of several forms of tank barriers. Does anyone know the correct designation?

I can only recall two spots on Corregidor where these are installed. The one (pictured) to prevent vehicle access from the North Dock area, and on the road leading to the East Entrance of Malinta. Has anyone any photographic evidence of any others.

[fots2]

As far as I know, you are correct in that these concrete blocks are at the two locations you mention. I am not sure of their purpose but your suggestion sounds reasonable.

There are a few of them at the North Dock area. My first trip to Corregidor was in 1996. Photos from that trip show at least nine of them on the North side. They also show an old dock that has been removed. Many of the concrete blocks behind it are gone now too.


1996 photo taken from the Sun Cruises ferry at the North Dock looking south. You can see six of them in this area. Three more are at Lorcha Dock.



Here is a photo of one of the two blocks near Malinta east entrance. They are on both sides of the road so their purpose may be to block the road if necessary.



I was thinking that they are also at the South Dock until I looked at a photo and saw that only modern concrete pillars are there.

[Registrar]

They weren't always concrete pillars at South Dock.

For those volk who feel that Corregidor is too touristy and not "military enough", me included, I wonder why they felt it necessary to hide/conceal the original character pillars which had some historic patina and replace them with new, slab-sided meaningless ones. We might as well have had a few feldgendarmerie boxes.

No Karl, this is NOT a dig at you, mate.

[fots2]

Registrar, you just pointed out something to me that should have been obvious especially after numerous visits.

Corregidor is a historic MILITARY site and in my humble opinion should look more like one. When you arrive there is no feeling of a former military installation, only a tourist attraction. Other than the few batteries and ruins of barracks that the day tour crowd sees, virtually nothing looks military. (i.e. ferry, tour bus, guides, road signs, gift shops, hotel).

Even the batteries on the day tour have an antiseptic artificial look to them. Where is even one jeep manned by soldiers in uniform? Manned checkpoints etc? Make Corregidor an experience and not just a lecture with a buffet lunch.

The subject of the museum, sound and light show and memorials is military but those things in themselves are not. They could be placed anywhere in the Philippines and still serve that purpose.

Corregidor itself was Fort Mills…not anymore.

[Registrar]

Hey, I'd be happy if they just painted the jeeps green!

The security guard uniform there is 'patterned' somewhat loosely on the Philippine Scouts uniform, I am told. That's a nice touch.

[fots2]

Yes but who notices or realizes that? He is one of a number of people standing around when you get off and on the ferry plus there is one more at the museum. That is all the day tour crowd sees. Not once have I heard their uniforms mentioned to the tourists.

[Registrar]

You might be right.

Sometimes I don't think Sun Cruises know tiddly spot about what it is that they're showing to the tourists. Yes, they know they are showing the tourists something, but I don't think they have the depth of knowledge about what it is, what it meant then, what it means now. Parrot a few phrases, wave the hand in front of a pretty view, flog the Malinta Sound and Light Show, sell some cold drinks, they're in it for the bucks, not for the meaning of it. A shallow knowledge, maybe, certainly not sufficient to engender the respect, appreciation or admiration or awe that, say, five minutes at Gettysburg, Pointe du Hoc, or Gallipoli, might communicate.

I think that's one place they are letting Corregidor down, in the sense that their intellectual connection is so shallow. Their knowledge is shallow enough to get away with it. Their attachment is commercial, of course, business is business, business comes first last and always.

Maybe CFI are beginning to appreciate it, trying to bring in a 'scholar' , but certainly not the Sun Cruises folk. They run a good boat, a clean hotel, but as for historical perspective, two out of three ain't bad.

[Deleted]

Registrar,

Interesting concept with those miniature guard houses. Who would have manned those, monkeys?

-Alan

[Deleted]

Fots,

I noticed.



The above is a stereograph. To see the full effect, view it cross-eyed.

[Registrar]

Those guard boxes are feldgendarmerie (field police) guard boxes, and were only ever intended by the Wehrmacht to keep a guard out of the rain/snow, and warm in the cold winds of the ETO.

The feldengarmerie boxes make as much sense as the featureless and unsympathetic rectangular blocks of concrete put there which detract from the old concrete pillars - none.