HER 22840 DESCRIPTION:-

A number of military storage structures visible on aerial photographs taken in 1946, within Old Staple Edge Wood, Ruspidge and Soudley.

2003 - This area was mapped at 1:10,000 scale as part of the English Heritage: Gloucestershire NMP project.

The Forest of Dean was used as a military depot during the Second World War and a number of military storage structures within Old Staple Edge Wood were visible on aerial photographs taken in 1946. They were long and narrow measuring between 8 and 9 metres in length and up to 1.5 metres in width. Between SO 6430 1072 and SO 6446 1113 for a distance of 416 metres was a group arranged parallel to a north/ south track with a gap of between 15 to 20 metres left between them. East of this was an elogated group which were laid out between SO 6459 1113 and SO 6456 1077, a distance of 360 metres. Further east still was a third group clustered around SO 6468 2110. There are a number of other similar sites on this quarter sheet including SMR 22838, SMR 22839, SMR 22841 and SMR 22842. {Source Works 4249, 7549 and 6880.}

"Amongst the trees are many remains to indicate this former depot including concrete roads and hut foundations and 3 brick constructed bunkers used for the post war disposal of small arms ammunition.This site was at one time reputed to be one of the biggest above ground ordnance depots in the UK. Large quantities of Mustard Gas were stored here although thankfully it was of course never used during WW2. The amount of explosives stored on this site was such that the area was only finally cleared and declared totally safe in 1957." {from http://wikimapia.org/15316958/Remains-of-US-Army-Ammunition-and-Explosive-Ordnance-Depot-Acorn-Patch}