The Sphere

Sandbags are brought by fishing-boats to one of the vital points along the line of Canvey Island's defences : The sandbags are being unloaded along bank runways and troops are waiting on the breached wall to do the stacking. On Tewkes Dyke, one of the main danger-spots at Canvey, no fewer than 600 (service men) were working last week, the force having been built up to this figure when 200 men were drafted from an area where satisfactory progress had been achieved. Admiralty engineer in charge of operations at Canvey has not hesitated to switch men from point to point to keep the work of wall-building going steadily.

Bren-gun carriers ploughing through the water in a still-flooded Canvey street: The carrier on the left is taking track-laying equipment to the areas where mud has been hampering the work of the troops and civilians engaged in gap-filling. Powerful pumps from volunteer fire brigade organisations have played a big part in reducing the level of the water.

Sandbags passing from hand to hand : Men of the Royal Air Force seen as they filled a barge before it was towed away to the scene of embankment-building at one of the danger-points.