Remains of an invention planned to kill or injure Second World War German troops invading Deal have been exposed in the sea defence work opposite The Clarendon Hotel, Beach Street.
Pipework for the fougasse installation was revealed as contractors started work on the promenade wavewalls and Stuart Smith from Deal was called to take a look at the discovery.
The keen local history enthusiast and author said: “The pipes are part of the defence of this country when beaches from Sandwich Bay through to Kingsdown were hastily covered in anti-invasion scaffolding and mined. One of the many anti-invasion ideas developed was by the Petroleum Warfare Dept called flame fougasse.
“The idea was to spray a mixture of oil and petroleum onto the sea and set light to it, so providing the Germans with a warm welcome should they invade."
He added that when the defences were tested there were 40ft flames, intense heat and the beach became so hot that the pebbles danced.

* For full story see the East Kent Mercury, Thursday, October 25.