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Summary

A rectangular structure is visible on aerial photographs between 1945 and 1946, and interpreted as a military site associated with Second World War U.S. Army training. It seems to have been removed by the late 1950s and may have been a mock-up German pillbox.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 33293

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MILITARY TRAINING SITE (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1941, RAF/S171, NMR RAF/5171 26-27 01-JUN-1941 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349056.

No structure is visible in this location.

Royal Air Force, 1945, RAF/106G/LA/132, NMR RAF/106G/LA/132 5178 14-FEB-1945 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349061.

A rectangular structure is visible.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1501, NMR RAF/106G/UK/1501 4131-4132 13-MAY-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349927.

A rectangular structure is visible.

Royal Air Force, 1957, RAF/58/2205 F22, NMR RAF/58/2205 F22 0078-0080 05-JUL-1957 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349748.

A dark subrectangular cropmark is visible.

Royal Air Force, 1959, RAF/80/788, NMR RAF/80/788 0017-0018 13-MAR-1959 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349053.

A dark cropmark is visible.

Brown, I., Burridge, D. Clarke, D., Guy, J., Hellis, J., Lowry, B., Ruckley, N. & Thomas, R., 1996, 20th Century Defences in Britain: An Introductory Guide., 89-90 (Monograph). SDV349907.

Several designs of pillbox are illustrated in plan.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S., 2011 - 2012, North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV349018.

A low, flat rectangular structure, visible on aerial photographs between 1945 and 1946, is interpreted as a military site associated with the U.S. Army use of Croyde Bay for training in the Second World War. It is not visible on aerial photographs from earlier in the war, indicating that it was probably not associated with coastal defence from seaborne attack, and had been removed, leaving a dark cropmark, by the late 1950s. Its exact function is not known but pillboxes have been recorded in this area, and its size is consistent with a Type 28A (Brown et.al, 1996) pillbox at approximately 10 by 7 metres in plan, although if it were a mock pillbox it would probably have been built to a German design. It may be associated with the pillbox recorded as built into the cliff nearby (MDV21115).

Sources / Further Reading

SDV349018	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S.. 2011 - 2012. North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. ACD383/2/1. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV349053	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1959. RAF/80/788. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/80/788 0017-0018 13-MAR-1959.
SDV349056	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1941. RAF/S171. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/5171 26-27 01-JUN-1941.
SDV349061	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1945. RAF/106G/LA/132. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/106G/LA/132 5178 14-FEB-1945.
SDV349748	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1957. RAF/58/2205 F22. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/58/2205 F22 0078-0080 05-JUL-1957.
SDV349907	Monograph: Brown, I., Burridge, D. Clarke, D., Guy, J., Hellis, J., Lowry, B., Ruckley, N. & Thomas, R.. 1996. 20th Century Defences in Britain: An Introductory Guide.. 20th Century Defences in Britain: An Introductory Guide.. Paperback Volume. 89-90.
SDV349927	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1501. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/106G/UK/1501 4131-4132 13-MAY-1946. [Mapped feature: #62525 ]

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6132 - North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty NMP Project

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